by Simone Jaine
Then she applied the eyeshadow. By this time daylight was fading and the colour wasn’t really noticeable when she had finished. Daisy frowned.
“I know. I have a pretty blue upstairs. Stay right there,” she told her aunt’s sleeping form as she left the room.
She came back a few minutes later and set about colouring Jem’s eyelids and cheeks with her felt tip markers.
“That’s much better. You look beautiful now too.”
Then she put the cosmetic case back on the side of the handbasin because she knew she was supposed to put things away when she had finished with them.
Eben found her when she came down the stairs after putting away her markers and did a double take when he saw the make up on her face. The lipstick looked like The Joker had applied it. He planned to find some way to wipe it all off without her taking offence.
“Would you like to help me set up some snacks for before the presentation?” he asked Jeremy and Daisy.
“Yes,” said Daisy.
“No,” said Jeremy.
“There’s some treats in it for you if you help,” Eben wheedled.
“What sort of treats?” Jeremy asked.
Aidan sat up on the couch.
“I want treat,” he said.
“Party food. Just for yourselves,” Eben offered.
“Yay!” said Jeremy, Daisy and Aidan.
Eben handed the children serving bowls and foil bags of different flavoured chips and crispbreads and told the children to fill up the bowls and put them on the breakfast bar. Upon hearing from Cherie that Mark had invited an extra undisclosed number of guests he was concerned that whatever number had been catered for was not going to be enough. Maybe this would help supplement appetites.
Jeremy helped him transfer vegetables he’d sliced to Daisy and Aidan who arranged them on platters with dip as well as other food he’d bought from the deli. With everyone helping the job was done quickly despite Daisy and Aidan’s taste tests. He ducked outside to turn on the gas heaters in the marquee then returned to the kitchen to fill the fridge with the bottles of wine that Mark had brought over the day before.
Daisy appeared at his side with dip smeared up one cheek.
“You have a bit of food on your face. How about I wipe it off?” he asked.
Jem blinked awake at the sound of the TV in the family room being turned up.
What time is it?
She looked across to the alarm clock and saw that she had less than half an hour before people were due to arrive. She sat bolt upright and the adrenaline rush woke her completely.
Don’t panic.
First things first.
Get dressed.
Jem experienced another rush of adrenaline when she realised she hadn’t brought any clothes suitable for an evening function from her apartment to wear.
Again, don’t panic.
Need clothes?
That’s what sisters are for.
Clutching her dressing gown closed she raced out of the room and up the stairs barely noticing Eben leaving the kitchen to answer the door. Jem flung open the doors of Jess and Jason’s wardrobe and started rifling through Jess’s dresses. Most of them were pre-children and were colourful as well on the short and sexy side.
Hasn’t Jess heard of the little black dress?
Jem went through the dresses again in the hope of finding something in a sombre shade. The best she could do was a low cut dress in a royal blue. It lacked sleeves so she would need to find something to put over it. She unhooked the dress from the hanger, flung her robe on the bed and shimmied into it. Eben was talking with someone downstairs and there was no time to lose.
Jem was a lot taller than Jess so the dress only came to mid-thigh. Luckily the dress must have been bought before Jess had ever been pregnant because the bodice fit Jem comfortably, giving her decent cleavage and she knew Jess now had a lot more to put in a dress than she did. With relief she started rummaging through Jess’s drawers looking for pantyhose and something to wear over the dress.
Several drawers later Jem slipped on a black shrug that Jess had worn as a bridesmaid then started drawing on sheer black, lace top, thigh high stockings. She had been very happy to find them because with the height difference between her and Jess she had been dreading walking around in pantyhose where the crotch was halfway down her thighs.
Suitably attired she went back to the wardrobe for a pair of shoes. She had no trouble spotting the shoes that went with the dress as they were the exact same shade of royal blue. The only problem as far as Jem could see was that she didn’t know if she would be able to walk in four inch heels.
With her dressing gown in one hand and the shoes in the other she quickly skipped down the stairs planning to go back in the guest room to do her hair and hopefully have enough time to apply makeup before someone came looking for her.
Voices coming from the front door ruined that plan. Jem threw the dressing gown on the guest room bed, shut the door and jogged towards the front door. She paused just out of sight and squeezed her feet into her sister’s stilettos then hurriedly finger combed her hair.
Jem stepped into the entry and nearly twisted her ankle when she lost her balance on the stiletto heels. Because of her height and her past refusal to trade fashion for comfort, two inches was as high as she had ever worn before. She recovered by putting her hand on the wall and leaned against it as though that is what she had always intended and hoped that the four inch heels wouldn’t be the death of her.
Cherie entered the door followed by Greg and Evie. Their mouths dropped open in surprise.
“What? Is it my hair?” Jem asked and tried running her fingers through in case a bit was sticking up.
In the ensuing silence they could hear Eben outside giving directions to Sam and Crash where to park Cherie’s car and the ones to come.
“Lass, your hair is fine, it’s the makeup,” said Evie.
“I ran out of time to finish getting ready before you arrived. Is it that obvious?” asked Jem.
