PART IV -- Mother

The next day was the first rehearsal of Cinderella. Although still bitter about her lost to miss piggy but Kitty still determined to make the most of her role as Drizella. She wore the green ribbon that Brad got her.

"Dirty cat, your pirouette is too fast!" shouted Clarissa in the middle of rehearsal.

Kitty tried to ignored it and focus on the choreographer but then half way through dancing she almost fell.

"Goodness, dirty cat! Get your head in the game! You're not focus," said Clarissa again by now Kitty was so annoyed that she snapped on Clarissa.

"Do shut up, miss piggy! Some of us here are practicing and we could do with less of your yapping! Your moves is not that good either, you know. Your pirouette is too slow, I wonder if you could even hear the melody! And you're supposed to be the Cinderella! Oh, and your personal tutor supposed to be Natalia Osipova so they said but I don't see any improvement on you. God, you're such a spoiled, little rich brats! I wonder what they saw in you beside your money!"

"True what they say; the poor is always the most bitter," said Clarissa shortly and left.

"What a bitch!" murmured Kitty.

"Alright, people! Let's just start again!" exclaimed the choreographer.

All the way through the rehearsal Kitty was sulking. She and Clarissa have been exchanging dagger eyes at all time. They were called arch nemesis for a reason.

"Hey, how's the rehearsal?" asked Brad when Kitty got back home.

"Not good. That ugly miss piggy is a nuisance! Oh, Brad, what did I do to deserve her? I wonder what was my ultimate sin that karma thought it would serve me well to meet that horrible girl?"

"I'm sorry, Kitty," Brad embraced Kitty and kissed her on the temple. "Hey, you want to come with me? I'm visiting my mom,"

"I don't know, Brad,"

"Come on, it would be fun! And it will do you good, I promise,"

Kitty finally agree and they both drove to the Ebury Court where Brad's mom was cared for. It was a residential care home. For Kitty no matter where they go, she would always have fun as long as it with Brad.

Kitty realized that she was going to visit Brad's mother without bringing her anything; no flower, not even fruit and even if she wanted to, she just couldn't find money to spare. So, it was a pure luck that on the way to the care home they passed a house with a fields full of sunflowers.

"Wait, Brad, pull over," said Kitty as her eyes caught the sight of fields filled with yellow, bright sunflowers.

Brad and Kitty asked the owner some of the sunflowers and thank God the owner of the house was a sweet lady who was so kind as to fetch them a gardening scissors to cut some of the sunflowers. They ended up with a big bouquet of sunflower.

"Bradley! It's nice to see you again!" exclaimed a nurse who was sitting in the reception area.

Brad hugged the nurse. "Nice to see you, Len. How's mother?"

"She's good. She misses you. But I really need to talk to you," the nurse caught sight of Kitty who was standing behind Brad. "Hello, who is this?" asked the nurse now directing her attention to Kitty.

"Len this is Kitty. She's a ballerina," said Brad.

It was easier for Brad to introduced Kitty as a ballerina rather than a friend or girlfriend since he has no idea what to call their relationship and there is no way Brad would tell Len, the nurse that Kitty and him is **** buddy.

"A Ballerina? How marvelous!" exclaimed the nurse. "Well, you two go along. I just know Elsie would be thrilled to see both of you. Oh, Brad, after that would you come back here?"

Brad took Kitty to his mother's room. Mrs. Elsie Carson was lying on the bed, paralyzed from stroke, couldn't even speak but you could see in her eyes how happy she was too look at Brad and Kitty. Her beautiful son, so kind and hardworking, give up all of his dream to care for her. Sometimes in her mind, she wishes that she would just passed away so that Brad would resumes his life again because it wasn't fair that her young son with so many potential has to give all that up just for her.

"Hello, Mrs. Carson, my name is Kitty. I bring you pretty flowers," said Kitty softly as she put the flowers to the vas that the nurse had brought in.

Brad kissed his mother on the temple. "Mummy, I miss you. You look really well, well done mummy!" He held his mother hand and stroke it gently.

Brad loves his mother very much. It has always been him and his mother ever since Brad was a little boy. His father was a dead beat who spent his life in and out of prison. Brad was proud of his mother for getting out of the abusive relationship sooner and how brave she was when she has to care for Brad on her own.

"Mummy, Kitty is a ballerina. Isn't she pretty? I know how much you love watching ballet. Do you remember when we watched ballet from a DVD that Mrs. Smith lent us? We never returned it," Brad chuckled. "Oh, and Mrs. Smith send her love. They miss you at the bingo, you're their lucky charms, so they say,"

Mrs. Carson wanted so to talk to her son, to reply the conversation but she couldn't. However, Brad could see everything in her eyes whether she approved or reproached on something, it all reflected in the eyes. And this particular afternoon, his mother's eyes were shining with joy especially when she looked at Kitty.

"Kitty, can you stay with my mother for a while? I have to see the nurse," said Brad.

