Started With a Lie

Chapter Twenty One

                 “I don’t know, Ivory….”

                   “C’mon! It’ll be fine,” I reassure, patting her forearm. My grin is etched onto my face. “I can do your nails and hair and we’ll do girly things. You need a break from work, too! Isn’t it stressful?”

                “Yes, but—”

            “I’ll even make you gourmet food!” Yeah, okay, Ivory. Good lie. 

                “Are you sure?”

                 “Yes, Madam Jin! Please?”

              Madam Jin looks around, her eyes passive and thinking. She starts chewing on her index fingernail and I can see her mind slowly changing. I grin even wider. She sighs. “Fine.”

               I almost lung at her like an animal but stop myself because I don’t want to break her bones. I still hug her with a lot of force though. Enough to get oomph! out of her. As I hug her, her clothes feel so silky – but tight. “Thank you so much! I promise you’re going to love tonight.”

                 “As you say so,” she smiles.

                       “First thing’s first,” I say. “Let’s get you in comfortable clothing.”

                  Madam Jin gives me a strange look. “But I am in comfortable clothing – not to mention the most updated fashion look of the week. I just bought this dress from Europe a couple of—”

                  I  drag her up with me and I hear a “Woah!” as I run up the stairs to my mother’s bedroom. She’s barely catching up with me but I’ve just always wanted to do with an aunt, or a grandmother, or anyone else. My mother is always working away in her studio and the only time I really see her is meals and when I get in trouble. I can feel my body shaking with excitement.

                     In Mom’s room, I dig through her closet. There’s always a pile of clothes to the side where Mom puts her old t-shirts, oversized or too tight, or out of fashion clothes. She never throws them away because she always thinks it’s a waste of money. Usually, she ends up using them as towels to wipe her hands after working on some painting.

                    “Ivory, what are you doing?” Madam Jin asks.

                 “Hold on, just a moment,” I say. I put to the side all her jackets and pants. I don’t know why but with Madam Jin here, I feel like Mom is going to be all right. “Found it!” I take the clothes and hand them to Madam Jin. “The bathroom’s down the hall. Try these on.”

                She holds the clothes to her eyes and examines them. “You want me to wear these clothes?” It feels like deja-vu. And then I remember. Lee reacted exactly like this before. I scoff. Rich people.

                      “Yes, Madam Jin.” I turn her around and push her out the door. “Now go!”

            I hear her heels clacking down the hallway. She’ll need some proper shoes, too. As she enters the bathroom, I head to my room and go through my closet. I know I had thrown some slippers in there the other day. Finally, I find my pink pig slippers that feel like you’re walking on clouds and go wait outside the bathroom for Madam Jin to finish.

            “Are you sure this is okay?” she asks from the bathroom.

            “Yes,” I say, “it’s fine, Madam Jin! Nobody is here that will take a photo of you and post it on some website.” I tap my foot as I wait. “I’m sure you look just fine.”