Roses Are Red

Chapter 16

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Summer

July 2nd, 1960

Samantha eyed herself in the mirror. Eden had done her makeup and she worried it was too much. Her lashes were curled and her cheeks were slightly more red. Samantha noticed her eyes seemed more blue that normal, and she couldn't tell if she liked it or not. Eden had also convinced Samantha to leave her hair down, swearing that George would like it better that way. The only thing after that she had to decide on was what dress she wanted to wear. Immediately, her mind drifted to her yellow dress that was buried in her closet, the one George had mentioned time and time again. It was an A-line dress that hugged her waist and had a tight bodice with a v-neckline that accentuated her breasts. It fit her better than it had when she was fifteen, and for the first time in her life when she looked in the mirror, she saw a woman.

Samantha gulped as Eden called her name from the bathroom down the hall. "Yeah?"

Eden came walking into Samantha's bathroom, placing an earing in her ear. She looked beautiful, as she always did. Samantha felt insecure next to her. "Are you ready to go? Yer mum said Paul and John are downstairs and we need to make the bus to Wallsey."

Samantha nodded. "Are you sure this isn't too much? It's just another one of their shows..." Samantha trailed off. The last time she went to a show at the Grosvenor

"Nonsense," Eden shook her head. "Our kid Georgie won't be able to take his eyes off of ye," she noted, grabbing her and Samantha's coats off of the bed. "Now, come 'ed."

They made their way down stairs. John and Paul were talking with Maria as she straightened their shirts. Paul smiled down at Maria, thanking her. Samantha watched her mother's eyes soften and she cupped Paul's cheeks. "Be good," she said.

Paul rolled his eyes but nodded nonetheless. "We promise, Auntie Maria," John said dutifully, holding three fingers up as if taking an oath. His eyes then drifted up to Eden and he broke out into a grin.

It had been about a week since they had gotten back together. Samantha had heard both of their sides of the story, but decided that Paul's version was the most accurate since Eden and John's both clashed, most likely because they were very intoxicated. Apparently, after Samantha got up from her table with Eden to tell George off, Eden got a bit inspired. She too got up to give John a piece of her mind. John yelled back at her, and, according to Paul, they were all of a sudden snogging. Paul watched them leave. "They were obviously goin' somewhere to shag," he had said. Then he went on to tell Samantha how George came through the pub with his arm around her waits holding her up, and told Paul that he was going to take her to his house so she could go to bed.

Samantha didn't understand how Eden had forgiven John so easily after causing her so much pain from his poor choices, but she looked happier than she had in months, and John did too. Samantha intended on reminding her cousin not to fuck up a second time, seeing her friend so hurt for so long was something she really didn't want to witness again.

John set his case down and went to greet her, kissing her softly on the lips while Samantha made her way to Paul. "Is that a dress, Sammi?" Paul asked with a smirk.

"Oh shove off." Samantha elbowed him in the gut. Paul let out an 'oof' sound.

Samantha shrugged on her coat and kissed her mother on the cheek. "Bye, Mom. I love you," she said.

"Say hi to George for me, okay?" Maria said with a big smile. Samantha blushed. Maria was elated that the two of them were a couple now, and didn't hide it. She pried Samantha for details, recalling her own stories from when she had first met Arvin.