By the time the twins emerged from Erin’s bedroom Erin had been completely made-over. Samantha had put her dark hair up in a complicated updo that she could never hope to replicate. The back of her neck felt strangely bare and she couldn’t stop herself from reaching back to feel it. A part of her wondered if this is what it felt like to be a man with short hair. Her face had also been powdered, her eyes lined in kohl, and her lips painted to be darker and more prominent. When she had looked in the mirror after Samantha had finished she had barely recognized herself. A beautiful stranger had stared back at her.
She walked down the stairs to where the party was being held, arm in arm with her sister. Many of the guests had already arrived and were milling about the room, talking amongst themselves. As the girls descended the stairs people began to notice and turned to face them. Erin felt nervous as though she was being analyzed, but Samantha was all smiles at the attention. At the front of the crowd were her parents as well as her grandfather. When they reached the bottom of the stairs he opened he arms and the two of the them ran into them with identical shouts of “Grandpapa!”
“Erin! Samantha! Happy birthday!” he said with a joyous laugh, hugging them tight. “How are my two beautiful granddaughters? My how you’ve both grown since I last saw you.” They both giggled as he made a show of sizing them both up. It had been a little over a year since he had last had a chance to see them. “Erin, you’re nearly as tall as I am!”
Erin knew Grandpapa meant well, but she found herself blushing in embarrassment at his mention of her height; it was a bit of a sore spot with her since she didn’t see being tall as particularly ladylike. Samantha however while taller than she had been last year was still within an acceptable height for a woman. Mentally she scolded herself for continuing to compare herself to Samantha. You are beautiful in your own way, another one of Mother’s frequent sayings. I am beautiful in my own way, she thought again to reaffirm it to herself.
Her parents were next to hug her and Samantha and wish them a happy birthday. First her father hugged her and kissed her cheek and then her mother. Mother pulled back and looked her up and down.
“That dress really looks beautiful on you. It hides your hips.”
“Mother!” she said in a harsh whisper.
“And the blue really brings out your eyes” she continued as though she hadn’t heard anything.
Erin couldn’t argue with that. Her eyes were mostly grey, but there was blue in there somewhere. The blue of the dress seemed to pull the blue from their depths making them almost look pretty. She got her eyes from her father though his held not even a hint of blue and were all grey which was a little more dashing on a man she thought.
“That’s why I like wearing blue,” Erin replied. The longer she stood in front of her mother and her analytical eyes the more self conscious she felt.
“It’s always best to play to your strengths,” said Mother, giving her one last look. “Happy birthday, dear. Go enjoy your party.”
“Come on” said Samantha, tugging at Erin’s arm. “Let’s go mingle.”
But the mingling failed to start as Samantha spotted Darren in the crowd and ran towards him, oblivious to the fact that she was still holding Erin’s arm and dragging her along.
“You came!” she exclaimed, only releasing her hold on Erin’s arm to wrap hers around Darren. He smiled down at her and pulled tighter into their embrace.
Together he made Samantha look very small. He was a lithe man who towered even over Erin who was the same height as most of the boys her age. In spite of his height on his own he often looked surprisingly small and nervous and much like Erin he found himself being dragged from place to place by Samantha’s enormous personality. He enjoyed it she suspected which was the only way she could explain why he was so infatuated with her sister.
“I wouldn’t miss your birthday for the world,” he replied.
“You’re so sweet. I knew you would come.” Erin gave her sister a look which Samantha decidedly ignored.
“Happy birthday. To both of you,” he said looking at Erin. “Samantha, let me get you something to drink. Erin, perhaps you would like to join me in getting drinks.”
Darren had been Erin’s friend first and always felt to her like a brother which made it easy for her to see him with Samantha. He often came to her for advice and it appeared to be one of those times. She nodded and followed him to the table to retrieve refreshments.
“What do you need?” she said as soon as they were out of earshot of Samantha. Normally Darren would reply with some sort of deflect he knew she would see through, but this time he just blushed in embarrassment.
“There is something I want to do, but I’m uncertain if it is the right thing to do,” he said.
“And what, may I ask, is it you’re uncertain of?”
“If she’ll say yes.”
“You’re going to propose to Samantha. I knew it!”
“Yes, but is now the right time? Will she even say yes?”
“I had nearly this exact conversation with her earlier. She will definitely say yes, I’m sure of it. You two will be very happy together.” Erin tried not to let any jealousy into her voice, but she was fairly certain she had not succeeded. In truth she was happy for them, but that didn’t stop her from wanting what they had.
“Thank you so much, Erin. That is certainly a weight of my chest.”
“I’m happy to have helped. Now get over there and ask her before the both of you wither from age.”
Erin watched Darren walk back towards Samantha, having completely forgotten the drinks and still nervous as ever, but she could tell he was a little more confident. Already she could see him bumbling over his words, but she knew her sister would find it cute and endearing. With a sigh, she poured herself something to drink and stood at the table continuing to watch.
Samantha’s shrieks of joy could be heard across the room and over the din of the crowd prompting everyone to turn to look in her direction. Darren was done on one knee and had both of her hands in his. Even from where she was Erin could tell he was sweating profusely. Samantha was practically vibrating in place and was saying what appeared to be yes over and over again. By the time Darren finally stood up he and Samantha, who was still tightly gripping his hands, had been surrounded by well wishers. Erin however continued to stand by the refreshment table. She would congratulate them later. For now she stood by and sipped her drink.
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