Beauty in Cinders

CHAPTER 4

EIGHT YEARS LATER

"The princess looked deep into the eyes of her beloved prince and she knew that from that moment on, all would be perfect between the two. All their troubles had gone, their love had won and because of that, they lived happily ever after."

Heath closed the book and looked down at his eight-year-old daughter.

"I love that one very much, daddy," Heather said to her father as she clutched her blanket up close to her chin. Heath smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"And I love reading it to you, sweetheart," he answered. "Now get some rest, okay? It's way past your bedtime."

"Daddy but I love to stay up," Heather said frowning her little face. At that moment, Beatrice appeared by the door and walked inside. She sat down next to Heath on the bed.

"Your father's right, Heather," she told her. "Gina and Sonya are already asleep."

Heather sighed dramatically and nodded her head, "Fine, I'll go to sleep."

Heath grinned, "Atta girl, that's my princess."

"Night daddy, night aunt Beatrice."

"Good night," Beatrice smiled as Heath leaned down and kissed Heather's forehead again.

"Night darling," He said to her before standing and leaving the room with Beatrice.

"And what about you?" Beatrice asked as they stopped outside the hallway. The light of the moon crept through the large windows. "Are you going to bed?"

"No, I'm afraid I have some work left to take care of before I get any sleep," Heath answered. Beatrice smirked and grabbed ahold of his hand.

"You work too hard," she said to him. "Remember what the doctor told you last week, you can't let yourself drown in all that work. Give some of it to Arnold."

Heath shook his head, "Arnold has his own workload to deal with. Hey, don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

"Your doctor doesn't seem to think so," Beatrice replied. "Sorry, I don't mean to be a nag. It's just ... if I don't look out for you, who will?"

Heath looked down at his hand in Beatrice's and squeezed it before looking back up. "You're a good friend, I appreciate it."

"It's the least I could do after you've helped me out," Beatrice smiled.

The sudden silence that filled the air between them was abruptly cut short by a loud scream. They turned their heads to look down the opposite direction of where they were standing.

"Sonya," Beatrice said, a look of worry appearing on her face. She let go of Heath's hand and ran down the hallway until she got to a bedroom that was off to a side. Beatrice burst in and found her daughter Sonya sitting up in her bed, her chest rising and lowering as if she were out of breath. Near her, sat her fraternal twin sister Gina in her own bed. She was looking at her sister with concern when Beatrice ran into the room. Both girls had dark brown hair and dark eyes, both shared the same fair complexion but the two had different features altogether. Beatrice sat on Sonya's bed and took her daughter into her arms.

"Mommy," Sonya sobbed, "Mommy, I-I saw him again."

Beatrice shushed her daughter and cradled her in her arms. "You just had another of your bad dreams, is all. Heath, could ... do you think you could leave me alone with my daughter for a moment?"

"Are you sure? You need me to get anything?" he asked with worry.

"No, thank you, she'll be fine," Beatrice smiled at him.