Cinderella's Dress

by Shonna Slayton

  Now there was something about Windows that would impress Josie.

  Once the floor was set, the walls went up, and the entire window was framed by deep crimson, gauzy curtains hung from the center of the window.

  Kate looked at the wall clock ticking away. Nine fifteen. At this rate, she wasn’t going to get to see or help with anything. No one needed her, despite her repeated offers. So she found a place out of the way where she could observe, plus watch for any detail work she could spot.

  The fireplace was installed against the back wall, and a window frame for the fairy godmother to hover behind was hung on the side. The fairy godmother peeking in hinted at Cinderella’s hope and future.

  At the front of the store window, one of the men arranged two child-sized manikins sprawled out on their bellies. A redheaded boy and a blond girl, wearing the latest Harmon-Craig children’s pajamas. They held a thick, oversize book the trimmers tilted toward the window so shoppers could read the open pages of the Cinderella story. The book wasn’t real, though, simply one elaborately decorated page glued onto a cardboard frame.

  Mr. G pulled back the curtain so the design team could see the scene reflecting on the window glass without having to go outside the store. They all stood there, frowning, scratching heads. Something wasn’t quite right.

  Cinderella, or Marge, the manikin, was dressed in the most plain, boring housedress Miss Lassiter sold. She held a feather duster in one hand and her head angled in such a way that her hair fell across her face to shield her painted-on lips. No one thought Cinderella should be showing a hint of a smile in this first scene.

  The trouble was the new manikin didn’t look like Cinderella, or a Cinderella in the making. She looked like a haggard housewife. The scene was depressing, really. A few suggestions were offered but nothing stuck. The minutes were ticking ever closer to ten o’clock when Kate would have to leave.

  No, no, no. This wasn’t turning out like she imagined at all. Those Cinderella dresses hidden in her locker had walked right out of a fairy tale, pulsing with storybook magic. Even though the work dress in her locker was plain, it somehow seemed to have more “sparkle” than this housedress did.

  She looked at the drab manikin again. If she didn’t do something, her design idea would fall flat, and Mr. G would send her permanently back to Women’s Wear. How could she go back to steaming clothes with no hope of backdrops and spotlights and sparkly props?

  If only she could let them use the rag dress in the window. It was perfect. How risky could it be, anyway? Despite all the Oberlins’ warnings, there had been no sign of either family. Who knew if any of them had even survived the war? This whole family feud might be over.

  It felt worth the risk. Of the two dresses, the ratty one was insignificant, anyway. It was nothing like the beautiful dress it guarded. Aunt Elsie, even if she did find out, likely wouldn’t care.

  Good heavens, yes she would!

  Although if the dresses had gone to Babcia in the first place, Kate would have already been Keeping them for years and it would have been her choice anyway.

  “Wait a minute,” Kate said to no one in particular.

  At her locker, she pulled the rag dress out and shook it to release some of the wrinkles. She held it up and appraised it. This was it. This was what the window was missing. Her hand lighted on the bulky package, wishing she had time to take another look at it. Especially now that the room was deserted. She would have time to get a nice, long look.

  “I’ll be back for you,” she told the dress.

  Clutching the rag dress to her chest, she hurried back. In her absence, the men had continued rearranging household items in the window while Mr. G pointed directions from outside on the street.

  Kate bounded into the window and draped the fraying dress on the manikin. She looked at Mr. G for his reaction. He stared for a minute, then slowly nodded.

  Mr. G signaled to lower the curtain and hide the window. Roy, at the side of the tall window, pulled the strings and the curtain came down.

  “Bobby-soxer, where did you get that dress?” asked Mr. G, bounding in from outside. “It’s just the thing. Now our Marge can truly become poor Cinderella. Change her up!”

  Working quickly, Kate took Marge away from the men to swap out the dresses. She may only be a manikin, but Kate wanted to preserve her modesty. A glance at the clock showed two minutes to ten. Her time was up. The change that overtook the window atmosphere was almost magical.

