⇾𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐈𝐈

Chapter Seventy-Six: Blue and Pink

June 21, 1967

There was an alarming amount of blue and pink decorating Brian's house. They'd chosen to have the shower there because there was much more room than at anyone else's house. John and I were met with Jane and Paul on the front porch. The two greeted us with smiling faces.

"How are the expectant parents this fine morning?" Paul asked, leaning against the railing.

"Swell," I said jokingly as I visibly struggled up the stairs.

"What do you do about the stairs in your house?" Paul asked with his hands in his pockets.

"What do you do about yours?" I asked rhetorically.

"Well, I walk up them."

I nodded. "Insightful."

"Alright, well, Brian is setting up food," Paul told them.

"And I," piped Jane. "I am going to do your hair."

"Are you now?" I asked with a grin.

"I most certainly am."

"I guess that leaves us to help Eppy," John said. "Have fun, girls." He waved eccentrically as Jane began to lead me down a hallway off to the right, presumably so I could see any of the decorations.

She brought me into one of the bathrooms and sat me down on a chair.

"What are you going to do with it?" I asked her curiously.

"Ah, just leave it to me," she chimed. "You'll know soon enough."

"Oh, now I'm scared," I said with a laugh.

I sat there for a good fifteen minutes while I waited for her to do my hair. I couldn't see in a mirror or anything, so I had no idea what she was doing, but I trusted that whatever it was was going to look good.

Finally, after a while, she pulled away. "Ta-da!"

She had curled my hair and braided a crown around my head, I realized as I looked at myself in the mirror. I studied her work for a long while before I smiled at her. "It looks beautiful," I told her.

"You think?" she asked excitedly, clapping her hands together.

"Of course! I love it. Thanks, Jane," I praised, running a few strands of my curled hair through my fingers to examine it further.

"Oh, you're so welcome! I hope you enjoy the shower. We've all been working on it together."

"Oh, I'm sure it will be great," I said enthusiastically.

We both left the bathroom and went back to find Paul, Brian, and John.

"Donna, think quick!" I turned to my left and Paul let go of a blue balloon and it went flying towards me. I quickly brought my hands up and caught it just as it made it to me.

"Swift," Paul commented.

"Now, get this one!" I turned again to see John let go of a pink balloon.

"Seriously?" I asked as I reached up to catch it.

"Damn reflexes," John said. "They've always been so keen."

"I grew up in a bloody orphanage," I explained. "I got used to it."

"How so?" asked Paul.

I shrugged. "The boys liked to throw things. I had to catch them to throw them back at them." I smirked. "And if I had enough breath to spare, I'd certainly launch these back at you two. Unfortunately, I haven't got enough to go 'round." I laughed.