Free A Ring for Cinderella by Judy Christenberry

on the bags.
    “I’ll go put them away now,” Paul said with a big grin.
    She was glad she’d convinced him of her delight. She didn’t want him upset.
    As soon as Paul left the room, Zach spoke. “Now, tell me the problem. Are you jealous?”
    Anger filled her. “Yes! I’m jealous that you spent all and more of the money I’d intended for Paul’s clothing. And that I didn’t get to... to shop with him.”
    “I didn’t spend your money!” he snapped.
    “Yes, you did. How much?”
    “None of your business!”
    She closed her eyes, then opened them. “Of course it’s my business. Why would you spend your money on my brother. And Manuel. How much?”
    Zach stood and began to pace around the small living room. “I’m not going to let you pay for what I purchased. It seemed to me that Paul didn’t have much in the way of a wardrobe, so I thought—”
    “How generous of you! If you’d told me he embarrassed you, I would’ve tried harder to find a sitter.” Bitterness filled her. This man could afford anything he wanted. He didn’t seem to understand how different their lives were.
    “Don’t you ever say that again! Paul never embarrassed me. He’s a wonderful kid.”
    Her heart swelled with his praise, but his opinion didn’t eliminate her difficulties. “Look, I appreciate what you did. You gave both boys a lot of please, but I will, of course, pay for the clothes. Except maybe the cowboy hat and boots.”
    “You don’t like them?”
    “They’re nice, but not too useful for school wear.”
    “I wore them to school.”
    The picture that appeared in her head of Zach as a little boy, clad in his Western wear, was sweet and melted her anger a little, but she didn’t agree with him. “You didn’t go to school in Kansas City.”
    “True. But maybe you should consider moving away from here. This isn’t a good neighborhood for a little boy to grow up in.”
    A lot of responses bubbled up in Susan’s throat, but she pushed them back. As if she didn’t know the dangers inherent in their situation. Hadn’t she had nightmares about both Megan and Paul and the possibilities that could occur?
    “How much do I owe you?” she asked for the third time.
    Before he could answer, there was a knock on the door. Susan swung it open, expecting to see Rosa, and she wasn’t disappointed. There was a worried frown on her friend’s face.
    “Susan, Manuel said—I mean, I’m sorry, but I can’t pay—we will pay a monthly amount until—”
    Zach stepped forward, interrupting. “Please. The clothes are a gift from me and my grandfather. There is nothing to repay.”
    “But—but they are so expensive,” Rosa protested, wide-eyed, her bottom lip trembling, “and we cannot do anything so grand for our two younger children.”
    “Rosa,” Susan said, taking her friend’s hands. “it’s okay. Just think of the clothes as an early Christmas present.”
    “But it’s August!”
    Susan smiled, letting her sense of the ridiculous take over. “Just tell the children that some Santas have to deliver early because they have so many stops to make.”
    After that, Rosa expressed her thanks numerous times before she withdrew to her own apartment.
    “Damn, I have never had such a hard time delivering a present,” Zach protested. Before she could say anything, he felt inside his jacket pocket and drew out a long, thin box. “We’d better get this over and done with, too. You have to wear this because Gramp will expect it.”
    “Wear what?” she said, staring suspiciously at the box.
    He grabbed her left hand. “Where’s your wedding ring?”
    “In—in my purse. I put it there this morning because I didn’t expect to announce... Anyway, that’s where it is.”
    “I need to get it sized, but I’ll do that tomorrow. And put this on.” He thrust the box at her.
    It seemed to Susan that if she opened the box, she would be even more deeply involved in their lie. Zach’s unwavering stare, however, made