  There was a hush after the chaos of pulling out all the ladders and tools. When Roy adjusted the lighting one last time, Cinderella, not Marge, stood in the middle of the window, wearing her poor servant girl dress but looking up with hope—her feather duster now covering her eternal smile—at a small handkerchief fairy hovering slightly above eye level.

  Someone had also adjusted the children. The boy was looking at the book, but the girl was now staring dreamily at the scene in the window. It was captivating.

  And it was time for her to go home.

  Kate left with a backward glance while the men brought in the remaining pieces of the set and merchandise. What would they say if Kate told them they had the real Cinderella rag dress in the window? Wouldn’t that draw a crowd!

  …

  After school, Kate and Josie stood arm in arm in front of the window of Harmon-Craig. The rain had stopped, though the clouds still covered the sky, letting the spotlights in the window shine.

  Not too much had changed since she had last seen the window. Mr. G had added a lot more sparkle, like the gauzy material and tiny silver stars all around the edges of the window, creating a more defined frame.

  “What a swell window,” said Josie. “Is that a new Daphne?”

  Kate smiled, happy that her friend liked her work. “Sure is. We named her Marge. Mr. G got her special to be Cinderella. She came from a photograph he took in Europe. She’s even got eyelashes.”

  “You’re right about the dress. It looks like what the real Cinderella would wear.”

  “The real Cinderella?” Kate questioned, her voice squeaky.

  Josie rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

  “Mommy, look!” exclaimed a little girl, tugging on her mother’s gloved hand. “I want to see.” The girl ran to the window and pressed her hands and face against the glass.

  A whole row of finger and nose smudges ran along the bottom of the window. Kate laughed. The children were enjoying window-shopping, too. She had made the right decision, then, putting in the rag dress. The window was perfect. All she had to do was keep Elsie away from the store for the rest of the week. Or did she?

  An idea was starting to form in the back of her mind. She was running out of time when it came to the details Elsie remembered. Who knew when every bit of her Kopciuszek knowledge would be lost? Kate had to learn everything she could before it was too late.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  “Are you sure you can handle her?” whispered Uncle Adalbert. “I can run my errands quickly and join you.”

  “Of course.” Kate smiled what she hoped was a reassuring smile. They were only going window-shopping. It was good to get Elsie out to enjoy the sunny day. Her smile faltered when her thoughts glossed over her true intentions of the outing. “The day will do us both some good. I don’t have to be to work until this afternoon.”

  Adalbert nodded, though appearing not completely comfortable with the arrangements. “If you notice she is getting agitated, take a cab home. Here is some money.” He shoved a handful of bills into Kate’s hand.

  She took it, feeling guilty, because she actually might need it. Who knew how Elsie would react.

  Aunt Elsie shuffled into the room, using her new cane. She was dressed in a pretty robin’s-egg-blue suit with a matching hat and veil, placed askew on her head. She wore comfortable white nurse’s shoes. “I am ready for my walk,” she said. Her face was bright with a youthful look.

  Kate’s stomach clenched. Clearly, Elsie was looking forward to t
he outing. Kate was Kate again. The adoring niece who would become the next Keeper. No traces of the conversation with “Katja” remained.

  Was it fair to force Elsie into talking about things she had kept buried for so long? Kate wavered on her plans. But there were things she had to know. Things Elsie should have spoken of long ago. She would be as gentle as she could while still getting answers.

  Kate adjusted Aunt Elsie’s hat and hooked her hand onto her arm. “Let’s go paint the town.”

  Elsie looked quizzical. “What is this expression?”

  “It means we are going to have fun.”

  …

  The pair reached Fifth Avenue without mishap. Aunt Elsie was content to be led wherever Kate wanted to take her. They started with a stop at a chocolate counter. Kate told herself it wasn’t a bribe. She wanted to be kind to the Elsie she knew. Later, she’d find out about the Elsie her grandmother knew, and there would be no chocolate for her.

