The Queen wanted to do a lavish event in the ballroom of their castle. Personally, I had experienced one too many weddings there. And so had Gallant. We insisted on to doing it right in our own backyard--in Snow White’s rose and lily garden. And to keep it small. More like a Faraway reunion plus some close family members and friends of the royal family. Winnie, God bless her, handled every detail, right down to the icing on the cake.
For a moment, I think about my first wedding--if you want to call it that--a loveless, perfunctory arrangement--witnessed only by a little girl hiding in the back of a somber, damp chapel. Snow White. The bittersweet irony of it all sends a shiver up my spine. And then I relax. How different today is. Where there was dark, there is light. Where there was cold, there is warmth. And where there was emptiness, there is joy.
The sound of harp music outside signals my cue. A tingling mixture of nerves and joy races through me. Calla hands me my bouquet--a single white lily that Gallant handpicked. The symbol of everything I love. The French doors swing open and in walks the man who will give me away to my Prince. Standing proud and tall. The Huntsman. Beau. My father.
My eyes meet his in a warm embrace as we lock arms and take our first steps across the threshold. His strong hold and steady gait make me feel at ease. Calla follows us, tossing petals from her basket.
The high noon sun is shining brilliantly; the white blooms glisten, and chirping birds circle in the sky. My feathered friends who woke me up every morning at Faraway are singing me a love song. I smile, and then my heart skips a beat.
Straight ahead of me is the man I love. Gallant, in his billowy white blouse and creamy leather britches, more beautiful to me than ever. Standing to his left are his best men, Hook and Charming and to his right, my maids of honor, Elz and Winnie, both beaming. Behind him is King Midas, his gold crown gleaming,
Holding onto my father, I walk toward them slowly, taking in everything and relishing each magical step. I catch glimpses of the small crowd out of the corner of my eye. Shrink is hovering in the fragrant air between Grimm and the Badass Fairies. Gothel, Hook’s date, is seated in the back. Rump, who’s promised to take Elz on her long awaited high seas adventure--a honeymoon cruise--is seated in the second row next to Winnie’s husband John and their children, Hansel, Gretel and Curly, whom they adopted. Pinocchio, who graciously declined being a best man, is seated next to Peter Pan, whom he met at Shrink’s book signing party. They’ve become inseparable and do volunteer work at the Midas Orphanage for Lost Boys. Occupying every seat in the front row are the Seven Dwarfs, wearing matching hooded robes. Wow! They actually dressed up. The tiny mute one gives me a thumbs up as Cinderella breezes in, late as usual, and takes an empty seat next to the disgruntled Queen. That seat was originally meant for Oscar, the Queen’s new croquet partner, who unfortunately had planned a retirement party from wizardry.
The walk up to Gallant feels something between eternity and the blink of an eye. His whole face lights up as he takes me from my father. He clasps his hands firmly around mine, and my smile meets his. The butterflies inside my stomach flutter away. I’m floating like a feather as Midas begins.
“Royally beloved, we are here to unite two people who have magically found each other. I will let them speak for themselves.”
Gallant’s piercing blue eyes burn into mine as he delivers his vow.
“My beloved Jane, where there has been cold, you have brought warmth; where my life was dark, you have brought light. From this day on, I promise to laugh with you in good times; to struggle with you in bad; to wipe your tears with my hands; to comfort you with my body; mirror you with my soul and love you until our lives shall come to an end.”
It’s my turn. I swallow hard, forcing the rising lump in my throat to go away.
“My beloved Gallant, I enter into this marriage with you, knowing that the true magic of love is not to avoid changes, but to embrace them. Let us commit to making each day of our lives more different and beautiful than the one before. Let me be the light inside your heart that brings out the best in you always until death do us part.”
Gallant squeezes my hands. Elz is positively bawling, and there’s a chorus of sniffles in the crowd as Midas envelops us with his burly arms.
“Do you, my son, take this woman…?”
“I do,” says Gallant with a bright smile.
“And do you, Jane…?”
“I do,” I say without the slightest tremor.
Midas removes two identical gold bands that are stacked on Hook’s hook and slips them on our ring fingers. Inscribed inside each of them is one word: Forever.
“I hereby pronounce you husband and…”
Before Midas can say “wife,” Gallant’s lips consume mine. I surrender myself shamelessly. Neither of us pulls away.
Amid applause and cheers, Calla runs up to me and gives me a huge hug.
She reaches into her basket, still half-full with petals, and pulls out something from under Lady Jane.
