Chapter 30
Thirty
“This one”—I twist the tube of lipstick and hold it up for Addie to see—“is called Pearl Clutcher.”
She smiles at the sexy shade of red and nods. “That one.”
I pinch her chin in preparation of applying it to her lips then pause. “Give me your best Toto.”
“Woof, woof!”
Satisfied, I put the lipstick on her and clean up the edges with my finger. I pass her a mirror. “What do you think?”
“I love it.” She turns from the mirror to me. “We look alike.”
We don’t, but I smile anyway, and she goes back to rummaging through my makeup dumped on the rug in the middle of my bedroom floor.
“Did you go to the 7-Eleven and jump Uncle Gav’s bones?” she asks.
Heat floods me. “What?”
“On your date.” She blinks, her little mouth slightly open. “Last night.”
“No.” I rub my sternum. “Did he tell you that?”
She grins. “Dean Proffitt.”
I squeeze my eyes shut until I make it make sense—Dean Proffitt is Kurt Russell in Overboard. I laugh. “No, Addie.” I squint at her. “Do you even know what that means?”
She smiles her widest smile that nearly makes her eyes invisible—it’s my favorite one. It’s the one that makes me think she might be the sun. “Kissing.”
She has no idea what she’s talking about, but my cheeks warm by another degree.
“Maybe,” I tell her, making her giggle. “But that’s none of your business.”
I open a palette of eye shadow, and she picks a color. I slide her glasses to the top of her head to put the bold shade of blue on her eyelids. She says, “You’re my best friend.”
I still mid-stroke. “I’m sure you have more fun friends than me who are your age.”
She opens her eyes, quiet a beat. “I have Down syndrome.”
I lower my hand and take in her whole face—different and perfect. I wish I could shield her from every hardship of life. “You do.” I swallow. “Is that a problem?”
“Uncle Gav says it makes me extra special.”
What a him thing to say.
“It does.” I finish her eye shadow. “And extra special for us to get to hang out with you.”
Her smile is back. “Who’s your best friend?”
Yet another elementary question that I can’t answer.
Saying my sisters feels like cheating and saying Gavin minimizes my confusing feelings toward him.
The fact I don’t have any friends is pathetic—though I could tell Addie and she wouldn’t care.
She might even be impressed that someone can exist for forty years and not maintain a single friendship.
“Well—” I pull out a tube of mascara and plunge the brush a few times.
I’ve spent my whole life working to earn everything—every dollar and accolade and shred of respect—but very few people appreciate me for being who I am.
Addie is one of them. She likes my condo even though she’s never been.
She likes my only nameable hobby of walking to work in expensive shoes.
She thinks me surviving daily trips in an elevator is impressive.
I have done nothing to earn the admiration in her eyes, yet there it is just the same. “I’d say you are.”
Her face lights up. “Really?”
“Of course. You think I trust just anyone with all this makeup?” I scoff. “Most of it’s Chanel, Addie.” My brows raise. “Chanel.”
She hugs me like she at all cares about Chanel then pulls back and lets me finish her makeup. Glasses back in place, she beams at herself in the mirror.
“Beautiful,” I tell her.
“Can I do yours?”
I sigh long enough my urge to say hell no passes. “Sure.”
She gets to work, doing God knows what, focusing as she does with her tongue perched between her lips.
When she’s finished, I’m the ugliest person to ever live. “Lovely.”
Addie looks at me like I’m a masterpiece.
“You could live with us,” she says. “Uncle Gav has a big bed.”
My heart stops—both from her question and the mention of Uncle Gav’s bed. “Oh.” I busy myself with gathering the makeup. “I don’t know if that’s how it works. I have a condo.”
And though that’s true, I picture the same thing I did days ago: Me, her, Gavin, apple trees, kids.
“Annie lived with Charlie, Joey, Greg, and Travis.” It takes a second for me to register the Overboard people. “She was their new mom.”
Her words knock the wind out of me. “Is that another reason you like the movie?”
She nods. “And it’s funny.”
“Hm.” Addie might be magic. Like a prism of glass transmitting light in a way that can’t be replicated, she makes everything sparkle—shinier and more colorful. Better. “It is pretty funny.”
“Can you live with us?” she repeats.
Three quick knocks hit the bedroom door before it swings open and Remy fills the doorway. She laughs immediately. “Why, Ree, I think that’s the most beautiful you’ve ever looked.”
I’d flip her off if Addie wasn’t watching.
“I did it,” Addie says, proud.
Remy’s gaze drops to the makeup then her brows raise. “Sharing your precious Chanel, I see.” She smiles as she looks at Addie. “I think you’re rubbing off on my sister, Ads.”
“Don’t listen to her, Addie.” I obnoxiously apply another layer of lipstick. “Remy’s just mad that she can’t afford such luxury.” I blow my sister a kiss. “Can we help you with something?”
She shakes her head. “I stopped by to see Mom and wanted to say hi before I left.” Her eyes bounce back and forth between Addie and me, and she snorts a laugh. “Glad I did.”
Addie tells her about her day at school and does her best Toto.
“Should we look at my shoes?” I ask once Remy’s gone. “I have a pair covered in glitter.”
Addie smiles, then we do.