We headed for Sarah’s office, a room with a door and walls. I could see she was happy for me. I was happy for me too. She hugged me and I excused myself to the bathroom before I really did pee myself. As I sat in the stall, I thought how wonderful life was and how far I’d come since my days on the farm in Indiana. My aching head reminded me that it wasn’t all good. Was I really happy? My life seemed to be one party after another. Now I was about to go to the biggest of them all, the king of Carnival, the Krewe of Rex Ball. Once I finished, I took some aspirin from my purse, cupped my hand to catch water from the faucet and swallowed them. Please, I begged them, rush to my head and stop that incessant throbbing.

I made my wobbly way back to Sarah’s office. She was planning our shopping trip.

“We are going to Neiman Marcus tomorrow to find you a gown,” she said.

I managed to finish the day without dying or passing out, headed home, ordered pizza, and went to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for Cinderella.

Chapter Four:

Shopping day

First light was kinder this morning than yesterday. My head was back to normal, and there were no strangers in my bed. What had I been thinking? Serial killer terrorizing the city and I pulled shit like that. Today was going to be a better day.

I got up from my warm, comfortable bed and pushed the button on my magic caffeine creation machine. I loved that familiar sound. Bring on the day. TV’s turned on and the day has begun. The news was still talking about the latest serial killer victim.

“The woman found in the dumpster, believed to be the latest victim of the serial killer known as The Quarter Killer, has been identified as Janet Graham, an employee of a French Quarter boutique. She was last seen leaving a French Quarter bar Wednesday night. Authorities say that she was murdered sometime Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. She leaves two small children. In other news, the Coast Guard has reopened the Mississippi River to all traffic. Captain Richard Moore tells New Orleans Team 5 Live that the spill was a minor event. Now to sports...”

The drone of the TV was interrupted by my phone’s ring tone.