Cinderella 2000: Looking Back

Two thousand silver helium balloons, with curled silver ribbons hanging down? "You must be kidding!" said Ashley. She twirled the phone cord around her finger. "Two thousand?" "That's what I heard . . . ," said Ana. "And there's going to be an ice sculpture in the middle of the buffet table: two, zero, zero, zerowith flower petals frozen in the numbers. But you can't tell anybody." "I won't." "It's a total secret." "Fine," said Ashley. "Butwho told you?" "Emily. Brittany and Mara were talking about it in that new store next to Starr's. In the dressing room. They didn't realize Emily was trying on tops in the next booth." "Oh." "Emily hid in there till they left." "Did she get any tops?" "No. But she got a plastic tulip lamp." Ana paused. "Did your stepmom say you could get a new dress for the party? Or no." "I've put off asking." "Well, you'd better hurry up. The party's in two days!" "I know," said Ashley. "But Phyllis's been saying she's all 'spent out from Christmas . . . that the new couch and La-Z-Boy chair were really 'presents meant for all of us.' " Ana grew quiet. "Well, if Phyllis doesn't say yes, remember: You really do look cute in your little black dress, Ashley." "You think?" "Mmmm-hmmm! Do you have shoes?" "I can polish those little black strappy heels I got for Emily's Bat Mitzvah." "They still fit?" "I think so." But come to think of it, thought Ashley, I hope my toes don't hang over the edge. Ashley heard a low rumbling sound. She lifted the curtain and looked out the window. Yup. Her stepmom was pulling in. Ashley watched the ancient green station wagon lurch to a stop, barely missing one of the two dented garbage cans sitting on the side of the driveway. "I have to go," Ashley told Ana. "Phyllis's home. And it's my turn for dishesagain." "Talk to you later," said Ana. They said goodbye and Ashley hung up the phone. She spied on her two stepsisters as they got out of the car, each holding a shopping bag from Zil's. They left the car door open and strolled toward the front stoop. Ashley heard her stepmother shout, "Shut the car door!" but neither Paige nor Jessica responded. "I mean it!" "You!" yelled Paige. "We have to watch the soaps." "You do not! One of you shut that car door!" Words were exchanged; one sister swung her bag at the other. There was a brief scuffle, followed by a chase across the front yard. Ashley let the curtain drop to the sill. She turned and surveyed the kitchen. The sink was half full of greasy water and piled with dirty dishes. A frying pan had been dunked and left to soak. A piece of fried egg was dangling from the handle. There was even a stalk of celery floating in the water. Ashley fished it out by one leaf and dropped it into the trash under the sink. Ick! she thought. She drained the sink and began to fill it again. There was a loud tJukes, Mavis is the author of 'Cinderella 2000: Looking Back' with ISBN 9780440228660 and ISBN 0440228662.