Page 14 of Isabella and the Slipper

Challenge accepted.

Isabella spent Sunday at the gallery, taking pictures of the new artwork, uploading the photos, processing them in Lightroom, and entering them into the computer. Elenore had left her a list of the paintings and their prices. It took all day to get the website up-to-date, as she had suspected. Then she had to sweep the floors and clean the bathroom. She didn’t hear from Chase until that evening after she’d gotten home.

When he texted, she was at the table eating a pasta dish she’d heated up in the microwave. Ava was at the table as well, looking at the comics section of the newspaper and eating a Pop-Tart. She looked up when Isabella’s phone chimed.

“Who’s texting you?”

She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Probably Savannah.” She wanted to pull the phone out and look, but didn’t in case Ava would see the name on it.

“Aren’t you going to answer her?”

Isabella squirmed. “Yes. As soon as I’m done eating.”

Ava rolled her eyes and went back to the comics. “You’re weird.” Then she sighed and shoved the comics away. “I don’t getDilbert. Why do they make comics that aren’t funny? They’re supposed to be funny.”

Isabella shrugged. She’d tried to explain them in the past. It didn’t help. She ate her pasta, put the dish in the sink, and ran upstairs to her room. She shut the door and pulled out her phone to look at Chase’s text.

Are you busy?

Not anymore. Do you need something?

Just want to vent. My mom forced me to go to some charity event today. Took the whole day. It was SO boring.

Why did she make you go?

Hobnob with people in the acting industry. I wanted so badly to tell her I quit. But I can’t.

Isabella totally understood that. Her stepmother had been manipulating her for years.

I’m sorry. I know how it is. My stepmother is the same way.

Ugh! Why are adults like that? What’s your SM making you do?

Isabella leaned against her door and slid down until she was sitting on the floor. How could she explain? Would it sound like whining if she tried? Finally, she went with:She thinks I’m the hired help, not her daughter.

Ouch.

At least I’ll be gone in a year.

Lucky you. My parents don’t want me to go to college.

What?!?

My mom wants to enroll me in acting school. She says I shouldn’t waste my prime acting years in college taking classes I won’t need.

Wow. His mother really was obsessed with him being an actor.That’s crazy.

She means well, I guess. Sorry you don’t have a good relationship with your SM.

A sadness settled in her chest. She really did strive for a good relationship at one point. Elenore had seemed warm right after she married her father. But he died less than a year later, and she grew cold and distant.

As long as I do whatever she says, she usually leaves me alone. I spent all weekend doing her bidding.

She makes you work all weekend?

Yeah. While she’s off at the country club. We must keep up appearances, you know.

Snort. We keep up appearances too.

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