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Zachary hadn’t even hesitated before he scoffed like that was the most ludicrous thing he could have ever been asked then announced word for word to those who eagerly awaited Maybelle’s downfall, “It would be more entertaining taking a rock as my date than her.”
Had the comment completely devastated Maybelle?
No, he was right.
They most likely would have spent the whole night in awkward silence, but it did sting some long-ignored part of her heart that she had managed to shut away, for the most part, until that moment. It especially hurt when she had to tell her mom later that she wouldn’t be wearing the beautiful blue dress they had found together for the event.
“I’m so glad you decided to wear the dress, it looks amazing.” Stephanie gushed, bringing Maybelle back to the present and away from her prickling shame.
Maybelle stood in front of her small vanity mirror that was propped on a humble, white, thrifted desk in the corner of her room. She had painted her face with glowy, natural makeupthat enhanced her rosy cheeks and the darling freckles that sprinkled across the high points of her face. Maybelle, honestly, wasn’t very skilled in applying makeup or keeping it intact so she always opted for the minimal, more natural look if she applied any at all.
Stephanie observed Maybelle's face contort with concentration as she held her massive mane of curls above her head. Stephanie stopped, standing beside Maybelle as she quirked an eyebrow at her mom through the stray locks that fell over her face.
“Hey Mom, and thanks, I thought the light blue would look good with the navy-blue of my cap and gown, and this dress deserved to see the light of day at least once. It’s too pretty to go on rotting in the back of my closet.” Maybelle’s greeting and explanation puffed out the resplendent coils of her hair, making them dance and tickle against her nose. Maybelle had always loved her hair. The curls and honeycomb gold color of it. The only disagreement she ever had with the curtain of curls was that they were wild, frizzy, and everywhere if not pulled up into messy buns or braids.
Stephanie placed a hand to her daughter’s back making Maybelle drop her ringlets of gold and turn to give her mom her full attention, “I think that was a very smart choice, you look absolutely stunning.”
Maybelle smiled sweetly, the over abundance of compliments making her a little squeamish, “Thanks.”
She shifted back to the mirror letting out a frustrated sigh, “But I’m not done yet. I have no idea what I should do with all this.” She pronounced, gesturing to the curls that enveloped her shoulders and back.
Stephanie reached out and toyed with a lock of her hair, “Why don’t you leave it down tonight? I don’t think I have seen you wear your beautiful curls down in years.”
Maybelle huffed a breath that blew a curl off her face, “But I hate when it gets in my eyes.” She countered.
Stephanie moved her hand up from Maybelle’s back to her shoulder, “Let me help.” She offered.
Maybelle would not refuse the help when she had no clue what to do and shelovedwhen her mom did her hair. So, she nodded and obediently took a seat at the vanity while Stephanie got to work.
As Stephanie began to weave Maybelle’s curls, Maybelle couldn’t help but think back to her younger years when her mom did her hair every morning before school. Without fail, even while deep in college, Stephanie had been up with Maybelle helping her dress, braid up her hair and make her and Liam breakfast. Then, as if her mother wasn’t drowning in her schoolwork, Stephanie would take time from her piles of homework to paint Maybelle’s nails or teach Maybelle how to apply mascara. Maybelle even thought back to the almost forgotten times when she had snuck into her mom’s closet to waddle in her heels and make a mess of her “grown up” makeup.
“I love you, mom.” Maybelle spoke softly, her words spurred on by the moment and precious memories.
Her fingers pausing their ministrations of Maybelle’s hair, Stephanie looked up at her little best friend through the mirror with silver already lining her eyes.
Maybelle continued before she too could get choked up, “I love you; I am thankful for you, and I am so proud to call myself your daughter. I know life has dealt us a couple stupid doozies in the past, but I wouldn’t have wanted to go through it with anyone but you.”
Tears now streamed down Stephanie’s cheeks, dragging a line through the face makeup she most likely had just finished applying before coming in here, as she kissed the top of her daughter’s head. A connection of awareness and knowledge ofwhat the past has held and dealt the two women hung between them in this moment. A bond of understanding that they came out on top together, hand in hand.
There was a soft knock on Maybelle’s door as Liam entered dressed in what all the young men would be wearing tonight. A long white sleeve button up, black tie, black slacks with their navy-blue cap and gown donned on his head and shoulders.
Liam approached with a cocky grin plastered to his strong face, “How are my favorite ladies doing?” He greeted, obviously, completely missing the moment he’d walked in on. Liam pulled his mom in with one arm while he placed a steady, protective hand on his sister’s shoulder.
“You ready, May?” He asked peering at her through the mirror reflection. Maybelle nodded smiling brightly at her twin. Liam was a great brother. He may be a proud, oblivious fool she wished to tackle and choke out every now and then, but he was good, and he was gentle when he wanted to be. She and Liam had never been super close, at least not close enough to share every secret and maybe that was her fault, but even she could acknowledge that he did put in effort to be a good brother. He wasn’t anywhere near perfect but when he tried, it was evident that he loved her.
Maybelle had always looked up to Liam, even envied him for the way he took on life in stride while she always seemed to be failing miserably. She aspired to be like him, to be a force like he was, to remain put together, a leader and friend the way he seemed to always find so easy. Maybelle needed to tell him that one of these days, just how much she truly admired him.
“Alright Lovebug, done!” Stephanie announced cutting through Maybelle’s thoughts. Stephanie had braided the curls that framed Maybelle’s face into a crown that pinned under themajority of the mass of curls. Doing its job to keep the stray hairs from her eyes but allowing most of the coils to bounce freely.
“I love it, thank you, mom.” She proclaimed then turned back to her brother returning the comforting touch to the hand that still rested on her shoulder, “Let’s do this.”
5 Invisible to Non-existent
Running a little behind for set up preparations, due to Liam taking actual years to find his other dress shoe, Stephanie Mason swiftly dropped Liam and Maybelle off at the front of the fine arts building where the ceremony would take place while she hurried to park the car as the twins made their way inside together.
Almost every single freaking person Maybelle and Liam passed, greeted Liam as they strolled toward the entry doors to backstage where they would help set up. Her twin was on cloud nine with all the recognition, and Maybelle couldn’t help but love watching him thrive on the never-ending attention.
Not one soul acknowledged Maybelle, that was nothing new, but she and Liam rarely stayed together long in public, so it was a little eye-opening to her just how invisible she was next to her brother. She wasn’t by any means jealous of the attention he got. Liam deserved to be seen, it was impossible for him to go unnoticed. His attitude, walk and looks demanded the focus of every passing eye.
