The Reluctant Cinderella

A repeated beeping caused Dawn to stir. No, it’s too early to be up, she thought as she grasped her blanket. But as her fingers touched the unfamiliar fabric her eyes opened in confusion. Her brown eyes darted everywhere as she took in her surroundings. She was in a small room painted white. The door was to her right and, as she tried to move her head to the left, she found that her neck wouldn’t move. Instantly fear crept in. She was paralyzed! She began to squirm trying to move her neck to see her surroundings.

“Honey, calm down,” a familiar and concerned voice said. She felt hands gently hold her down onto the bed and looked up to see her father. “You need to calm down or-”

He was cut off when a thirty-something woman walked in saying, “Is everything all right?” She immediately went over to Dawn.

“Yes,” they said in unison as the woman picked up a folder and began going through it.

“Well,” the dark-skinned woman started, “I’m glad to see you finally up. Gave everyone in your family a scare.” She put the folder down on a nearby table as she looked back at Dawn. She noticed the scared look the poor girl had and softly smiled. “You don’t have any serious injuries. Just a broken leg, a fractured arm, a few bruises, and a nasty cut on her head. I’ll call the doctor in and have him look at her neck.”

“So, I’m not paralyzed?” Dawn asked as she looked up at the kind nurse.

“Oh, honey, no. See, you’re moving your arms right now.” She chuckled. “Just sit tight and the doctor will be right in.” With that, the woman left as Dawn and her father said thanks.

After, Dawn’s father sat in a chair, as she wanted to know what had happened. He explained hearing their screams and finding them both at the bottom of the stairs. Dawn had fallen on top of Rose and both girls were knocked out.

“Rose!” Dawn exclaimed as she realized that she hadn’t seen her sister at all since the incident. “Where is she? Is she okay?”

“Honey, relax,” her father said. “She did sustain worse injuries but the doctor said that she was going to recover.”

“I have to see her. Right now,” Dawn said as she sat up. But her father gently pushed her back down.

“Wait for the doctor to arrive. I don’t want you to hurt yourself anymore.”

“Okay.”

The doctor came and went and the neck brace was removed from her neck. Dawn was going to make a full recovery but was going to have to be careful until her casts were removed. Many hours passed and Dawn was now in a wheelchair sitting near Rose’s hospital bed. All was quiet in the room except for the beeping of different machines. Dawn couldn’t bear to look at her older sister all hooked up to them.

“Rose,” Dawn said softly, “if you can hear me and I just want to say I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” Rose said as she opened her eyes and lightly turned her head to face Dawn.

“I’m sorry for trying to be a good little sister. I’m sorry for trying to force a bond that was never there.” She paused to look up and face Rose directly in the eye. “And I’m sorry for being your little sister. So, once again you get what you want. Starting today I am out of your life. You don’t have to worry about me bugging you anymore. I’m done.”

Dawn called for Missy, who was outside the door, to come in and wheel her away. She didn’t look at her former sister. She didn’t even give her a glance or thought. Things have gone too far and this was the only way to stop it.

Rose didn’t say nor do anything. She was alone in her room just with her thoughts. And that was where she definitely didn’t want to be.