Jennifer took a short detour into the bathroom to wash her face, then began putting away her things. But as she went to go back downstairs, the red stone she'd found that morning caught her eye. Pausing for only a moment, she took it with her as she met her mother on the back porch.
Lorraine was sitting at the glass table that the family sometimes ate dinner at when the weather was nice, an array of cosmetics displayed before her. Jennifer squinted her eyes in suspicion when she saw what was there.
"What's all this?"
"I think you're old enough for some big-girl makeup, babygirl," Lorraine explained. "None of that five-dollar checkout line stuff, I want you to see what you look like with the stuff I buy for myself from Sephora." Lorraine picked up a tube of primer and gestured to her daughter. "Now sit down here and let me get started."
Jennifer did so, and the conversation continued as Lorraine compared foundation skin tones and asked about color preferences, while Jennifer fiddled with her stone on her lap.
"Now tell me the truth, it isn't really little ol' Paigey McMillan that's bothering you, is it?"
Jennifer's shoulders slumped as she indicated which shade of blush she wanted to try. "No, it's not Paige."
"Then tell me what's going on."
"Well, can you tell me where Daddy is right now?"
Lorraine thought a moment. "He's at the high school watching Biff's practice, I reckon."
"And where was he all yesterday?"
"He took Biff to the gym, and then they went off to see a hockey game."
"And on Saturday?"
"He was at Biff's piano recital."
"So when's he ever gonna spend time with me?" The genius of Lorraine's plan revealed itself, as Jennifer found herself reluctant to make the dramatic movements that would normally accompany such a declaration, for fear of smearing her makeup.
"Oh babygirl, you know those two just have their thing. It was just your daddy and Biff alone with each other for years before we became a family, and they've just always been close."
"Yeah, but why should I take Daddy's name if he's not gonna pay me any mind?" Jennifer's eyes were closed as she asked this, while Lorraine applied eyeliner. "I just wish he gave me the same attention he gives Biff."
With Jennifer's eyes closed, and Lorraine's attention focused on the girl, neither noticed the flash of light coming from Jennifer's lap.
Lorraine sighed. "I hear you. You know I love your daddy, but you know Biff's always been distant with me. I only just met him when he was about your age, and he won't even call me Mom or Momma because he knew me as Lorraine first." A maternal hand fatefully dropped to rest on Jennifer's own hands, squeezing them in comfort. "Sometimes I wish I'd got the chance to raise him from nothing, the way I've raised you."
This time, the flash of light was simply obscured by the three hands covering it.
"Maybe some day they'll come around, let us into their lives a bit more," Lorraine soothed. "But I'll talk to your daddy tonight and see if he might want to include you some more."