“How do we want to answer that?” asked Greg of no one in particular.
“You may want to check a mirror, honey,” said Cherie kindly although Jem could tell her friend was trying not to laugh.
“Okay,” said Jem, puzzled but then she rallied “Where are my manners? Come in, come in. You’re a little early but you can inspect everything while I just see to a few things.”
She led the way through the house to the patio, trying to unobtrusively walk with support from the wall to help her keep her balance. Jem felt like she did when she was eight and went roller skating for the first time. She hoped she had learned a few things over the years and wouldn’t end up with a sore behind like she had then.
Upon reaching the patio she didn’t want to risk crossing the open space to the marquee. Instead, she gestured for Cherie, Evie and Greg to have a look. As soon as they had filed outside Jem stumbled back to the guest bedroom. She picked up her dressing gown and hung it on the hook on the back of the ensuite door. Then she turned around, saw herself in the mirror and screamed.
A few moments later there was a crash and Eben was in the bedroom hopping around holding one foot in the air.
“Damn. Same toe,” he muttered.
He hopped around a bit more then looked up, saw Jem and dropped on the bed.
“Holy hell,” he said.
“What am I going to do?” wailed Jem as she picked up a tube and rubbed exfoliant over her face. “It’s not coming off!”
Eben thought of someone else he had recently seen wearing makeup applied with a heavy hand.
“Daisy!” he yelled.
Daisy came into the room carrying a bowl of chips.
“Do you want me?” she asked and took a mouthful of chips, scattering crumbs in the process.
“Would you know what is on Aunty Jem’s face?” Eben asked.
Daisy looked at her aunt who was vigorously scrubbing at her cheeks and forehead.
“Makeup?” sh
e said.
“What else?” asked Eben.
“Just some felts,” said Daisy.
“Can you show them to me?” Eben asked.
“Okay,” said Daisy. She put the chips on the end of the bed. “Don’t let anyone touch these.”
“I think I got some of it off my cheeks,” Jem said after rinsing off the exfoliant. “But I can’t do anything about my eyelids. Cold cream and makeup remover aren’t doing anything.”
Eben took the felts out of Daisy’s hands upon her return. He looked at the small print.
“That would be because they’re permanent markers,” he said.
“Oh no. Not now. Not tonight,” cried Jem.
She scowled at Daisy.
“You should ask permission before you put stuff on me.”
“I did,” Daisy huffed indignantly. “I said if you want me to put makeup on you say nothing for yes and you did.”
Jem lunged at Daisy but was stopped by Eben grabbing her around the waist.
“Run for it Daze. I don’t think Aunty Jem will be taking prisoners.”
Daisy snatched up her bowl of chips and fled the bedroom.
“Calm down,” Eben said soothingly to Jem as soon as they were alone. “Sure you are one of several being considered for a fantastic promotion and tonight may affect your chances, especially when others up for that same promotion have seen you looking like this.”
“But,” he held up his hand to stop her interrupting “you can look at this as an opportunity to show how quickly you can adapt to adverse circumstances and you can see the funny side.”
“What funny side?” Jem said and turned in his arms to face him.
“Um, well,” Eben said looking at her bright blue eyelids, reddened cheeks and the few bits of lipstick she had missed under her nose. He bit his lip and tried not to laugh “you probably won’t see the funny side for a few years but I’m looking at it now.”
Jem punched him on the arm.
“Ow.”
He pulled her in for a hug and a quick kiss.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I have a plan.”
“I hope those aren’t going to be famous last words,” Jem muttered into his shoulder.
Eben put his knuckle under her chin to lift her head.
“Have a little faith. Now go and put some makeup on while I put on my shoes. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Is there anyone else at the door?” she finally thought to ask as he started tying his shoe laces.
“No. Sonia, Sam and Crash arrived just as you went upstairs. Their friend wasn’t able to come but I think the two boys should be fine. They have a bowl of popcorn while they wait for their next customer and Sonia is in the family room.”
Jem nodded. Having nothing left to lose she headed for the ensuite while Eben slipped out the door.
He was back a few minutes later and watched as she tried concealing the bright blue marker under grey eyeshadow but it didn’t do much. Jem saw him watching her in the mirror.
“Does my foundation look too thick to you?”
“It looks a little more noticeable than usual but it’s fine,” Eben assured her. He looked her up and down, noticing the low cut dress, how the hem hugged her thighs and the long length of stockinged legs down to her toes.
“You look great. What are you wearing on your feet?”
Jem pointed over her shoulder to indicate the four inch royal blue stilettos sitting on the closed toilet seat as she selected her lipstick.
“Those,” she said.
“You look far too good to waste on a presentation,” he said.
“I look like I should be working K Road,” Jem corrected.
She applied the lipstick, a nice neutral to try and combat everything else.
“Now what is this great plan of yours?” she asked.
Eben showed her what he had been holding behind his back. He had been expecting a little resistance and thought it best to wait. It was a pretty drastic solution after all.
“No,” said Jem firmly.