  They found a place to sit and enjoy the warming sun while they savored their treat. The day reminded Kate of the first time she had taken Elsie window shopping. It was the day Elsie had suggested Johnny might have more intentions than that of a fellow window dresser. Kate frowned. She’d really messed up with Johnny.

  She’d gone over and over in her mind what to say to him when she saw him next, but he was never alone. She thought she’d seen him by himself once, but he’d melted into the crowd and disappeared. She might have to ask Miss Lassiter to send her up to the Art Department in hopes he was still working there.

  “Like a little girl,” said Elsie, holding up the chocolate. “With no care but what game to play next.”

  Kate hesitated. How do I bring this up without shutting the conversation down? Tell Elsie about her newest dream? It was all so vague: she stood alone, tossing the egg with the dress design like she was a juggler. Babcia appeared, and Kate tossed the egg to her. Then Elsie walked in and Babcia threw her the egg. Elsie tossed it high into the air. All three lunged for it and missed. It cracked on the ground, and the blue dress burst out. The two sisters each grabbed hold of the dress and pulled. As they played tug-of-war, something dropped to the ground, but Kate was the only one who noticed. It was hard to tell what it was in the darkness, but as it fell there was a quick glint of white light. She reached for it and the dream ended.

  After the dream, Kate made a note in her diary: Whatever happened to Kopciuszek’s shoes? Must ask Elsie.

  Kate licked the chocolate off her fingers. “Did you play with the Kolodenko girls when you were little?”

  “Oh, there was only one girl. Fyodora. Her mother would bring her to the house sometimes.”

  “Did you know she was related to Kopciuszek?”

  Elsie rubbed her arms, suddenly agitated. She shook her head and stopped talking.

  Kate tried again, putting on a sunny voice to match the day. “You said that there were things you needed to tell me about the dress before I could become the Keeper. Today would be a great day to tell me. It’s just the two of us.”

  Elsie bolted up from her seat and used her cane with surprising speed down the sidewalk. Kate grabbed her purse and dashed after her. “Wait for me.” Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea to take Elsie out. It had been too long since she’d done so. Fortunately, Elsie tired quickly, and Kate was able to grab hold of Elsie’s arm and loop it through her own again.

  It looked like there was no other way. Kate would have to shock the information out of her. She lowered her expectations to one goal. Find out about the shoes. They must be important because they were on Babcia’s egg.

  Up ahead was the Harmon-Craig Department Store. A small crowd was gathered in front, blocking the view. Kate bit her lip. She would have to get Elsie to wander with her into that group of people. Adalbert warned her to stay away from crowds. He said they made Elsie feel trapped. But how else was Kate going to get at the truth?

  As they got closer, Kate steered them to the edge of the window. It wouldn’t provide the best view, but they should be able to see the dress nonetheless.

  Elsie’s hand held tighter to Kate’s arm. Her anxiety squeezing into Kate. I’m sorry, Aunt Elsie, but we need to do this. Kate placed a reassuring hand over Elsie’s. “Let’s look at this last pretty window, and then I’ll take you home in time for lunch.”

  The people standing in front of them finished looking at the display, then left, making room for Kate to guide Elsie up close to the window. Kate’s gaze did not leave Elsie’s face. At first, Elsie’s expression was blank, like she was focusing on her reflection instead of the scene. But then she tilted her head and narrowed her eyes so slightly Kate wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been staring.

  Elsie raised her hand to the glass and pressed up so close her nose touched, much like how the children viewed the window, trying to get through the glass and into the scene.

  Kate bent down and whispered in Elsie’s ear, “Where are the shoes?”

  Elsie shrieked.

  The people gathered around all turned and stared with wide eyes. Kate’s heart pounded against her chest, adrenaline coursing through her body. She tried to turn Aunt Elsie around and lead her away from the window. This was a mistake. It was too much of a shock.

  Elsie stood her ground. Shrieking and smacking the glass with her cane. The people backed away, forming a clear circle around them. Not wanting to be too close, but staying to watch anyway.

