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Ashley sat on the toilet lid with her knees pulled up while Annie put on her makeup. She was small for eleven. The hours of dancing kept her slim, and her genetics made her petite. She watched Annie in comfortable silence, and Annie didn’t bother to fill the quiet with small talk.
“I’ve never seen you put on so much eyeshadow before,” Ashley said finally.
“It’s a party,” Annie said. “It’s what people do.”
“It’s dark, though.”
Annie leaned back and inspected herself in the mirror, studying the black eye shadow she’d been brushing onto her lids. It made her look a little dangerous. She liked it. “You think it looks bad?” Annie asked.
Ashley shook her head. “Different.”
“I can live with different.”
“What are you going to wear?”
“I haven’t decided,” Annie admitted. “I have a dress, but I think I’ll be cold without stockings, and I don’t really want to wear them.”
“Or?”
“Or pants and a blouse,” Annie said with a shrug.
“I’ve been to Aunt Sal’s parties before,” Ashley said with an air of authority. “I don’t think you’ll be too cold. It’s always hot at her parties.”
“That’s a good tip. Thanks.” Annie flashed her a grin.
“Oh, I know,” Ashley said brightly. “The makeup—it makes you look like you have a secret. Especially when you smile.”
Annie applied mascara to one eye and looked at her reflection. The longer lashes looked better. “I guess when you see people, you have to decide whether or not they’re hiding something. Whether what they have might be worth keeping secret.” Annie applied mascara to the other eye.
“What about me?” Ashley asked. “What do I look like?”
“You? Honey, you look like you’re stuffed with secrets. All filled up to the brim.”
Ashley tucked her chin against her knees, considering, then said, “Can I have some blush?”
Annie dusted some high onto Ashley’s cheeks and then sent her out to show her mother.
* * *
Justin, one of Helen’s nephews, arrived to watch Zach just before they left for Sal’s. He was Helen’s brother’s son, and he arrived with a black backpack stuffed nearly to bursting. He wore glasses that made him look bookish and a faded flannel shirt over a T-shirt, and he had barely enough facial hair to look like he needed a shave.
Helen handed him the baby. “We’ll be home by one at the latest,” she promised.
“Dad is at home, if you never come back,” Justin said. “He said we could leave Zach on the steps of the church.”
“Ha, ha, ha,” Helen said. “Help yourself to anything in the fridge. Zach ate, but he’ll need a bottle before he goes to bed.”
“I know.” From the way Justin handled the kid, he probably did know. He had to be the oldest of a whole bunch of siblings, probably volunteering for this babysitting gig to find some peace and quiet.
“I left his car seat in the den, but if something happens that’s bad enough to take him to the ER, just call an ambulance.”
“Mommy, come on,” Kevin complained. “Let’s go.”
“You guys go get in the car,” Helen said. Annie followed the kids out to the Jeep and got in the front seat. Ashley and Kevin saw her as an adult with a job, but because Helen was older, she often felt stuck in between. The only time she didn’t feel that way was when she was alone with Helen. She forgot that Helen was older. She forgot that they shouldn’t.
“I’m going to stay up until midnight,” Kevin announced as they waited.
“No, you aren’t,” Ashley retorted.