Chapter 15
“Come on. This is a great idea,” Eben cajoled. “I’ve done this before for my sisters.”
Jem eyed the pair of scissors in his hands.
“Did they talk to you afterwards?” she asked.
“Eventually,” he admitted.
She held up her hands to ward him off.
“Do you have a better idea?” he asked.
“No,” she said.
“Then don’t be a wuss. What’s the worst that can happen? It’ll grow back.”
Eben draped a towel around her shoulders.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
With trepidation, Jem did as she was told and inwardly flinched every time she heard the scissors close.
A few minutes later Eben put down the scissors and turned Jem to face the mirror.
“What do you think?” he asked.
She reluctantly opened her eyes. Her reflection showed that she now sported a long thick fringe that came down to her eyelashes. It hid the bright blue eyelids but she kept fighting the urge to flick her head to get the fringe out of her eyes.
“You’ve done a great job,” she admitted reluctantly. “But I’m going to wind up wanting to do hair in the eyes head flicks all night.”
“Don’t,” Eben advised.
Jem snorted as she sat on the end of the bed.
“If they had not been earlier than I expected I would have escaped this embarrassment,” she commented ruefully as she squeezed her feet back into the shoes.
Eben slipped his arms into his suit jacket and turned to face Jem.
“You look very handsome,” she said as she gingerly stood up and nearly toppled.
“Thank you,” he said and held her arms to steady her.
“I don’t think I can walk in these by myself,” she said.
“Then allow me to escort you,” Eben said and offered her his arm. As she wobbled closer he noticed her height.
“I guess this is one way of getting me to look up to you,” he said.
She grinned and grabbed hold of him. Together they moved across the room; Eben limping and Jem walking as unsteadily as a new toddler. Her toes ached before she made it to the door.
“I’m going to be crippled for life,” she said.
“I already am,” Eben said and limped through the door.
Arriving in the family room they saw Sonia sitting on the arm of the sofa, an open anatomy textbook on her lap, chatting easily with Cherie, Evie and Greg. Aidan sat near her, absorbed in the movie being played. On the other sofa Jeremy and Daisy sat with something in their hands and were whispering to each other. Sam and Crash had left their post at the front door to fill their empty bowl with corn chips. Everyone looked at them enter the room.
“Wow!” said Sam.
Crash left the bowl in Sam’s hands and walked over to Jem.
“How do you like, feel about dating like, younger men?” he asked.
Eben scowled at him.
“She’s like, taken,” he said.
“Aww,” said Crash and he returned to the corn chips.
Cherie snickered.
Aidan got off the couch and scurried past them.
“Where are you going Aidan?” Eben asked.
“I wear my suit too!” said Aidan and disappeared upstairs.
“Does he have a suit?” Jem asked.
Eben shrugged.
“We need help Uncle Eben,” Jeremy called from across the room. “We can’t blow these balloons big enough for the party.”
“You can help if you want,” Daisy suggested to Cherie, Evan and Greg. “They have different tastes. Mine tastes like strawberry.”
“Mine tastes like banana,” said Jeremy.
Jeremy and Daisy held up a partly inflated condom each.
“Are those like, what I think they are?” asked Crash.
Everyone looked at Eben and Jem. She was grateful that she had enough makeup on that no one could
see her cheeks getting red.
“Don’t say it,” warned Eben. To Jeremy he asked “Where did you get those... balloons from?”
Eben limped over and snatched them off the children to have them deflate noisily in his hands.
“I never get to make the balloons make noises,” Daisy said.
“Don’t worry, they don’t do that for me either,” Cherie told her.
Evie and Greg laughed. Sonia’s face went pink then disappeared behind her textbook.
Eben ignored them and looked pointedly at Jeremy.
“They were in the drawer by the bed. I found them when I was looking for your tic tacs. I didn’t think you’d mind us helping you,” Jeremy said.
Jem took a step forward and found herself losing her balance.
“Over here Eben,” Jem called as she windmilled her arms around.
Eben raced back and caught her before she fell.
“Just relax,” he said after seeing the expression on her face. “Tonight will be memorable.”
“That’s what I am afraid of,” Jem said.
He shifted her so that she stood upright.
“I have good reflexes huh?” he murmured into her ear as a distraction.
It didn’t do much good. She was still dwelling on the evening thus far and recapping the most recent additions to her night of shame. If the condom display in front of the neighbour’s teenagers and her co-workers wasn’t enough she now demonstrated she couldn’t even walk in high heels. She could feel her face growing hotter.
Thank goodness for the thick makeup.
“Aunty Jem!” Daisy called. “Why is your neck turning red?”
That’s it. The night can’t get worse. Things can only get better from now on, Jem told herself.
Drongo jumped onto the breakfast bar and started sniffing the corn chips.
“Uh oh,” said Evie.
Eben saw the cat so propped Jem against the wall then took Drongo to the laundry and shut him in with his food bowl and water. While he was gone she decided to make conversation and try and salvage her dignity.
“Did you all come in the same car?” she asked. It also meant she silently said the subject of condoms is not up for further discussion, excuse the pun.