Captivation

5: Drunk

Drunk (adjective): Affected by alcohol to the extent of losing control of one’s faculties or behavior.

When Genevieve and I reach her house I am attacked but a group of beautiful blonde women who all want to make be pretty.

“We should try to lighten her hair.” One of them says.

“Or her skin?” Another asks.

“I am not that much darker than you.” I argue, it’s just the sun, my goodness.

“Ladies,” Genevieve interrupts, “We aren’t doing anything of the sort, just her hair and something with her face. We aren’t making anything lighter.”

“Thank you.” I breathe a sigh of relief.

They send me to a bath first. “You have to be perfect!” A happy strawberry blonde tells me. “I’m Jane.”

“Madelyn.” I tell her. She pours water over my head and tells me what to use for my body or my hair. Everything smells like flowers. I wash myself and have barely covered myself up when a few more girls come in and start brushing my hair.

“I’m Mary.” A blonde with freckles tells me. “We have to let your hair dry now. But we can start working on your face. Lady Genevieve is picking out a dress for you.” She smiles like this is the most wonderful thing in the world. “We’re going to cut your hair a bit, just a smidgen.” She assures me.

“That’s fine.” I tell her, I don’t really care about my hair. I hear the snipping of scissors and about an inch of my ridiculously long hair fall to the floor. “Take another inch off?” I ask.

“Of course!” She smiles and cuts off another. I haven’t had my hair cut since I was sixteen, five years ago.

They start putting stuff on my face. Black stuff around my eyes and in my lashes; they smear red stuff on my lips. They put powder on my face, and when my hair dries they curl it. They put my pins that Henry gave me back in my hair.

“These are beautiful.” Jane tells me.

“Thank you.”

“Henry?” Mary asks.

“It’s not like he gave them to me.” I deny.

“Mmhmm.” Mary gives Jane a look. They think I’m his whore.

“This is the dress.” Genevieve says coming in with a red corset type dress.

“Will I fit in that?” I ask.

“Or course, don’t be so insolent.” Genevieve reprimands me. “Now put on these under clothes.” I obey her wishes when they all leave the room. I catch my reflection in the mirror. I stop and stare at myself, my jaw agape. I reach my hand up touching the mirror. There is no way that this is me. The girl in the mirror reaches her hand up to meet mine. She looks gorgeous. Radiant, shining, but nothing like the blondes outside the door. She looks enchanting, like a gypsy. I tilt my head and watch the girl in the mirror do the same. She must be me. I must look radiant, shining, and enchanting.

I open the door when I finish. Jane rushes in with the dress; she is now dressed in a deep purple dress. She looks beautiful, sparkly and pure. “We are running late.” She tells me. She helps me into the dress. It’s so tight that I feel like I can’t breath, and my chest is shoved up higher than I thought it could go. Jane stands next to me in the mirror holding my hand. “You look gorgeous.” She tells me smiling.

“You look beautiful.” I tell her. She smiles.

Genevieve burst into the room. “Come ladies we are leaving now!”