Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 52739 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52739 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Finally, she conceded, giving me a small nod and saying, "Alright, let's wait a couple of minutes to see if she shows up, darling."
Excitedly, I led her to the spot where we were supposed to meet the woman. At first, I couldn't see through the crowd, but when the people started milling about, I saw her.
Felicia Van Berg, standing in front of a large marble statue, her face lit up with a smile when she saw me.
"Hello, little girl," she said affectionately, smiling at my mother. "Did you ladies enjoy the ballet?"
"Very much so!" I exclaimed. "I'm going to be a ballerina when I grow up, too!"
"Is that so?" she asked with a smile. "Well, then I might just have the treat for you. Would you like to come with me backstage?"
My mouth hung open at her words.
"Where the dancers are?" I asked excitedly, and the lady nodded.
I turned to face my Mummy, my eyes alight with excitement.
"Oh Mummy, please!" I begged. "We absolutely have to go!"
My mother gave a small smile along with a nod, and my little heart soared.
"If Mrs. Van Berg is alright with that," she said. "We would love to come."
The woman laughed out loud, saying, "Please, call me Felicia. And I'm still a Miss, as far as I know. Franco!"
A man appeared out of nowhere, and I watched in wonder as she hooked her hand in his. He was much, much younger, younger even than my Mummy, whom he was now eyeing appreciatively. But he was with Felicia... Maybe they were married? The way she held onto him, they must have been.
Mummy and I followed them down a stairway and through a door that led into the changing rooms. Right away, we were in the middle of chaos, shouting, loud voices and giggling. There were half-naked boys and girls everywhere, and I giggled myself as they made way for Felicia.
She introduced me to every single one of the swan maidens, to the prince, and finally, to the main dancer, Odette-Odile.
I was shaking when I got to meet her, and she was as beautiful up close as she was from afar. She gave me a tight hug and plucked a lily from her bouquet, handing it to me.
"A good luck charm," she winked at me. "Maybe one day, you'll be a dancer like me."
It filled my heart and head with so many dreams I didn't even dare say a word.
I spent an incredible hour backstage with Felicia, her boyfriend and Mummy. By the time we left, I was ecstatic and filled with new ideas about my future.
Mummy insisted we had to leave to catch our train, despite Felicia offering to give us a ride. But I had a feeling her car was as flashy as her outfit was, and to be honest, I couldn't imagine a limousine pulling into our neighborhood. Someone would probably smash one of the tinted windows just for the sake of it.
We politely declined and I gave Felicia a tight hug before grinning at Mummy, who took my home and led me home.
We barely made it on the train, and I spent the rest of the ride home chattering about everything we'd experienced. Mummy let me, smiling fondly at me as I went on and on.
When we finally got home, it was already quite late, since we'd had to catch the very last train out of the city. I knew Daddy was still up, because all the lights were on. But I didn't realize he was drunk until Mummy unlocked the front door and I heard glass breaking somewhere inside the house. This was a bad sign. I didn't like Daddy drunk. He and Mummy fought all the time when he'd had too much to drink.
I could tell it would be a bad night when Daddy came crashing into the hallway with a beer bottle in his hand, the top of it smashed.
"Out whoring?" he snarled at Mummy, and she flinched.
"Harlow is here," she reminded him, but he didn't even glance at me.
Just grabbed her by the hair and she shrieked when he pulled her closer.
He went through her back while she wailed, and I stood uselessly in the corridor, trying not to cry.
"You won't find anything!" she said desperately, but he ignored her, furiously going through the contents of her bag until his fingers wrapped around something and he let out a victorious scream.
"Daddy!" I spoke up. "Not those, please."
It was my opera glasses, my new prized possession.
"Shut the fuck up," my father snarled, backhanding me across the face while Mummy screamed.
I landed on my butt and started to cry while he waved the opera glasses in front of Mummy's face.
"Who gave you this, huh?" he taunted her. "I knew you were whoring yourself out, you bitch."
He broke them on the ground, stomping on them while Mummy and I cried.