Blinding light had Ella covering her face and blinking. “Where is it!” her stepmother screeched, pulling the chain to the bare bulb above Ella’s bed but continuing to shine the flashlight in Ella’s face. “Where the hell is that gown?” she demanded.
Ella hadn’t fallen asleep yet, but she had been on her way. Her thoughts had been on Rome, of how peaceful it had been to stand in the garden with him, to hold his hand, to kiss his lips. She’d been so relaxed; it had been like floating on a cloud, in the world’s best dream.
Then, Teresa had shown up and ruined everything.
Rubbing her eyes, Ella sat up as Teresa ripped the blanket off of her bed and tossed it on the floor, just to be rude. “Where is… what?”
“Don’t play stupid with me, young lady!” She was over at the armoire now, where Ella’
