Page 13 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 2

Episode 35

Revenge

MADAM ALANA

“Do not outline your beautiful eyes to look like those of a racoon my darling.” I instructed Emily. “You want to use a steady hand and glide the liquid along the edge just above the lashes, like so.” I expertly made a perfect cat eye on my right lid then showed it to her.

Emily nodded and then bent her gangly teenaged body in half like a pretzel over the vanity until she had her face almost touching the mirror. Her teeth were pressed tightly into her bottom lip as she concentrated.

I pressed my lips together in order to suppress a chuckle at her antics. She was trying so hard to apply her makeup as I’d shown her.

She made a few bumbles as she stroked the liner across her lid. A deep frown marred her pretty face as she inspected her work.

I tutted. “It lookstrès bien, chéri.When we make an error in life, we take a deep breath and then attack it again,non?”

“I wish I could do it just like yours,” she grumbled and bent over the counter again, getting as close to the mirror as possible.

“We can smooth anything out. First you must learn the art of patience and practice. Eventually, this trick will be second nature to you.”

Emily sighed, focused intently on her eye and painted over the bumpy line with another coat, fixing the error beautifully.

“Magnifique!”

“Now if I could just do the second eye to match.” She grinned, her smile reaching all the way to her big doe eyes.

“I have all the faith in you. Just focus, breathe, and be patient.”

I held my breath as she repeated the process. This time she didn’t pause; instead, she attacked the lid with confidence, the result exactly as expected.

“Yes!” Emily jumped up and down with pride after she realized she’d done it.

I smiled coyly and winked. “An expert if I ever saw one. You may keep that bottle of liner. When we get to France, I will buy you a full makeup kit, and we will practice anything you want to try that you may have seen in magazines or perhaps the looks your friends are attempting,oui?”

“Oui.” Emily agreed. “I’m going to sign up for French as my elective in high school next year.”

“That would make your Uncle Christo and me so very proud. You can call us and practice any time you want.”

Emily beamed with joy at the suggestion. This sweet girl was desperate for female attention. I knew Rhodes did everything he could to provide for his daughter, and she was lucky to have him. It was Portia that was the mismatched cog in the wheel.

Portia had a beautiful, young daughter who needed her guidance and love, and yet she chose to put her dalliances and her modeling career, which was slowly tanking with every year she aged, as top priority. I’d never understand it.

Christophe and I tried for years to have children of our own, but it was never meant to be. We could have adopted and actually considered it, but with our careers at the time and the amount of travel we did then and still do, the decision sorteditself out. Now, I appreciate the family we have chosen and the ones they bring into our world, such as Emily, and the twins that Dakota was soon to have. I could hardly wait to meet the two precious girls. And Joel told me he was planning to convince Faith to have a child. So many amazing things to look forward to in the future.

“Auntie Alana, can I wear the red lipstick again?” Emily asked.

“Red lipstick is for nighttime affairs and mature women like me.” I opened my makeup drawer and pulled out the palest pink lip stain I had and handed it to her. “Try this for daytime wear.”

“Cool.” Emily snatched the tube and applied it more liberally than I would have.

I grabbed a tissue and handed it to her.

She frowned. “What’s this for?”

I pulled one of my own, folded it in half and taught her how to blot the extra color off her lips.

“Makes a cool kissy imprint,” she noted and pointed at her lip stamp on the tissue.

“And removes excess lipstick so you don’t get it on your teeth.” I explained.

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