Page 17 of Ten Christmases Without You
“If you’re looking for lip gloss, these are all five dollars each.” She pulled a light pink tube off the shelf. “This one would look pretty on you.”
The woman was right—that color would work with her skin tone.
Emmy ran a tester stick across a pad of rosy blush and spread it on her skin.
“If you want something to go with the lip gloss, maybe this?” The woman retrieved a cinnamon-colored palette. “It has eyeshadow too. It’s all color-coordinated.”
“How much is it?” Emmy asked.
“Twelve dollars.”
“Okay.”
The woman handed her the compact.
“Thanks for your help,” Emmy said.
“Of course.”
Emmy took her new products to the register and checked out. With her carrier bag in hand, she stepped outside onto the busy New York street. Feeling accomplished, and a little fabulous with her new makeup, she headed to The Garnet & Petticoat tosee if they had anything on their sale rack. When she arrived, the dress she admired was still in the window. But, today, she was looking to get something more casual to wear to family Christmas.
When she entered, she took in the shop during the daylight hours: The chandeliers sparkled despite the muted light coming in through the shop windows, and the brass of the antique garment racks—large rolling frames with ornate, curled metalwork embellishments in the center above the clothes—matched the pattern swirling around the large-scale peonies on the shop’s 1950s-style wallpaper. She paced across the shiny hardwood floor, stopping at a few racks to browse. This wasn’t any old second-hand shop; it was a curated collection of fine articles. She pulled the sleeve of a timeless wool blazer toward her and inspected the price tag: $125. What must it have been originally? She really didn’t have enough money to splurge on anything that pricey.
She went over to the sale items on the opposite wall, located the medium-sized section, and combed through the options. A silky top with pearl buttons caught her eye. The creamy color would go nicely with her complexion—unfussy but elegant. She could wear her mother’s teardrop earrings with it. Feeling more festive than she had when she first went out, she pulled the hanger off the rack and took it behind the dressing curtain.
As she slipped off her handbag, unwound her scarf, and removed her coat and sweater, a bubble of excitement bloomed. The feeling was foreign to her. It had been a long time since she’d wanted to invest in herself. She slid her arms into the soft sleeves and shimmied the blouse onto her body. With each button that she fastened, she felt more alive. She didn’t recognize the person in the reflection. She held up her long brown hair and then let it fall, deciding which style might go best with the shirt. She could wear it with a nice pair of jeansand some boots. Holding her breath, she peered down at the tag: forty-five dollars. That was more than she’d like to spend on a shirt, but she felt pretty in it.
Just then, her phone rang—it was Madison.
“Hello?” Emmy answered, wedging the phone against her shoulder as she unbuttoned the shirt and returned it to the hanger.
“Ready to face the family tomorrow?” Madison said, chipper as always.
“I’m actually excited.”
A chuckle came down the line. “Charlie texted you, didn’t he? He’s coming home for the holiday, and he’s going to stop by.”
Her cheeks warmed. “He did text, but I’m excited for Christmas.” She slipped her sweater over her head, then shifted the phone from hand to hand as she threaded her arms through the sleeves and put her coat back on.
Madison tutted. “You’ve never been excited for a family Christmas in your life. It’s Charlie.”
“Stop it, we’re not twelve.”
“I’m only teasing.” Madison laughed. “It’s okay if you’re happy to see him again.”
“I am happy to see him. He lightened the atmosphere last year. Having him there helped me not think about Mom the whole time.” She grabbed her scarf along with the bag of makeup and opened the curtain.
“You two always did get along so well as kids. It makes sense you’d pick up where you left off.”
“Yeah... So. Did you call to tell me anything else, or were you just planning to harass me about Charlie?”
“I called to remind you to get a White Elephant gift. You forgot last time and bought something at the airport.”
“I didn’t forget. I was running late.”
“Well, don’t run late this time.”
“Fine,” Emmy said, trying to hide her amusement. She ended the call and went to the counter to buy the shirt.
