White is for Virgins

Chapter 23

I'm over it. It's done.

This mantra replayed in my head as I curled my hair. If there was anything I'd learned today thus far, it's that beauty works at a slow pace. Beauty is only pain when it's rushed. My fingers had learned that the hard way from the unforgiving curler. I set the iron down, knowing my loose curls were the best I was going to get. I put on some cherry chapstick, rubbing it in so that my lips were a shade of pale pink.

A faint car horn sounded, and I sighed with dispassion as I shut off the radio and checked myself in the mirror one last time. In a red, and rather tight, turtleneck sweater and a white skirt, I felt like an elf. My red stockings and white fur covered boots put me in the holiday spirit, though. I enjoyed dressing up, especially for a good cause. A little attention couldn't hurt me, tonight.

Another horn sounded, and I cursed under my breath as I shut off the lights and scrambled down the stairs. I shouldn't have cared about how I looked. It was only Nina and Fox. I'm over it. It's done. I slid into the warmth of the van behind Nina, and we drove off.

"You look hot, Emery," Nina commented. I could hear her smiling, but I only muttered 'thanks' without bothering to make eye contact. I noticed Fox's silhouette in the passenger seat. Even after a week, the awkwardness remained. We didn't talk much, unless we absolutely had to. My lips tingled just thinking about that day.

"Are you guys excited?" Nina asked, trying to lighten the mood. The air remained silent. The hospital was about ten minutes away, I calculated. That meant only ten more minutes of painful small talk.

"Emery," Nina sighed, "Is this about last week?" I didn't respond. Didn't move. "Because if it is," Nina started, "I'd just like to say that I had noth–"

"Nina, could I turn on the radio, or something?" Fox asked randomly, reaching for the dial.

"It's not nice to interrupt someone when they're talking," I said coldly, crossing my legs at the knee.

"Sorry," Fox murmured, turning the radio up. I was somewhat grateful that there was music to fill the void. Shoving what Nina had tried to explain aside, I continued to stare aimlessly out the window. From the peripheral, I could see that Fox was doing the same.

***

Meeting the children was both heart warming, and heart wrenching. Knowing that this could be the last Christmas for some of them, I was determined to shove my own stupid problems aside and make this the best Christmas ever. Surprisingly, there were tons of volunteers this year. We were each given a Santa hat upon entering the hospital.

Jenna, a middle-aged nurse, introduced Fox and me to a large group of children. "Okay kids, I have some new friends for you to meet! This is Fox," she said warmly, "and this is Emery. They're here to spend the holidays with you. Please, introduce yourselves. Don't be shy now."

I jumped right in, shaking everyone's hand and giving him or her a candy-cane.

I noticed a little girl in the corner of the room, crying. But before I could stand up and go to her, Fox was half way there. I watched as he sat down next to her, resting against the wall. He said something, and she shook her head. It was cute how he wiped a tear from her cheek, and spoke some more. I couldn't tell what he said, but her smile was unmistakable. He took her hand and brought her back to our group.

"Is he your husband?" a little boy named Nathan asked.

I giggled and shook my head. "No, he's definitely not."

"Why not?" Chelsea asked, tilting her head to the side. "You would make pretty babies."

"You don't marry people just to make pretty babies," I smiled, signing her lime green cast with a red marker. I made sure to add a candy cane and some snowflakes.