Page 47 of The Curve
“It will. I’m not sure I should have told you about my impression of the kid. It clouded your view.”
“No. I’d rather be prepared. Never hold back. I respect your take on things.”
“Okay. Hey, let’s FaceTime when she’s all dressed. I’d like to see my birthday present on her. If there’s time.”
“She’ll love it. Your brother’s bringing Paige so we can take some pictures. Then he’s gonna take them to the party. I made him promise to hang out a little, make sure the chaperones are there.”
“Yeah, I talked to him too.”
“See, that right there shows what you’re made of.”
“I’m just watching out for Mallory. That’s what families do.”
I don’t know how to react. My silence makes him chuckle.
“Charlotte?”
“I’m here.”
“Just processing?”
Now I chuckle. He already knows me so well.
* * *
This scene makesme happy and melancholy at the same time. Mani pedi’s with Mallory and her friend. It’s my gift to Paige for being such a good friend of Mallory’s. My grandmother used to do it for me and my bestie. The circle of life.
She’s growing up fast now. It seems every day I see another signpost on her road to becoming a woman. I’m not ready for it. Motherhood has been the greatest education I’ve ever had. It’s not just the things I’ve learned about children, but it’s also the things I was taught about human nature, mine and hers and us all. I don’t want to graduate.
“What color did you girls go with?” I say.
“Same color as my fingernails,” Paige says two chairs down.
Mallory holds her finished right foot up. “Lilac Wow. Isn’t it pretty?”
She and Paige start taking pictures of their nails. They giggle like little girls. Truth is, they’re only a few years from being just that.
After this I’ll take them to lunch. Then it’s to Coral’s for their hair appointments. I gave Mallory the choice of another stylist, but she just laughed and said she’d cut her own hair before she’d let someone other than me trim it.
We’ll be back home by three and then they have three hours to dress, put on a little mascara and lipstick and wait for Brick’s arrival.
* * *
“Well,you look beautiful, Mallory. Man, I’ve got great taste,” Atticus teases.
“Your taste had nothing to do with it. I picked out this dress.”
He just laughs.
She poses as I hold up the iPad. This FaceTime has been a godsend. Then she does a spin but wobbles a bit on her new first heels.
“Ohhh!”
“Careful!” I say.
Ever since we bought the shoes, I’ve seen her do the same thing I did when I got my first heels. I’d pose in front of a full-length mirror for hours on end, admiring my legs. It was a watershed moment. Girl becoming woman. It was thrilling.
Brick looks at his watch. “Think it’s time to head out, girls?”