  Kate’s face burned as she felt the stares. Everyone was looking to her to calm down this poor woman. “It’s okay. It’s okay,” she repeated. “Let’s go home.”

  Another pair of arms enveloped Elsie and pulled her away from the window. “Good morning, Mrs. Oberlin,” said a deep voice. “I didn’t expect to see you today.”

  Elsie was now turned away from the window with her hands grasping onto the steady arms of Johnny Day. She had stopped shrieking and was taking deep breaths. Her face was ashen.

  Johnny smiled reassuringly at Kate before turning his attentions back on Elsie. “Let’s walk together.” He gently pulled Elsie forward, away from the window and down the street. Kate followed meekly behind.

  They walked slowly and in silence, until Elsie’s puffy breathing returned to normal. The anxiety on her face never left. Once she was calmed down, Johnny hailed a cab and helped Elsie settle in the backseat.

  He finally met Kate’s eyes. “Will you be okay from here?”

  She nodded, too afraid to speak and break the calm. That was not the reaction she expected. She got into the cab and watched Johnny out the back window until she couldn’t see him anymore. After she dealt with Elsie, she needed to talk to him and clear the air. He didn’t seem to be holding a grudge. He was probably waiting for her to come to her senses and ask forgiveness.

  By the time Adalbert returned home, Elsie was asleep. She had allowed Kate to take off her shoes and help her into her housedress. But she did not speak. She would not answer any of Kate’s questions about the dresses.

  “How did it go?” he asked.

  Kate shook her head. “Not well. She got upset, so we came straight home.”

  His shoulders slumped. “I was hoping…the fresh air, the exercise.”

  Kate couldn’t tell him what happened. She would have to admit that she opened the package…and worse! If he knew, he’d demand she returned the dresses before she had time to finish explaining. He would be so disappointed in her.

  …

  Kate got off her stop early so she could walk home and think. Of course, she felt horrible about showing Elsie the rag dress. What a shock it must have been to see it on a manikin in one of the most popular stores in New York. No wonder she panicked. Elsie had spent her whole life keeping that dress hidden and then to see it out there. So public.

  It was supposed to jolt her into talking again. To loosen the memories so she could share them. Kate was tired of waiting. Always waiting. If this was supposed to be her future, she needed to know things now before Elsie was lost to her. />
  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Two hours before Harmon-Craig’s closing and the start of her second window night, Kate met her mother at the Automat. The restaurant was one of her favorites. All the food was on display in the silver vending machines along the walls, with the hot food items like soup located at the steam counter. You got to pick whatever you wanted.

  Kate handed the nickel throwers a dollar bill, and quick as anything, they tossed back the change. She scooped up her coins—how did those ladies make change so fast? She plunked her nickels into one of the machines and chose a beef sandwich, then a chocolate chip cookie for dessert. After pouring a cup of coffee through the little dolphin-shaped spout, she joined her mother at a table.

  Noticing the coffee, Mother raised her eyebrow.

  Kate ignored the look and stirred in enough sugar to make it taste closer to a hot chocolate than a coffee.

  “What’s the rush?” asked Mom, watching Kate inhale her food. “You can’t do anything until the store closes anyway.” Her own plates of fish cakes, mashed potatoes, and creamed spinach sat untouched in front of her.

  “We can unpack the crates.” She took another big bite.

  Her mother frowned. “I thought maybe we could talk.”

  Kate stopped mid-chew. “Talk?”

  “When is the last time you and I had a good girls’ chat?”

  Kate swallowed. “Do you have a modeling brochure or something for me to look at?”

  “What? No. Not anymore.” She swirled her fork into her mashed potatoes as if expecting to find the words mixed in with the butter and cream. “Mrs. Caruso and Josie have a close relationship, don’t they?”

  “I…guess.” Where is this going?

  “I mean, they cook together every night.” She looked around the cafeteria like she was a bad mother for bringing them there so often. “And they talk. They talk.” She finally met Kate’s eyes.