Sophia spent the rest of the morning in the bedroom. She didn't feel up to coming out just yet.

"You think she's ever gonna come out of there?" Lloyd asked.

"Give her some time," Cyril said, reading through the newspaper.

"She's definitely not going to the dance tonight, that's for sure," Cedric said.

"So I take it you're not going, either?" Cyril asked.

"Well, I talked to Sophia. I told her after what happened this morning, I wasn't going to go, because I felt like I had to stay here with her, you know? But she told me if I wanted to go, I should go. So we're gonna go. Evelyn and I, I mean."

"What's Sofa Girl doing up there, anyway?"

"I don't know. She's probably asleep. You know she hasn't been getting much sleep in the past couple of days."

Cyril nodded and went back to his paper. Late in the afternoon, Sophia finally came out of the bedroom. She had gotten dressed and fixed her hair, so she looked presentable, to say the least. She walked downstairs towards the kitchen. She was starving. On her way, she passed Cyril's office, and heard him talking on the phone.

"So it's all set then?" he asked. "All right. Yes. Now, you're sure you can handle it? I know you've got the experience but . . . . okay. All right then. All right. I'll see you later. Goodbye."

Cyril hung up the phone, and left the office, running into Sophia on his way out.

"Well, finally got up, did you?" he asked. "It's three in the afternoon. What have you been doing all day in there?"

"A lot of sleeping and a lot of thinking," Sophia said, and she started towards the kitchen.

"You're not going to pour more of my liquor down the drain, are you?"

"No. I'm just going to look for something to eat. I'm hungry. Who were you talking to on the phone?"

"Uhhh . . . . a locksmith. I had to call one to fix the lock on the liquor cabinet. He's coming in Wednesday. Incidentally, what were you planning on doing tonight since Cedric's taking the baby to the dance?"

"Probably just stay here. Why?"

"Just wondering."

Cyril left, and Sophia watched him. She wasn't sure what to make of that. An hour later, she and Cedric found Cyril in the den with Evelyn. An old cha-cha was playing on the stereo and Cyril was doing a strange version of the dance.

"Pop, what are you doing?" Cedric asked.

"Just trying to figure out how the baby's going to dance," he said, handing his granddaughter to Cedric.

"Mr. Sneer, are you feeling all right?" Sophia asked.

"Fine, fine," Cyril said. "But the question is, are you feeling all right."

"Me?" Sophia asked, a little confused. "Well, uhhh, I guess so . . . . why?"

"I was just a little concerned, what with that meltdown this morning. Now if you will excuse me, I have some loose business ends to tie up."

Cyril left the room. Cedric and Sophia glanced at each other.

"Cedric?" Sophia asked. "You know how I mentioned that whenever my father drank, he was a horrible monster?"

"Yeah?"

"And sometimes, when people drink too much, it changes their personalities?"

"Uh huh."

"Is this what your father's like when he's drunk?"

"You know, I don't know. I've never even seen Pop drunk."

"I think I might need to lie down. This has been a very . . . . . trying week."

"Yeah, and I'd say that's just putting it mildly."

Sophia nodded, and went upstairs for a little while. There were times when she just didn't understand Cyril.

At seven o' clock that night, Sophia was in Forest's room, reading him a story when Cedric came in, wearing a white shirt underneath a black jacket. He was carrying Evelyn, who was wearing a red dress with lace trim, white socks, and black patent leather shoes.

"Well, how do we look?" Cedric asked.

"You don't look like a monkey," Forest said.

"Forest, of course your daddy doesn't look like a monkey!" Sophia shouted. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Gampa called it a monkey suit," Forest said.

"Oh Forest!" Sophia shouted, laughing. "Well, anyway, Cedric, I think you look very handsome. And look at you, Evelyn, you look so pretty tonight! Forest, isn't your sister pretty?"

"If I say yes, can I stay up tonight?" Forest asked. Cedric and Sophia glanced at each other and sighed.

"Yes," they said in unison.

"Then she looks pretty," Forest said. "And so do you, Daddy."

"Uhh, thanks Forest," Cedric said. "I think. Anyway, we'll be back pretty late."

"You've got everything in the baby bag, don't you?" Sophia asked, handing Cedric the baby bag.

"I packed it myself," Cedric said. "See you tomorrow, Forest. Goodnight."

"Night, Daddy," Forest said, hugging Cedric. Then he went downstairs to watch TV.

Cedric and Sophia kissed each other goodbye and Cedric left with the baby. Sophia went downstairs to set up a video tape for Forest. As she was doing that, she saw Cyril coming down the hall, and to her surprise, he was wearing a tuxedo similar to Cedric's.

"Did Cedric just leave?" he asked.

"Yes," Sophia said, just staring at him. "Uhh, you're pretty dressed up there, Mr. Sneer. What's the occasion?"

"I'm going out," Cyril said.

Before Sophia could ask about that, the doorbell rang. She went to answer it, and standing on the front steps were Nicole and Bentley.

"Nicole, Bentley, what are you doing here?" Sophia asked, a little surprised.

"Baby-sitting," Bentley said, sounding a bit irritated at the idea.

"Baby-sitting?" Sophia asked, way beyond confused.

"Oui," Nicole said, nodding. "Mr. Sneer called me zis afternoon, and asked if I would be available to watch Forest tonight. He said somesing about not letting zee Pigs baby-sit again."

"Wait a minute," Sophia said. "I'm confused here."

"So what else is new?" Cyril mumbled. Then he cleared his throat. "Oh, that's right, I forgot to tell you. I've decided to take you to that dance of Lady Baden-Baden's tonight."

"You are?!" Sophia shouted, incredulously.

"Yeah, I kind of figured what the heck?" Cyril said with a shrug. "Anyway, you'd better hurry up and pull yourself together or we're going to be late."

"Oh Mr. Sneer!" Sophia shouted, throwing her arms around Cyril.

"All right, all right, that's enough of that," Cyril said. "Go on, Cinderella, speed it up! If we're not there by midnight, my car turns into a pumpkin."

Sophia raced up the stairs as fast as she could. In the meantime, Cyril led Nicole and Bentley into the playroom where Forest was coloring in a coloring book.

"Hi, Gampa," he said, looking up. "Did you ask Mommy to the dance yet?"

"He sure did," Nicole said. "She's upstairs getting ready."

"You might be in for a long wait, Mr. Sneer," Bentley commented, rummaging through Forest's toy box to see if he had anything that interested him. "Lisa took forever putting herself together for this thing. And she looked uglier than she did before!"

"Bentley . . . ." Nicole said in a warning tone.

"Awww, come on, Mom!" Bentley shouted. "I'm allowed to make fun of my sister! It's my job!"

"Yeah, sisters are gross," Forest said. "I just said Evelyn looked pretty 'cause Mommy and Daddy let me stay up tonight if I did."

"Forest," Cyril warned. Forest just shrugged and went back to his coloring book.

Five minutes later, Sophia came into the room, wearing a floor length red dress. It was the same dress she wore to Lady Baden-Baden's bachelor auction awhile back. She was carrying a pair of red pumps in her hands.

"Sorry I took so long," she said, putting on her shoes. "I had to search the closet for this dress. Do I look okay?"

"Tres jolie, Sophia," Nicole said. "Don't you sink so, Bentley?"

"Yeah, you clean up pretty good, Sophia," Bentley said.

"Wow, Mommy, you look just like Cinderella," Forest said.

"Well, let's get this show on the road," Cyril said. He and Sophia then left the mansion, and headed for Knox and Lady Baden-Baden's place, where the dance was being held.