Page 72 of The Luminaries
As everyone piles into Fatima’s closet—where the twins’ outfits are hanging in protective plastic—and helps find something Winnie can fit into (Fatima is bustier and shorter), she is again struck by the fact that out of everyone in Hemlock Falls, the twins have always been nice to her. Even Fatima has never been mean or two-faced like Marcus. She has stood up for Winnie now and then, like she did last Thursday in homeroom.
All this time, Winnie has been missing her old friends when she could have so easily had new ones. It makes her heart scoop out just imagining.
Fatima eventually settles on a green dress for Winnie that she, with her design eye,insistswill make Winnie’s auburn hair “pop.” It’s definitely meant for summer, and it’sdefinitelynot the sort of thing Winnie would ever buy—not merely because this is from Falls’ Finest, but because without the silk white shirt Fatima wears under it, the dress shows more skin than Winnie’s typically… well,Puritanwardrobe of crew necks and long sleeves. The straps are fine as melusine hair, the silk as soft as a ghost-deer’s glow, and the color reallydoeslook good against Winnie’s olive skin. It’s like the forest in summer, when even winter gray is forced to let go.
Because Fatima is shorter than Winnie by a few inches, the dress does cut a bit short, floating just below her mid-calf instead of her ankles. And unfortunately, Fatima’s feet are a totally different size, so Winnie is stuck wearing her flats.
“No one will look down there, anyway,” Bretta assures, waving toWinnie’s chest, where the fabric droops low and her golden locket glimmers. Fatima has alotmore chest than Winnie, so the droopage is very real. “You’ve got all this, uh… skin to catch the eye right here.”
“Skin,” Winnie says, “meaning no boobs.”
Which makes Bretta giggle. “You’re the one who said it, not me!”
“But,” Emma chimes in with a meaningful eyebrow bounce. “I mean…”
Winnie can’t help but laugh. It’s been so long since anyone teased her good-naturedly. She’s forgotten what that felt like—forgotten it can make your heart surge instead of fall.
Fatima and the twins get dressed—Fatima in a royal purple dress with a high lace collar that is much,muchbetter suited to the temperature outside, Bretta in a sleek, neon-green pantsuit that makes her look like a rock star crossed with a girl boss, and finally Emma in a magenta miniskirt that makes her legs look a million miles long and a frilly top that flounces like phoenix feathers.
Winnie helps them all, and she grudgingly agrees to put on lipstick and eyeshadow too, using Q-tips and Fatima’s supply. She hasn’t worn makeup, like… ever, and it takes her a few tries (and Emma’s help because Winnie is justnotapplying enough) before she looks glammed up enough for the twins’ and Fatima’s satisfaction.
And though she wasn’t expecting it tonight, Winnie actually has fun. Like… alotof fun, even if once or twice she does think of Erica.
It is a quarter to ten by the time they’re all done. Emma and Bretta have polished off the last swigs of the champagne. “Let’s go, let’s go!” Emma claps like the cheerleader she would be if Hemlock Falls had competitive sports teams. Her tiny skirt caroms around her thighs.
“Wait,” Winnie says before everyone can skip to the door. “I have a present for you.”
This earns a collectiveWeeeee!and Emma and Bretta topple back onto the bed in a flurry of lace and frill. Winnie is almost glad they’re tipsy, because now, if her present turns out terrible, they will be too silly to care.
She offers them her gift, the unicorn wrapping paper slightly crumpled from its time in Jay’s jacket. “I hope you like it,” she mutters at the same moment Fatima croons, “Ooooh, what is it?”
Bretta snags the gift first and rips into it with such gusto that Darian would have cried (he likes to slowly peel off the tape, carefully unfold each line, and generally infuriate everyone waiting for him to just open his presents already). A white box soon appears in Bretta’s grasp, and she hands it off to Emma, who plucks off the top.
Within are two glass vials, their corks looped onto simple leather cords. “What’s… in it?” Emma scoops out one necklace and holds the vial to the light.
Bretta is the one to figure it out. “Oh my god, it’s a banshee claw! Oh mygod!” She snatches up her own necklace and then stumbles off the bed. “You gave us banshee claws! This issocool! Aaaah!” She dives at Winnie for a hug, and though Winnie really, really is not a hugger, she lets the twin have it. And when Emma leaps in for the hug too, she just silently endures—and even ends up smiling.
The twins are thrilled. They really are. Her gift, assembled from some random craft supplies in her closet, has actually been a hit.
“Wow,” Fatima breathes after the twins pull apart and Emma lets her study the claw. “This is really special. Put it on, put it on!” She loops it around Emma’s neck while Bretta struggles with champagne-fuzzy fingers to put on her own.
Winnie helps her out, and moments later, the twins pose before Winnie and Fatima, beaming in that full-wattage way only they can. The vials glint at their collarbones, maybe not the mosthigh-fashionthing ever, but definitely unique.
“How do we look?” Bretta strikes a runway stance.
Emma strikes one beside her. “Like hunters?”
“Definitely.” Winnie laughs while Fatima claps and giggles—and yet again, Winnie wishes she’d let the twins and Fatima into her world sooner. Because if anyone is worth lowering her defenses for, it’s definitely them.
CHAPTER36
When Winnie, the twins, and Fatima finally head down to the night’s main event, Leila and Fatima’s dad wave at them from the couch, where they’re each reading. “There will be chaperones!” Leila calls after them.
Which only earns more giggles and a “Love you!” from Fatima.
As they descend the stairs, the twins arm in arm, Bretta says, “Guess what I heard.”
“What?” everyone dutifully replies.
