Part 8

                                    

                                          
    Angela Woke up to the birds chirping outside. The bright morning light pierced through her curtains and blinded her. She wanted nothing but to wrap herself in the blanket and fall back to sleep. She no longer wanted to face the day, especially this day. Hana knocked on the door. When Angela didn't answer, she hesitantly opened the door and let herself in.
                          
    "Oh, I was afraid you were still asleep." Hana's voice had a tinge of sadness to it. The poor girl felt bad for her. She sighed, knowing she had to try to cheer the young woman up. "It's such a beautiful day." Hana opened the curtains wide. The bright light hurt Angela's eyes, and she threw a pillow on her face to make it stop. 
                          
    "Must I leave my bed? Why do I need to even have a stupid ball when the decision falls on my father anyway." 
                          
    "Because, it's a tradition." Angela recognized the voice as her mother's, Her mother dismissed Hana, who rushed out of the room. She sat on her daughter's bed, below her feet.
                          
    "It's also tradition for the mother of the lady of honor to help her get ready." Angela took the pillow off of her face. She knew when she had no one, she had her mother. No matter what, she was always there. 
                          
    "He left, mother." She sighed as she looked at her beautiful daughter.
                          
    "I know, honey. There's nothing you can do now. He was healthy enough to be on his own, so now it's out of your hands." Angela grunted.
                          
    "No, mother! You don't understand, I love him!" The words both confused Angela and her mother. She didn't expect to say that . She didn't even know she did, but she said it. I love him. It echoed in her head like the beat of a drum. Her mother was quiet for the following minutes. They both stared at each other, until her mother finally stood up.
                          
    "I understand. I will have your breakfast sent here, and I'll have one of the maids start the fire up again. You can stay in here until you need to get dressed for the ball." She put her hand on her daughter's cheek and kissed her forehead. "I only want what's best for you." She left the room, leaving Angela alone in her thoughts. She realized then, she had never taken Genji's jacket off.
                          
    The time came where Angela had to go. She had put her dress on and her mother was lacing up the back of her dress as she combed her hair. Once her mother finished, she helped her daughter put her pair up in a bridal bun, and a small golden band of twine and leaves was woven into her hair. She wore white ankle-strapped heels, held together by a golden buckle of an angel's wing. Finally, her mother put the family necklace on. The necklace had been worn by every Keller daughter on her ball night. A golden necklace with the charm of an angel's wings, and a small opal gemstone in the middle.
                          
     Her mother, dressed in green, looked at her daughter in awe.
                          
    "You look so beautiful. I am so proud of how far you've come." She wiped a tear from her eye, and kissed her daughter's forehead. When she pulled away, she cleared her throat and straightened herself out. "I'll go tell your father you're ready to be escorted to the ball." Angela was scared, but she also felt hope. A little part of her felt, or at least, dreamed that maybe he'd show up last minute and take her away. As she clutched the necklace, she heard a knock on the door. Her father came into the room.
                          
    "My darling girl, you look as beautiful as the day you were born." She couldn't tell if that was a compliment, but that didn't matter. What did, was Angela watched her father tear up for the first time in her life. She let out a sigh and locked arms with her father as she fixed her posture.
                          
    "I'm ready."