Flash! Fiction 3 by Peter McMillan - HTML preview

84

Skin-Deep

I was afraid I'd find out it wasn't true, at least not in the way I was thinking. I was also afraid they might think I was just being a silly girl.

I couldn't ask my older brother and sister. They'd make fun of me. It doesn't help any that they tease me in front of other kids. Daddy's too busy buying, selling and fixing up old houses. Mama's the only one I can ask about things. Besides, I know she knows, cause she's a doctor.

My teacher thinks I'm real lucky to have doctor mom, but at recess and lunch, I hear the kids laughing at her — the way she does her hair in a bun, her fuddy-duddy clothes, the way she walks, like she's got a book balanced on her head, and that old, old car she drives. Sure can't talk to her. That's all I need is to be a teacher's pet.

I heard about it the first time at the makeup counter in Macy's. Ellen took me — she had to — and she made me spend three hours shopping ... for her. The lady behind the counter was a chatterbox, Ellen said. She talked about one thing then another til my head was spinning like a top. Reminded me of Aunt Vivienne who was fussy about the way people said her name. Russ called her Aunt Vivi-End

— not to her face of course — and he and Ellen laughed out loud about that. I didn't get it. Still don't.

She said something real interesting — the lady at the counter did. I asked Mama about it that night, cause I thought if anybody would know she would. Like I said, she's a doctor and they're supposed to know all that kind of stuff.