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eBook Category: Romance
eBook Description: Cathy has her work cut out for her. After tragedy leaves her responsible for her six year old niece, she has no choice but to make good. Whatever it takes. But life isn't a fairy tale. So when her day job as a personal shopper leads her into a life that may be out of her reach, not to mention into the arms of the man of her dreams, can she find happily ever after?

eBook Publisher: Echelon Press, Published: 2003, 2003
Fictionwise Release Date: September 2005

This eBook is part of the following series:

• K. Z. Riley's Once Upon a Time Series

42 Reader Ratings: Great Good OK Poor

Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [301 KB], eReader (PDB) [54 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [27 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [25 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [69 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [98 KB], hiebook (KML) [119 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [81 KB], iSilo (PDB) [23 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [29 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [63 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [40 KB]
Words: 8135
Reading time: 23-32 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED
ISBN: 1590801717

"...and Cinderella and her prince lived happily ever after." Cathy closed the book softly, glad for once that she didn't have to ad-lib about what constituted happily-ever-after. Six-year old Alicia was breathing evenly, her battered, five-year old bear hugged to her chest as she drifted off to sleep. They looked so lost-two tiny lumps under the covers of an adult sized bed. Cathy fought back the tears and panic that clutched at her when she thought of how this unexpected treasure had been thrust into her keeping.

"Aunt Cathy?"

"Yes?" She prayed the quiver in her voice wasn't something a sleepy six-year old would notice.

"Why are you so pretty?"

Cathy stroked Alicia's hair, sensing there was more to this than a simple question. "What's on your mind, Sweetheart?"

"Cinderella's stepsisters were ugly. But you're mommy's stepsister and you're pretty."

Cathy's throat tightened, and she paused, certain that this time, Alicia would hear the quiver in her voice. Compared to brilliant, vivacious, beautiful Stephanie, she was the ugly stepsister. Not that she'd ever admitted it to her fiercely protective family. Despite their love and encouragement, in a secret corner of her heart, she'd always felt second best. She was comfortable being just "Stephanie's little sister." It hadn't mattered until now. Until she faced the reality of being second-best mom.

"Allie, honey, Cinderella's stepsisters were ugly because of the way they acted, not how they looked. It's what's inside that's important. And you're a beautiful little girl, inside and outside." She stroked Allie's tiny back, hoping to lull her to sleep again.

"If I'm a good girl, why did mommy leave me?"

Cathy gathered the little girl into her arms just as Allie dissolved into sobs. How did you explain death to a child? Especially a tragic, unnecessary death that robbed her of both her parents in one selfish moment? All she could do was hold her and murmur soothing, meaningless words.

Hours later, long after Allie had cried herself to sleep, Cathy restlessly plucked a book at random from the jumble of paperbacks on her coffee table. She skimmed its contents. Out of hundreds of pages of advice, by dozens of parenting experts, not one paragraph had given her any peace of mind.

What was a woman to do when the experts failed? She picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hi, Mom."

"Cathy. Is everything all right?"

"Oh, Mom." Cathy gave in to her tears. "What am I supposed to do?" She poured out hours, days, and weeks of helpless frustration, ending with Allie's tormented sobs. "All I did was hold her and tell her that her mom and dad loved her, and that I loved her. I didn't know what else to say."

"You didn't need to say anything else. You did the right thing."

"Mom, how can I make things right for Allie? She had so much with Steph and Michael-toys, clothes, a beautiful home, a full-time nanny. I can't give her those things. There wasn't even enough money left from their estate to pay for her education."

"You could sell the jewelry."

"Steph's jewelry is worthless, Mom. It's all high quality glass and imitation gem stones. Besides, it's the only inheritance Allie has. She'll want something from her mother when she grows up."

"Cathy, how well do you remember your real mother?"

Cathy fiddled with the books on her coffee table as she considered. The images were blurred, memories of her real mother tangled with memories of Mama Alicia, the stepmother who had raised her.

"I don't remember much," she finally said. "I remember she was beautiful. Sometimes I think I remember her voice, but, in my imagination, she sounds a lot like you."

"Cath, you were just Alicia's age when your mother died. I tried to keep her memory alive for you, but you needed a mother, not a memory. Just like Steph needed a father. Your father and I promised to make the four of us into a family and to give you girls so much love that you'd never wonder who was the step daughter and who was the real daughter."

"You were the best mother a girl could want. I never thought you loved me less than Steph."

"And you will be the best mother Allie could ever want. It'll be hard and you'll always wonder if you're doing the right thing, but you and Allie will be fine."

"How did you manage, Mom? How did you raise two little girls after Dad died? How did you make ends meet?"

"Honey, I'll tell you a secret. Children don't understand poor versus rich. They only understand love. There were months when I couldn't pay all the bills and nights when I went to bed hungry. I learned to work miracles with macaroni, and I drove a mean bargain at garage sales and thrift stores."

"I never knew."

"That's right," her mother said softly, "because when children are loved, their world is full of riches. Allie will never want for anything important as long as she has you. Stephanie knew that too. That's why she made you Allie's guardian. That's why you'll be a wonderful mother."

"Mom? Thanks. I love you."

"I love you too Cathy. Goodnight." She hung up.

The fear, the uncertainty, the grief all still lurked in the darkness around her, but now she had a thin strand of hope to hold on to. For tonight, it was enough.