A Cinderella Christmas Page #7

The ocean.

Naps in the sun.

Not that I know

first hand.

I haven't been there.

I haven't been anywhere,

actually. Why?

Why do you ask?

No reason.

Are you okay?

Yeah, no.

I'm fine.

Just jitters, I guess.

There's nothing to be

jittery about.

You know about

my inheritance.

How I have to be married

in order to claim it.

That was a clause my parents put

into my trust when I was a toddler.

I could've claimed it

a long time ago,

but my inheritance isn't

about money for me, it's...

It's about freedom.

And I wouldn't exactly be free

if I married the wrong person.

And you think Candace

is the wrong person?

I don't know if I was just spell-bound

by the magic of the ball,

but I certainly felt

like I was in love.

We're friends, right, Angie?

Yeah. Yeah,

we're friends.

So I can trust you.

What if Candace isn't

the woman from the ball?

Candace has proven

that she is.

Right. Yes, she has.

She has.

Maybe I'm just wishing

that she's not,

so that the problem

wouldn't be with me.

I mean, the truth is it's entirely

possible that this is just my...

usual commitment phobia.

Except...

Except what?

I still feel like

I'm in love.

Just not when

I'm around Candace.

Nicholas! Where

are you, my turtle dove?

Candace, there's something

I have to tell you.

Is it Nicholas' favorite color,

because that's come up a few times?

No.

Candace, I care about you

and Nicholas, as a friend.

I know you do,

Angie, I can see that.

That's why I know how much it will

hurt you to never see him again.

What do you mean?

You wanna tell the truth.

Yes.

Of course, you do,

because you're you.

But there's a point of no return,

Angie, and we've passed it.

Do you really think that Nicholas

will still consider you his friend

if he found out

what you've done?

He won't have anything to do with either

of us romantically or platonically.

Keep our little secret and you

get to keep your new friend.

And your career,

and your family.

Tell the truth and...

you could lose everything.

But, it's your choice.

Who's been naughty

and who's been nice?

What?

I can wear this to a

Christmas wedding, right?

Yes. It's perfect.

For the mall!

You can't walk me

down the aisle in that?

This picture cannot go

in a magazine.

All right. All right.

I'm just so happy that

both my girls are so happy,

and our family

is getting bigger.

I've worked my whole life to make

sure that you both have the best.

And it's all finally

coming together.

You'll meet the right guy

someday, too, Ang.

Santa knows.

So you go through

these great to find

this rare woman

and now you want someone else?

I know what you're thinking.

This is just

the old Nicholas Carmichael

being itchy

about commitment,

but maybe it's not.

I can't be sure of how I'm feeling

until I know for sure if it was

Candace that I met

at the ball or Angie.

Or someone else

entirely.

How're you

going to find out?

Her stocking.

There's a line about books and

covers that probably applies here.

Not especially telling, unless

we dust it for fingerprints.

Candace has

quoted him.

And so has Angie.

Not entirely helpful.

For her sketches.

That again, whittles it down

to Candace or Angie

instead of a third party.

All right.

Do either of them

have pets?

I don't know.

Your marriage is off

to a great start.

Matches!

The thing that I always

forget to pack!

See, I'm not crazy. The girl at

the ball is the girl for me.

And she's either

Candace or Angie.

Now this I can work with.

Is this your first time

at Ate-y Days?

Bueno! Well, we are

an international restaurant,

featuring a constantly revolving

menu of dishes from other countries.

No American food here.

Our holiday special

is Hungarian goulash,

and Danish Aebleskiver

for dessert. Sample?

So what did we learn from that besides Ate-y

Days is the best place in town for goulash?

I don't know. But it doesn't seem like the

kind of place that Candace would ever go.

It seems like more of a place

for a woman who...

longs to travel.

Nicholas, where are you going?

-Hey, Zelda.

-Max!

You two know each other?

Yeah, we've been using her

for tailoring for years.

She was at the ball.

So was that dress

in the window.

Could you tell me

who bought it

and what

it's doing back here?

Long story.

Why do you ask?

Well...

The woman who bought it

said it wasn't for her.

But I ran into her at the ball right

after midnight as she was leaving,

and she was indeed

wearing it.

And then she returned it?

No, three days later a

different woman returned it...

claiming it didn't fit.

I gave her a full refund

to stop the yelling.

And also because I do have a

soft spot for this dress.

Do you know where we can find

either of these two women?

Well, the one who returned it

should be easy enough to find.

You're engaged to her.

I thought I might be.

And the other?

Well, all I know is that

she visits her parents

at the cemetery,

down the street.

Angie.

I'd like to buy this dress

from you, if I could.

Where are you going now?

To have a little chat

with my fiance.

Baby cakes!

Is this a bad time?

I do wish you would've called

so I could've gotten

myself ready first.

I'll bet. Can I come in?

I might have some left-over beefy

puffs in the fridge... -No thanks.

Please. Have a seat.

You never told me the meaning

of the items in your stocking.

I'd love to hear.

I just remembered I have a

quick phone call to make.

-If you'll excuse me.

-To Angie?

Why would you think that?

Just take a look inside.

Of course,

my ferret.

Juicy.

It's a bunny.

-Is it here in the house?

-No!

It's dead.

Really miss it.

Is it buried in the same cemetery

that this rose came from?

From the same cemetery where

Angie's parents are buried?

You mean my aunt and uncle?

I was close with them, too,

you know?

For lighting candles.

You ever been

to that restaurant?

I must have. Once.

Could you give me

a quote by Oscar Wilde?

Really putting me

on the spot here.

Would you give me

a quote by anyone?

"Quotes are for nerds."

Candace Carrillo.

Joking. Obviously.

I had an idea for an ice

sculpture for the reception.

Would you sketch it for me?

I...

Okay. You got me.

I was so busy getting ready

for your ball that I...

delegated the filling

of the stocking to Angie.

So she chose

these things.

I'm sorry. But it really was

me that you met at the ball.

Why did you return the dress?

I... must've still been under

the hazy spell of the ball

because I don't even

remember doing that.

Thank you so much for

getting it back for me.

Would you try

it on for me?

I would love to see you

in it again.

Beautiful.

Can you turn around for me?

This dress really is

much better from the front.

It really is a magical ensemble.

I've been stress eating.

What about my stocking?

Do you have it here?

I didn't know that we were

supposed to keep those.

You threw out

my childhood stocking?

As a symbol of putting

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