(no subject)

[behindmothersback]

I have learned so much in this place, Father. I go to school now and have a job and do all kinds of things that real girls do. But there's still so much to do and tonight I hope to have another experience that I've heard so much about. I've watched movies and read books and nearly all of them talk about slumber parties as if they're the quintessential coming of age experience.

I want to have these experiences, things I never would have done had Mother succeeded.

So tonight I've planned a night with my friends, and invited them to invite a few of theirs. I have cookies and ice cream and pizza and games and scary movies to watch and I truly hope that everyone enjoys themselves. There are pillows and sleeping bags all over our living room and I have to thank you for allowing me to overrun the apartment like this.

I do hope we all have fun.

Comments

[makeithome]

Gwen can't even remember the last time she attended a sleepover — not just had someone else over, but been to a party with so many other girls, all laughing and talking and eating. It's nice, doing something so ordinary, so ubiquitous, that hasn't been part of her life in ages. Being surrounded by the others, it kind of feels like life is normal again. In a tank top and cotton shorts for pajamas, Gwen watches the others, grinning to herself. She leans forward to reach her foot, brushing another layer of purple onto a toe. "Can someone hand me the top coat?"

[behindmothersback]

I watch Gwen painting her toes with curiosity. I don't think I quite understand fashion here yet and as I hand over the requested polish I decide to ask. "Why do you paint your toes? Aren't they in shoes most of the time?"

I look down at my own feet, in socks and I can't help but wiggle my own toes a little. Should I try and paint mine? I never have.

[makeithome]

"Most of the time," Gwen says, nodding. Even in summer, she's not the kind to wander barefoot. She loves her boots too much for that. Rubbing the bottle between her hands, she flashes a sheepish grin Eleanor's way. "I don't know, I guess it's kind of silly. But when I'm walking around at home, it's kind of fun, you know? A little flash of color, like, oh, I forgot I did that, that's cute."

[behindmothersback]

"Should I do mine? I've never before." I wiggle my toes again. I've never thought about my feet as anything other than... feet. I walk on them, I can fight with them, no one sees them unless I'm wearing sandals and it certainly isn't sandal weather anymore.

[makeithome]

"Yeah, why not?" Gwen says. Pressing a fingertip tentatively to her toenail, she picks up the topcoat to add a layer. "It's a sleepover. It's the perfect time to try it." There's no better opportunity for fun and frivolous beauty adventure. Anyway, she doesn't think there is. Truthfully, she hasn't had a whole lot of sleepovers herself, and there hasn't been a whole lot of make up involved, but it seems right.

[behindmothersback]

"How do I do it? What do I use?" I have only the vaguest idea how to go about such a thing. I've never even painted my nails, although I suppose I should start there. But then it would make it difficult to do my feet wouldn't it? IF the paint has to dry?

"I'm rather bad at these kinds of things."

[makeithome]

"Everyone's bad at it to start with," Gwen says. "It takes practice and a steady hand. Here, let's get..." She inches closer to the table, shifting through the polishes until she finds the base coat again. "You start with this clear one. Some colors stain a little, that's why, but mostly it's just so the nail's, like, smooth before you put the color on."

[behindmothersback]

"At least I won't be see if I make a mess of it." I take the bottle and stare at it for a moment. Such a silly thing to worry about, Father, but I do. I feel like it's something I should already know how to do.

Pulling off my socks, I wiggle my toes a little before I pull a foot up to start the application. "How did you learn how to do this?"

[makeithome]

The question surprises Gwen. Thinking about it, it almost seems like something she just knew, but she knows that isn't true. It's like any of the other little things she does routinely; she's done it so many times it feels natural. "My mom," she says after a moment, and smiles. "When I was younger and we were hanging out once, she showed me. It was nice, you know? Just me and her spending time together without my brothers, doing girl things."

[thecautionarywhale]

Nails are something she knows, like it or not. Bren owned a salon and Juno had spent time in there playing with polishes even though it wasn't the sort of thing she usually went for. Leah had, and took advantage of it too, not that Juno minded.


"Want me to do it?" She offers up the bottle in one hand. "You'd be surprised how good at this I am."