"Of course! I would love to," Kitty smiled at Mrs. Carson and hold her hand. "Mrs. Carson, your son is an angel. He is kind and smart, you did a good job on him,"

Kitty drew a deep breath and sat on a sofa by Mrs. Carson's bed. She held the old lady's hand and lean on her like she would to her own mother.

"I'm so frustrated, you know, Mrs. Carson. I got to be honest to you, I'm a vindictive woman. It's a very bad virtue but I just can't help it," Kitty looked up to Mrs. Carson and somehow she just knew that the old lady wanted to hear her story so she continued.

"You see, Mrs. Carson, I have an enemy at the ballet company, she's really ugly and really there's nothing interesting about her except maybe that she is rich and well on her way to be prima ballerina. Prima ballerina! That's my dream!"

On and on Kitty told all about her feeling of hatred and jealousy towards Clarissa. She was expressing her inner most ugly side to Mrs. Carson like she would to her personal diary if she ever found the time and willingness to write one. Now that she talked about it, she just realized how ugly she was inside. Her little ballerina body is filled with hatred, jealousy, restlessness, materialistic and judgmental.

"Goodness! I sounded like the devil!" exclaimed Kitty.

She looked at Mrs. Carson and her eyes reflected understanding. "I like talking to you, Mrs. Carson, you're not judgmental. Oh, and Mrs. Carson, please don't tell anybody about what I just told you, especially Brad. I just don't want him to think that I'm a truly horrible girl." Kitty smiled to Mrs. Carson.

"Mother, how are you today? Here is a note from your daughter. With me everything is OK. Mother, how are you today?" Kitty began to sing. "Mother, don't worry, I'm fine. Promise to see you this summer. This time there will be no delay. Mother, how are you today?"

Brad came back to the room just as Kitty was about to hit the refrain. Kitty looked at Brad and smiled.

"I found the man of my dreams. Next time you will get to know him. Many things happened while I was away. Mother, how are you today?" Kitty's voice trembled by the end of the song.

Brad walked closer to Kitty and kissed that girl on the temple. He was so moved, how that girl cared for his mother and how kind hearted she is despite her effort to appear careless and indifference. He was beyond certain now that his heart no longer his own but Kitty has stolen it, the whole of it.

"Look what you've done to me, Mrs. Carson," said Kitty as she wiped her tears away. Singing Mother How Are You Today has made her remember about her own mother and how much she misses her.

Kitty then gave Mrs. Carson a private performance of ballet. If only Mrs. Carson weren't paralyzed she would've cheered and gave standing ovation for Kitty. However, Kitty still received many appreciation and adoration as well as ovations from the nurses who happened to passed by Mrs. Carson's room and captured by how graceful Kitty danced. They all stopped to watch her.

At the end of the day, Kitty was asked to dance in the common room to cheer some of the residents. It surprised Kitty how much joy she got from performing unprofessionally to old people.

It has been a very good day. Kitty could always rely on Brad to turn her gloomy day into a fun and fulfilling day. Little did she know that her heart has belonged to Brad even more than it was before.

Since then, every time Kitty was furious and have a bad thought that she somehow reluctant to share it with Brad out of embarrassment and fear that Brad wouldn't look at her the same way, she always visit Mrs. Carson. Talking to thpat old lady made her feel better and somehow it was like her evil side was tamed. Her visit has always been a secret from Brad, although Brad has some suspicion about Kitty visiting his mother more frequent but he didn't mind at all, if any, he was proud of Kitty for loving his mother as much as he does.

"Brad..." whisper Kitty to his ear. He was fast asleep beside her. "Brad, wake up. Brad darling, come with me to church, please!"

"What? Where?" asked Brad still half asleep.

"Church. Come on, Brad darling, would you come with me to church?"

It was a shocked. For a moment there Brad thought he had heard her wrong of that he was dreaming. Kitty is not the type of girl who goes to church.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course! I always go to church every last Sunday of the month. It feels like I've been purified and it's good for the soul at least you have some answer when you're dead and St. Peter asked how many times you go to church your whole life, at least I could say I go to church every last Sunday of the month. Oh, and I always like to ask something from Jesus, it doesn't hurt to ask," answered Kitty with the innocence of a little kid but seriousness of an adult.

"You're really are weird, Kitty. But that's what I love about you," Brad smiled and kissed Kitty passionately.

Brad looked at Kitty with wonder and astonishment. Kitty was sitting beside him in Church, silent and focus on the sermon, she never once talked or wander and when she prayed, she was solemn.

"What were you asking in your prayer back then?" asked Brad when they were walking back home.

"A lot of things, you know me," said Kitty shortly.

She was embarrassed to admit that she had prayed for the healing of Mrs. Carson and for God to always protect Brad. Those were the main wish of her prayer, the others were the usual; give her wealth, make her a ballerina and give karma to Clarissa.

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