Dinner was done, and Karyn took her leave. She thought about calling Jon, but for some reason had the thought "why would someone like him want to talk to me?". It was a thought that made no sense, they had been friends forever but for a moment in her mind she thought of Jon as better than her and she couldn't say why, but it felt so true in that moment, she could just imagine him walking down the halls and ignoring her like everyone else usually did. She saw herself in her mirror, she saw the changes her wish had brought, hefted a breast in her hand, put a brush through her new blonde hair. She had these advantages now, but she didn't feel any more pretty than she was before, just more top heavy, and with more hair to worry about. The wish had proved it, it wasn't about looks, she was the problem, she'd never be good enough. Karyn's incredible sulk was broken up by a rhythmic knock at the door. It was her mom. At least she seemed to benefit from the wish, Karyn had never seen her like this, not only happy, but powerful, there was something about her now that Karyn didn't understand.
Bethany immediately saw what was going on once the door opened, she remembered being the same way when she was young, and it broke her heart to see her daughter going through the same thing. It took her years to find her confidence, years to learn to be who she was, to be sexy, to use her looks, to own a room, and it was all so painful to do. She wasn't going to let that happen to her daughter.
"Hey, come into the living room I want to try something and I think you'd be great at it." It was the way she said it that made Karyn think it could be true, so she went.
In the living room her dad was playing with a phone, trying to work out something. Her mom pulled out her own phone.
"Have you seen these?" A video played on the phone of a girl doing a dance, an elaborate flashy dance, and before she expected it it was gone, replaced by another girl doing the same dance, and then another. All these girls had their mom's as back up dancers.
"Yeah mom, I know what Tik Tok is" Karyn responded, parents are always so far behind the curve.
" I want to do one with you, and I think you've got the moves for it. Dad's going to film it."
Karyn resisted. "No! I don't want to dance with my mom! What if people see! I'd die! I'd be a laughing stock if anyone found out!" Karyn went to leave.
"Well we don't have to post it anywhere I just want to try it and see how cool it looks and its not going to look as cool if someone my age is doing it."
"Well then you shouldn't do it." Karyn retorted.
"Just one, it will be good for you." there was a motherly honey to this voice, both commanding but with compassion and care, Karyn found herself turning.
"Fine. one."
They then set to learning the moves. First an arm wave with a snap as you moved your hips, then a coquettish flattening of the hands down as if to say who me?, then quickly more wild hand motions mimicking brushing out your hair and from then on it was all hips and attitude before suddenly being over. The first time through they got about half a move done before it fell apart. Third time they decided, fuck it, lets just do it over and over till we get it right. The ninth time Karyn took off her famous sweater as she was starting to sweat. The twelfth time they almost got it all right, but Karyns hips moved the wrong way. The sixteenth time Karyn sang the words wrong which sent both of them into a fit of laughter that ended up running through times seventeen-twenty three, and by time twenty four rolled around they were finally good enough and having enough fun that they nailed it. The whole time Karyn was in the front so she couldn't see what her mom was doing, she just assumed she was as bad as Karyn if not worse because this was for young people, how could old people be good at it, and eventually it didn't matter, she was just having fun.
They sat down to look at the last take, the good one. Karyn was shocked at two things. One, her mom. She had moves! She looked amazing, yes, but she moved like a professional dancer, and there was something about her dance that lead to the second shock. Karyn didn't just look like she was having fun, she was nailing this dance too! She looked like she never had before, she looked entranced, she looked desirable, she looked like she had always hoped she would look. Her smile was so big, her playful come hither look she had given the camera was actually convincing, and she was certainly shaking it. Karyn had never looked like that in her life, and even though she was seeing herself from just a few seconds before, she didn't believe it was her, even in the afterglow of the joy this girl on the screen was feeling.
"That was SO Good!" Bethany cheered. "I'm posting it!"
The good feeling was suddenly gone.
"NO!" Karyn reached for the phone. "Mom you can't!!"
Bethany played keep away. "I promise you it will be the best thing that's ever happened to you." She hit replay on the video. The happy girl danced again on the screen.
"This is who you are. Let the world know it."
"You don't know what they will say at school if anyone sees it." Karyn knew how harsh girls like Sarah could be if some one stepped into the light to be seen. She had felt that razor before.
Bethany pulled out Karyns phone. "let me show you something" Bethany played a video, it was Sarah and her mom Sue doing the same dance, Sarah was talented, for sure, giving her all as usual, even though she missed a hand wave, but her mom was clearly giving about 30 percent. It was a lesser video.
"Ours is better, don't the think the world should know?"
Karyn felt something inside her she wasn't used to so she couldn't name. The thing made her say.
"Post it."
