If the Shoe Fits (Whatever After #2) by Sarah Mlynowski Page B

entrance! They have a line. It snakes around the block.
    I wonder what they’re selling?
    As I step closer to the booth, I realize something amazing.
    The people are standing in line for Cinderella’s Crownies.
     
    By nine o’clock, we’ve sold forty crownies.
    By ten, sixty-five.
    By eleven-thirty, we’re sold out.
    We’ve made a hundred and twenty dollars.
    “You did it!” Jonah cheers, giving Cinderella a high five.
    We actually had six crownies left, but we let ourselves have a snack. Of course, the six crownies left had walnuts. But thatdidn’t stop Cinderella and Jonah from eating their share. I’m saving one of mine for later.
    “ We did it,” Cinderella says. “You guys are the best. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
    That’s true, though technically she shouldn’t have had to do it at all. It’s because of us she hurt her foot. No need to remind her of that, though. “You’re going to be a princess!” I tell her instead.
    Cinderella puts the money in an envelope, which I carry in one of the extra satchels.
    We give each other a group victory hug and then run, run, run to catch the parriage.
     
    The grandfather clock in the living room says 11:45 when we open Cinderella’s front door. We only have fifteen minutes left to call Farrah!
    “Where have you been?” Betty snaps when we step inside. “The prince’s assistant is on his way and I had to prepare the tea myself!”
    Oh, no. I don’t want to anger Betty. What if she somehow messes up the plan?
    “We were at the market,” Cinderella says.
    “Doing what?” Betty barks.
    “Getting dinner.” It’s the truth. Cinderella bought a pot roast from the butcher for later. Betty has an account there, so she charged it.
    Though if everything goes her way by the time dinner rolls around, she won’t be the one cooking it. She’ll be engaged to the prince.
    Betty looks at her with suspicion.
    “We just need to freshen up,” Cinderella says, “and then we’ll make lunch.”
    “What I need is for you to finish preparing the tea and cakes for the prince’s people. I’ve just heard that they’re only a few houses away. They should be here within the hour. So you need to hurry. Beatrice and Kayla are making themselves presentable as we speak.”
    “We’ll be right down,” Cinderella says cheerfully.
    It’s 11:50.
    Jonah and I run up the stairs while Cinderella hobbles up behind us. We pass Beatrice and Kayla’s room on the way. Their door is open, and I peek inside.
    “Cinderella!” Beatrice yells. “I need your help!”
    “Can’t now,” Cinderella says, giving Kayla a thumbs-up.
    Then up to the attic we go. We close the door behind us.
    Cinderella knocks on the chimney. “Farrah? Are you there?”
    My heart races. I hope this works. It HAS to work.
    There’s a burst of yellow sparkle. Here we go.

S o,” Farrah says, twirling her wand between her fingers like it’s a cheerleading baton. “How’d you do?”
    “She did great!” I say, but then wonder if I should let Cinderella do the talking. A person who stands on her own two feet should definitely use her own tongue, right? “I’ll let her tell you about it.”
    Farrah nods. “Good idea.”
    Cinderella takes a step forward. “We decided I would get a job so I could afford an apartment of my own. And Jonah — um, I mean we — found a great place that’s a hundred dollars a month. You said that if I could prove to you that I can rescuemyself, you would fix my foot. And if you fix my foot, then I’ll fit the glass slipper like Abby said I was supposed to. So I started a crownie company called Cinderella’s Crownies to raise a hundred dollars for the apartment.”
    “What’s a crownie?” Farrah asks.
    Jonah rolls his eyes. “It’s really called a brownie. My sister’s just weird.”
    “Crownies are little square cakes,” Cinderella explains. “I baked a bunch and then we sold them at the market. I really enjoyed making them and selling them, and we