Clubhouse - a Mickey Mouse story

41

"Pete!" Peg called. "I'm taking the kids to Linda's. We'll be back by midnight."
"Okay," yelled Pete. He waited on the bed until he heard the door close and the engine start, and then he hurried to the closet.
On Peg's side was plenty of fashionable dresses and high heels and jewelry. He gingerly took a pearl necklace, a long, flowing black dress, and a pair of red stilettos. Then he hurried down to the bathroom.
His wife's makeup collection was exceptionally large. When he had his clothes on, he started to look through the bright colours. His eyes lit up with excitement as he did.
He took a tube of deep red lipstick and applied a thick coat of it on his own thin lips. He'd seen Peg line hers a million times. And so, he thought - why not? - picking up a pencil of an even darker red and going along the perimeter of his mouth until he was satisfied.
Then he moved on to his eyes. Brushing on thick coats of mascara and using browns and golds and glitters on his lids, he felt amazing. And he was done.
Pete strolled uncomfortably into the kitchen and took out a bottle of white wine, pouring himself a tall glass. He sat down at the dining table and cried, gulping it down and filling it back up, for hours until he fell asleep.

He awoke to Peg.
"Pete! Pete!" she was saying, shaking his shoulders.
He jumped up, dazed. "P-eg?"
"Pete, what have you been doing!" she shrieked.
He looked down and gasped. "Peg, I - I swear, it's - it's - "
"It's what! It's downright freaky, that's what it is!"
He opened his mouth to speak, but she ran up the stairs, yelling, "You better believe you're on the couch tonight!"