Pretty & Perfect

Chapter Twenty Three

Late one night, Mom and I were standing out the front of the Twickham House, looking up at the huge building. On the night that Mom had proposed to Luke, he informed her that he had tried to buy the house for their future family and now Mom was absolutely in love with the house.

"It's big." Mom stated as she linked her arm with mine.

"That's what she said." I joked with a smirk on my lips.

"Good one." She said with chuckle.

"Hey, I'm still twelve."

"I meant the house. It's very big."

"Very sweet of Luke to have that dream of his. You two living in this house!" I said to her with a smile.

"What do you think there are? Twelve rooms?"

"At least! I mean you can really go to town in this place. You could have a dedicated sewing room. I mean, that's a no-brainer." I said excitedly, not moving my gaze from the house in front of us.

"Are you kidding? I could put a whole loom in one of those rooms. Indulge my long harboured desire to make tapestries."

"You've been long harbouring that one?" I asked her sceptically as I raised an eyebrow at her. I turned away from the house to smile at her and she turned to face me as well.

"I just thought of it, but yeah!"

"So it's all feeling good, huh?"

"Well it's a little on the Versailles side. I mean I have to keep an eye out for peasants with pitchforks."

"I meant the relationship. You're engaged for Gosh sakes!" I said happily, placing my hand on her arm.

"Yes! I'm aware!"

"And sticking?"

"Yes, Christa, it's sticking!" Mom said playfully, but I could hear the slight offended tone underneath.

"Good, good!... How 'bout now?"

"I'm totally re-evaluating the whole thing." Mom stated drily.

"Really?"

"NO!" Mom said exasperated with the question.

"Well...You've got priors!" I defended myself as I held up my hands in defence. I was talking about Mom previous engagement to my twin sister's English teacher at Chilton, Max Medina.

"Christa!"

"You say one thing, but your heart says another."

"Please! Don't give me the whole litany. Especially one that sounds so much like a Kenny Chesney song."

"I'm just being honest."

"I'm not going to bolt. I'm staying put." Mom said determinedly.

"Good. Because the eyes will give you away." I told her knowingly and she turned to look at me weirdly.

"What do you mean?" she asked in confusion.

"If you're thinking of bolting they'll pop out on you, like that runway bride. It's like the eyes are trying to run away first." I explained to her, making gestures with my hands to show her.

"Christa, look at my eyes." Mom requested and I leaned forward to look straight in her eyes as she widened them and tried not to blink.

"OK..." I said slowly as I looked for any sighs of panic.

"How do they look?"

"Pretty socked in there."

"And there they will remain. Everything's good. Promise." Mom said with a smile as she blinked her eyes rapidly.