Cinderella, a modern tale.

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Cinderella, a modern tale

Once upon a time in the town of Buttercup, there lived a beautiful young girl and her father. The girl was called Cinderella, but was known to everyone as Cindy. Her father considered it to be old-fashioned and so she came to be known as Cindy, very few people actually knew this was not her real name. Her mother had died during childbirth, a mistake by the hospital resulted in Cindy’s father George suing them for a large amount of money that enabled them to live very comfortably. As Cindy was his only daughter, George tended to spoil her a bit, she grew up wearing Versace, her twelfth birthday present was a haircut at Nicky Clarke’s and by the time she was sixteen Cindy had picked out the sports car she wanted.

   George was quite young when Cindy was born, he had managed to preserve his looks quite well and with his money he was considered rather an eligible bachelor, indeed only a couple of years ago he was nominated in a high profile magazine for bachelor of the month. In the end it was one of the people from Baywatch that won, but it certainly helped raise his profile in the husband hunting circles. In particular he caught the eye of a certain Mrs Ursula Jefferies. Although she had humble beginnings Mrs Jefferies had managed to marry well. She had twin daughters that were around Cindy’s age by her wealthy first husband, who had mysteriously disappeared during a cruise in the Caribbean. Mrs Jefferies had met George at several social occasions, the more she saw of him the more she wanted him, and more importantly she wanted his money. Their meetings became more and more frequent until just after Cindy’s sixteenth birthday they announced their engagement. Within six months they were married.

  The comfortable four bedroom house Cindy and her father had shared was sold and replaced by a huge ten roomed mansion. Ursula, now Mrs. Jones, was not at all happy about George having a daughter as it meant she had to share George’s attentions with another person, something she had never had to do before. Along with Ursula also came her two very trashy daughters Tina and Tanya. They were as jealous of Cindy as their mother. Cindy had been a very sweet young girl and had grown up into a very attractive young woman. Although Cindy herself was not aware of her beauty the twins knew all too well that they were ugly ducklings next to Cindy’s swan. This fact didn’t stop them trying to outshine her though, they invested heavily in make up, clothes and beauty treatments, but where Cindy was able to carry off barely there make up and stylish, simple clothes with ease, the twins had more trouble, usually by going way over the top.

  The first New Year the unhappy family spent together they were invited to a big party thrown by a neighbouring family. The twins got very excited at the prospect of going to a proper adult party and spent the weeks up to New Year scouring the shops for dazzling new outfits that would put Cindy in their shadow.

  When the evening arrived, they put on their outfits and went along to Ursula’s room to show her. Now, although Ursula was a money-obsessed man-hunter, she did have a little taste in clothes, unlike her two daughters who thought that full length dresses decorated with fluorescent sequins would create their desired effects.

“Oh my god, pass the sunglasses, what the hell are you wearing?” Ursula screamed.

“Don’t you like it? It’s Vivienne Westwood” said Tina with a little twirl.

“Like it! It’s hideous and I bet it cost a bomb, where’s your monstrosity from?”

“Mine’s Lacroix, far more tasteful than Tina’s don’t you think?”

“No I don’t, go and take them off and put something decent on.”

“We don’t have anything else.”

“Nothing better than Cindy.”

“Then go and borrow something of hers.” She suddenly smiled. “After all, you are sisters now; she should be willing to let you borrow anything of hers, shouldn’t she?”

“Oh mama you are clever”

“I’m having that gold dress of hers”

“No you’re not, I am”

“I am”

They ran off still arguing to Cindy’s room where they promptly emptied the contents of her wardrobe all over her bedroom. Cindy sat on her bed and watched them, knowing there was nothing she could do but clear up after them.

  When they had finished tearing her room apart, taking with them two of her most prized dresses with them, Cindy quietly walked along to her father’s room. When she opened the door she found Ursula already in there talking to him.

“Darling there you are. Why aren’t you dressed yet? We’re having some drinks downstairs before leaving; you will be ready won’t you?”

“Yes father, I was just coming to talk to you for a minute but it doesn’t really matter.”  Cindy didn’t want to tell her father about Tina and Tanya in front of Ursula, as she was bound to defend them and turn the situation round so that Cindy would come out in the wrong.

“Cindy can I pass on the thanks of my daughters, I’m sure they wouldn’t have thought to do it themselves.”

“That’s all right it wasn’t too much trouble really.” Cindy said. Although this obviously wasn’t true, as anyone could tell by the expression on her face.

“And what good deeds have you been doing now my pet?” her father asked.

“The twins didn’t have anything to wear tonight so I lent them something of mine.”

“Isn’t she a little treasure.” said Ursula with a sickeningly sweet smile “The clothes the twins had chosen were quite inappropriate. I’ll go and start the drinks if you like so you can have that little chat you wanted.” She left still with an unusually happy look on her face.

“What did you want to talk about dear?” asked her father whilst trying to fasten his bow tie.

“Here let me do that.” Said Cindy. “ It was nothing really, the twins just left my room in a bit of a mess after borrowing my clothes.”

“I’ll speak to Ursula about them tidying it up. Thank you for doing that.” He straightened his tie in the mirror. “ I never was any good at doing it.”

“Don’t worry about speaking to Ursula about my room, it won’t take long to sort out.” She gave him a peck on the check then left to get ready.

  Meanwhile downstairs Ursula was preparing her own sort of drinks. Whilst humming a little tune to herself she extracted a small packet of white powder from her bag, she emptied it into a whisky glass and topped it up, she then added the ice and said: “Lets see if this doesn’t make it a memorable night.” Then let out a chilling cackle.

  An hour later they were all sipping drinks in the sitting room. The twins were whispering and giggling in the corner, Ursula and George were talking by the fire and Cindy was reading a magazine. The peaceful scene was suddenly shattered by George choking and coughing violently

“Father, are you all right? Did you swallow some ice?” Cindy asked rushed to his side. George was unable to answer as he slid slowly to the ground his face started turning an ugly shade of blue.

“Someone call an ambulance, he’s dying!” Screamed Ursula.

   When the ambulance arrived ten minutes later it was too late. The paramedics walked into a room that was silent except for the sound of Ursula’s noisy sobbing. All they had to do was remove the body.

  The funeral was held five days later. As George had left no will everything he owned was left to his wife Ursula, Cindy was not to receive a penny.  

  Soon after this Ursula fired all the hired help. The same day she summoned Cindy to her room. Cindy knocked on the door. “What do you want?” Ursula called in an annoyed voice.

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“It’s me Ursula, you sent for me.” Answered Cindy peering round the door slowly.

“Come in Cindy, we have to talk.” Her voice was dark and menacing. “Now that your father is dead, there will be no more mollycoddling of you. I expect you to pull your weight around this house, you will do exactly what I tell you, understand?” This was not so much a question as more of a command. “You can start by cooking my daughters and I dinner tonight, I believe the cook went shopping last night so there is no need to buy any more ...

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