Chapter 1
Mother walks down the aisle with her chin up. Her chocolate hair is tied up in a bun, and a gemstone necklace adorns her collarbone. Today is her special day. Mother is finally getting married, and we will finally have a father again.
Vera is so excited, her eyes tear up at the sight of Mother. Vera and I are in matching cerulean dresses along with our soon-to-be step-sister, Ella Cera.
"Your mother looks so beautiful," Ella whispers. Two years older than us, she is four inches taller than me, and old enough to wear heeled shoes.
"She'll be your mother as well soon," Vera whispers back a little too loudly. Our aunt, Anne, tells her to be quiet as the ceremony is starting.
We turn our heads to the priest. My soon to be step-father stands at the altar, and takes Mother's hands into his. It's a sweet moment. I haven't seen Mother smile since Father died.
They say this church is haunted by the priest who died here. Our soon-to-be step-father didn't want to be here; he says that his wife had met the priest who died. He's too superstitious; everyone knows that ghosts can only speak with people who they spoke with when they were alive. That's their curse, they can't let go of the past lest they disappear forever.
Ghosts are strange. They can't go to places they've never been. No one really knows if they're real until you're being haunted, but everyone just kind of believes in them. I don't know why Charles is so afraid.
Fiona wakes up in a cold sweat. That's weird, she thinks, the memory flashing before her eyes. Nothing was particularly sad or frightening about it. She flexes her palms, and wipes the residue on the silk bed sheets. She snuggles back into her lime green comforter. Just two weeks ago Vera had turned 17, a milestone according to their mother. Her mother intends Fiona inherit the estate, and she's grooming her daughter to do just that.
"May I come in?" A meek voice drifts across the room.
A small girl stands in the doorway. She isn't really a girl, as she's 22, but her demeanor and stature suggest everything else. Her wispy, blonde hair is tied up in a loose bun. Her hands clench on the edges of the metallic platter as if she doesn't know how to proceed.
"Sure," Vera calls from the vanity. She's doing her hair, braiding it. She ties it off with a red ribbon, and turns to face the girl. "Bring the breakfast here, Ella."
Ella walks quickly to Vera, and places the platter in front of her. The fresh French toast's cinnamon scent wafts to Fiona, still in her canopy bed.
Fiona sits up, now attentive to the world around her. "Hey, Ella, where's my breakfast?" She asks jokingly. She flips her short, raven hair, smiles and walks out
of the room.
Ella stands there confused, not knowing what to do. "Where is Fiona going?"
Vera shrugs, and the friction of her chair and the mahogany floor creates a creaky noise akin to nails scratching a chalkboard. Vera's long skirt slides gently across the ground.
"I'll go find her," Vera says to Ella. "Thanks for bringing the breakfast, but why did you do it? It's not like you had to."
She exits the room, not waiting for Ella's answer, leaving Ella alone with an untouched platter of toast. The lone girl sighs, and sits at the now empty vanity seat. She tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear.
"It was just a thank you for helping me the last time." Ella answers out loud. Vera is long gone, so she wonders why she even said anything. "I wish you haunted me, Mother. I have a lot to talk to you about."
She stands back up, and lifts the breakfast platter. She walks out of the room, and sees Fiona arguing with Ella's step-mother.
"We should all go to the ball together, Mother," Fiona insists. She's holding a crinkled, cream envelope with a pretty piece of parchment sticking out.
"She isn't fit to go to a prince's ball," Ella's step-mother sounds exasperated.
Ella flattens her body to the side of the wall, separating herself from the conversation she has been eavesdropping on. Unfortunately, as she hides herself from her step-family, she drops the silver platter that she had been holding. It clatters loudly, and Fiona and her mother look over to see what the sound came from.
"I'm so sorry," Ella splutters out as she leans down to pick up the metallic plate. Her face is flushed red with embarrassment.
"See, Fiona. Ella would be an embarrassment to our family if she came to the ball," Ella's step-mother declares to her daughter with a dramatic flourish of her arm and swish of her black skirt.
Fiona smiles warmly to Ella, and starts to head back to her room.
"Hey, Fiona, what were you and Step-mother talking about," Ella asks, tripping over her words, rushing to catch up to her step-sister.
Fiona suddenly turns around, startling Ella, and accidentally bumping into her.
"It was nothing; don't worry about it," was Fiona's answer before patting her technically bigger sister's head, and starting back for her room, leaving Ella awkwardly sitting on the ground, holding on to the breakfast platter.
AN: This started as a re-write of an older story of mine, but the entire plot has changed, and almost all of the characters have been added or modified in some way. Also, thanks to Be Rose for beta-ing for me. I'll try to update regularly since I have a lot of the story written out already.