“This is for you.” Her chocolate eyes twinkle.
My heart swells with joy. It’s another one of Rump’s woven name bracelets. But this one says “MOMMY.”
As my sweet little girl slips it over my hand, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life. I no longer need a mirror to tell me who I am.
EPILOGUE
Everyone’s life is a fairy tale written by God’s fingers.
--Hans Christian Anderson
Soon after our wedding, Gallant and I donated all of my mother’s possessions to a resale shop, including her ruby slippers. I told Gallant that I sure wouldn’t want to be in her shoes. Yesterday, the Fairytale Tattler reported that a house fell on the woman who bought them and killed her. I knew those shoes were cursed.
After all she did to me, I sometimes miss my mother in a strange, inexplicable way. I’m glad Shrink left me with the hope that she might have been born a good person. Yet, I’m still not sure if people are born evil or if it’s the events in their lives that make them that way.
What I do know for sure is that fate is meant to be. But it’s not a fait accompli. Fate, in fact, has a way of writing its own twisted version of happily ever after. In my fairy tale, had I not gone to rehab, I would have never found the light inside me.
Shrink was right about so many things. About letting go of the past and looking deep inside myself for the future. Even about starting a career as a writer.
Having unleashed my imagination, I’m writing a children’s book. Gallant’s doing the illustrations. It’s a fairy tale called Dewitched. You can guess what the story’s about. As usual, I’m having writer’s block. But, at least, I’ve written the last line…
…And they lived happily ever after.
~THE END~
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
As I hit home plate, exhausted and elated, I realized there are so many people who helped me get there. Yes, it takes a team to write a novel, and mine, in this digital age, came from around the world. BIG, heartfelt thanks…
To my mom, the best mother ever.
To Dana, my best friend and fellow writer for her never-ending belief in me and terrific edit.
To novelist and new friend Artemis Hunt, who gave me insightful advice and the courage to self-publish after much deliberation.
To my dear friend Shelley Miles, who had no idea that she inspired me to write this book one day at lunch after sharing a first-time novelist’s success story.
To Cheryl Ferguson, who helped me grow as a writer and graciously accepted my decision to self-publish.
To Wendy Engelberg, who gave me the perfect words when I could no longer find them.
To Angela Weltman, my sister Laura, and the fabulous women of the LACMA Costume Council Board, who supported me with unwavering enthusiasm.
To my ever-patient formatter John Ling, a perfectionist and bestselling novelist himself.
To my passionate cover and website designer, Glendon Haddix of Streetlight Graphics, who gave me sanity w
hen I thought I’d lost it.
To Siri, who showered me with unexpected love and kindness when I most needed it.
To Khalil Gibran for his beautiful, inspirational quote: “Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” (Okay, he’s not really part of the team, but he deserves a mention.)
To the always supportive and helpful community of writers on Kindle Boards Writers’ Café, especially Dalya Moon and Liz Grace Davis.
To my stepkids, Cristina and Nicholas for helping me debunk the evil stepmother myth.
To, most of all, my family--my husband, Danny, my constant sounding board, who helped make the action scenes jump off the page, and my twin daughters, Lilly and Isabella, who put up with an obsessed mommy and way too many frozen dinners.
It’s been a long, jittery journey with lots of ups and downs, but I believe I made the right decision to take the road less traveled. I hope I will make you all proud.
Last but not least, a HUGE shout out to my readers. I hope you enjoyed DEWITCHED and will give it a positive review.
Thank you, all. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Love~ els
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ellen Levy-Sarnoff, writing under the name E.L. Sarnoff, has enjoyed a prolific career in the entertainment industry, creating, writing, and producing television series, including the original Power Rangers. She lives in Los Angeles with her Prince Charming-ish husband, twin teenage princesses, and a bevy of pets. She’s also the stepmother to two grown-up children, who don’t think she’s that evil. When she’s not writing in her PJ’s, she likes to dress up and pretend she’s Hollywood royalty.
Ellen would love to hear from you. Connect to her at:
http://www.elsarnoff.com
http://www.facebook.com/ELSarnoff
en.twitter.com/#!/elsarnoff
mailto: [email protected]
UNHITCHED
COMING IN OCTOBER 2012
Jane’s journey continues as she deals with a two-career marriage, the baby issue, and a woman from Gallant’s past--Sleeping Beauty.
Table of Contents
BOOK ONE
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
BOOK TWO
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Table of Contents
BOOK ONE
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
BOOK TWO
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
1 Dewitched Page 30
