“Ooh, yeah. That sounds great.”
“Very classy.” Aurora looked through her polishes, trying to decide on a color for herself. Katie could do her nails but liked when her mom would do it for her. Aurora treasured this time together, so she didn’t push Katie to practice on her own. It was nice to be needed.
“What color are you going to do?” Katie asked.
“I’m thinking something springy.”
“What about the lavender?”
“Ooh yeah, with some flowers stamped on top.”
“That would be pretty.”
Aurora started putting a fresh peelable base coat on her daughter’s nails and got lost in thought for a moment. “I have a question. Did Jade say anything more about sleeping over at her place?”
“Yeah, she said Cora and Sandra were coming. She wants to know if I can come too.”
“That’s next Saturday, right?”
“Yep. Why?”
“Well, I got invited to a party that night. I thought, if you can get a ride there, then I could pick you up the next morning.”
“You’re going to a party? Really, Mom?”
“Is that so shocking?”
“Well, it’s been a while. Who’s having it?”
Aurora motioned for her daughter to put her hand under the LED lamp. “Miss Smith is having one for the committee members. Apparently, she has a hot tub.” Aurora proceeded to paint the nails on Katie’s other hand.
“You should go, Mom. I’ll talk to Cora and Sandra. I’m sure one of them can drive me over to Jade’s.”
Aurora smiled at Katie’s enthusiasm. “Okay, you talk to the girls and let me know who’s taking you. I’ll have to leave here around four o’clock, so if they can get you before that …”
“I’ll ask. I think we were going to order pizza for dinner.”
“I’ll make sure you have pizza money.”
“YES! Thank you, Mom!” Once her nails cured, she jumped up and hugged Aurora. “So, what are you going to wear to your party?”
“A swimsuit. Although I could wear my cover-up while I’m in the hot tub.”
“Why? Your bikini looks great! Ooh, I know. You should wear the striped one.”
Aurora glanced up at Katie while working on the second coat, her eyebrows high on her forehead. The striped bikini had a push-up bra top and did not leave much to the imagination.
“I bought that bikini with your dad in mind. I’m getting in what amounts to a giant bathtub with five people who haven’t put on a single pound since high school. I doubt they want to see that much of me.”
“Well, what’s wrong with the leopard one?”
“Nothing, except that these people all think of Aurora Wilson as an innocent little prude.”
“But you got married.”
“That’s not the point.”
“You never worried about this when Dad was around.” She said it so softly, Aurora almost didn’t hear what she said. She gave Katie a gentle smile and stopped painting long enough to look at her.
