LILY, Chapter 9
the black butterfly
Chapter 9/ The Black Butterfly
“Quit talking! Stop moving your lips!”
On a hot summer afternoon, Lily was with June Mae at June Mae’s house. Lily preferred her friend’s house to her own because June Mae had air conditioning. All they had at her house were window fans. The girls were sitting on June Mae’s bed, and June Mae was applying lipstick to Lily’s lips.
“This is frosted pink, my mom’s favorite. It’s very popular. You’re gonna love it.”
Lily was unsure pink lipstick would look good with her red hair but according to June Mae, whose mother Charlene after all was a hairdresser, that was just a myth. Pink and red look great together.
June Mae’s favorite princess movie, Beauty and the Beast was playing on June Mae’s little TV, but they were not paying any attention to it because they had seen it already many times. Besides, the movie was nearly at the end, which was not June Mae’s favorite part. She preferred the beast to be a beast rather than turn into a handsome human prince which was what happened to him at the very end when Belle saved him from certain death by declaring her love for him before the final enchanted rose petal fell off.
“Will you hold still?”
Lily’s favorite princess movie was The Little Mermaid because Ariel had red hair just like hers. Ariel also loved to read books. She even managed to read them underwater.
“Now, I’m going to do your eyes. Don’t you dare move. Don’t blink. I mean it!”
The makeup they were using had been borrowed from June Mae’s mother’s bedroom. June Mae’s mom was out shopping so the girls were alone in the house. June Mae’s dad and her Uncle Val were in the backyard installing an above ground swimming pool. Lily could see the men through the window. They were sweaty, large-bellied men and they had removed their shirts. It was not a pleasant sight.
“This shade is called midnight blue. It makes you look mysterious.”
Lily had her doubts any amount of eyeshadow could possibly make a nine-year-old girl like her look mysterious.
Raven was not with her friends because she was at her dance lesson. Her mom back in California felt that Raven should be kept busy with summertime activities, so Raven was enrolled in dance classes (tap and modern), gymnastics, and swimming. She and Lily were also enrolled in the library’s summer reading program. They were working their way through the Princess Diaries series. Raven was also on June Mae’s softball team, a fact that Lily found amazing because Raven had beautiful fair skin. You would think Raven would burn easily but, when playing softball, Raven wore long sleeves, knee socks, and a cap. The uniform seemed to provide enough protection.
Despite slathering her arms, legs, and face with sun cream and wearing big hats and staying as much as possible in the shade, Lily’s skin was covered in freckles.
As often happened when June Mae and Lily were together, they were discussing Raven. “Haven’t you noticed? I can’t believe you haven’t noticed. Hold still! She’s started growing breasts.”
June Mae said this was because Raven got to take swimming lessons and swimming was good for breast development. June Mae felt that softball was not that great for breast development. June Mae also wanted to take swimming lessons, but her mom refused to pay for them. “Don’t worry about it. My boobs are gonna be bigger than hers eventually. Hold still, I said! Because my mom has big boobs. I’m almost done. You’re doomed to being flat-chested like your mom and gramma. It’s because of genetics.”
Lily was a little surprised the June Mae had heard of genetics.
“Are you done?” Lily pulled away and jumped off the bed to look at her face in the mirror. “Oh, my god!”
“It’s not my fault,” June Mae said. “You moved!”
Lily said, “You have to get this off me. I cannot go home looking like this!”
The door to June Mae’s room flew open and, just like that, there was her mom, Charlene. “You little brat! You went into my room without permission. You stole my make up.”
June Mae retreated so her bed was between her mother and her. “Mom, Mom, take it easy. Don’t get mad. We didn’t use that much.”
Charlene strode into the room and took hold of Lily’s chin. She tilted Lily’s face this way and that.
Lily felt her cheeks turning red. She vowed not to start crying.
“She moved! It’s not my fault. Are you gonna ground me?” According to June Mae, when her mom got mad at her, she was capable of slapping. Even spanking was not beyond Charlene.
“I did a good job on her lips, don’t you think, Mom?”
Charlene snorted to indicate contempt, but Lily could tell June Mae’s mom was calming down and probably would not slap anyone.
“It’s not all June Mae’s fault. It’s my fault too. We were playing up here because it’s so hot outside. I told her it was OK. We were just playing.” Lily considered admitting she had two dollar bills in her purse and, if absolutely necessary, could pay Charlene for the makeup they had used.
Charlene finally let go of Lily’s chin. “June Mae, go back in my room and get my makeup remover and some cotton pads.”
Five minutes later, Charlene gave a demonstration. “Girls, this is how you do it. You can use Vaseline, but it’s more professional to dab on cleaner, like this. Let it sit for a minute. Lips are easier. You have to be real careful with eyes.”
Half an hour later, Lily’s face was clean, and she was running home. Something was bothering her, nagging her. She was not in trouble. June Mae was not in trouble either, not really. What was it? Something was troubling her.
Uncle Val with his shirt off. There was a big bruise on his left shoulder. It was not a bruise but a tattoo, the tattoo of a black butterfly.