Free The Cinderella Moment by Jennifer Kloester Page A

After a nightmare ride in the ambulance, during which Simone's moans of pain almost convinced Angel her mother was going to die, Angel was directed to a sterile waiting room to wait for news. Lily found her there soon after and spent the next few hours trying to convince Angel that Simone would be all right.
    Eventually a nurse came. “Your mother is resting comfortably,” she told Angel. “She's got some abdominal trouble and will need surgery but a doctor will come and speak to you about that.”
    “Can I see her?”
    “She’s heavily sedated, she won’t know you’re there.”
    “ Please , I—”
    “My friend needs to see her mother,” said Lily firmly.
    The nurse frowned.
    “After that I’ll take her home,” promised Lily.
     
    ***
     
    Back home, Lily coerced Angel into eating a bowl of soup and made her watch two of their favorite movies before helping her into bed.
    She offered to stay with her, but Angel insisted she was fine and wanted only to sleep. But after Lily had gone she lay awake staring into the darkness and wondering if her mother would be okay.
    All she could think of was Maman lying pale and still in the hospital bed. It had reminded her of Papa in the days before he’d finally slipped away. Angel felt terrified at the thought of losing Maman as well. The surgeon had come to speak to her in the hospital and had said that they would need to operate. Her mother had pancreatitis and Lily had tried to call her father, but she couldn't get through, and eventually the two of them left the hospital.
    It was long past midnight before Angel finally fell asleep, so she woke late the next day. She rushed to the kitchen to ring the hospital and found that Lily had already spoken to the nurse. They hadn't told her much—only that Simone was out of surgery and resting comfortably. Angel burst into tears.
    She wanted to go straight to the hospital, but Lily was firm. “You need breakfast. There’s no point going to see your mom half-starved. Besides, the nurse said to visit after three.”
    Angel hugged her.
    Simone was sleeping when Angel arrived at the hospital. To Lily's disgust, Margot had insisted on taking her shopping for something she could wear to Paris, so she hadn't been able to come.
    Angel couldn't help feeling relieved. She'd been terrified of breaking down again and hadn't wanted to share her worst fears with anyone.
    It was a shock to find her mother looking so pale and fragile. As she sat beside the bed Angel had to fight hard not to cry.
    “I love you, Maman,” she whispered, and wondered what she would do if her mother died.
    She forced the thought from her mind and tried to think of something else.
    She suddenly remembered the Teen Couture. Her entry should have gone to Paris this morning, but the courier must have come and gone away empty-handed. She’d been so worried about Maman she hadn’t even thought about it.
    Was it really only yesterday she’d been so full of hope, imagining her designs at Vidal’s? How quickly everything had changed. It seemed like eons since Maman had collapsed, but Angel could still hear her cries of pain as they’d loaded her into the ambulance.
    She mustn't think about it. She wouldn't.
    Angel pulled the magazines she'd brought for Simone from her bag and settled down to read.
     
    ***
     
    It was nearly six when Simone stirred, opened her eyes and whispered, “ Chérie? C’est toi? ”
    Angel smiled down at her. “Yes, it’s me, Maman. You’ve had an operation, but you’re going to be fine.”
    Simone frowned. “I can’t stay here.” She tried to sit up and gasped, pulling at the oxygen tubes and her drip.
    Angel gently pushed her back down. “It’s okay, Maman, you’re in the hospital. Just rest.”
    Simone stared up at her and Angel saw the same fear in her face that had haunted her in the weeks after the surgeon had told them that, despite all their hopes, Papa’s final operation had not succeeded and he would need full-time