The Greatest Showman: March One-Shots

8. Eyeliner

continuation of yesterday's

 
The doorbell rings, startling P.T., and he immediately turns and races down the stairs as quietly as he can, considering Charity and the girls think he's still down here. Standing on the front porch is Anne, her hair in an updo and a magenta-colored dress hugging her tiny frame.

"Hey, Anne," P.T. greets her with a smile, moving aside to let her in. As she lifts her dress up to step over the threshold, P.T.'s eyes catch on the tan wrap around her ankle. "How's your ankle?" he adds.

Anne turns around as he closes the door, giving him a sad smile. "It's seen better days," she says. "I'm surprised the boys let me go out tonight, though. My nights are usually spent with an ice pack." She rolls her eyes, and P.T. chuckles at the way she says the boys, referring to her brother and her boyfriend.

"Anne!" two young girls suddenly squeal, and, momentarily, Caroline and Helen both come running down the stairs, nearly tripping over their own two feet.

Anne's laughing as she watches them. "Don't hurt yourselves," she tells them, but it's not like they really listen. P.T. can see Charity at the top of the stairs, shaking her head with a smile.

Caroline reaches Anne first, and she proceeds to throw her arms around the trapeze artist's legs. Helen follows seconds later. Anne just laughs, stumbling before regaining her balance.

P.T. cringes. "Be careful now," he says, slight fear evident in his tone. "Anne's hurt, you know."

"Oh, I'm fine." She waves it off, but the girls back up anyways.

Helen gasps. "What is that on your eyes?!"

P.T.'s surprised Anne isn't as perplexed as he is. "The black stuff? It's called eyeliner. You want some?"

"Can I?!" The little one is practically jumping up and down with excitement.

P.T. meets Charity's eyes, a silent understanding passing between them. "I..." the ringmaster begins to say, looking over at his daughter.

"Well, I mean, as long as it's okay with your father," Anne adds, giving P.T. an apologetic smile.

Helen turns to P.T. and says, "Please, Daddy? I wanna be a princess!"

Charity laughs as she begins to descend the stairs. "You already are a princess, darling," she says. "But I suppose, if Anne doesn't mind..."

"No, not at all," she says with a smile, then reaches into her clutch and retrieves a black pencil. "Why don't we go sit down in the kitchen quickly so I can put some on?" Helen's already halfway down the hall before Anne even finishes speaking. "Caroline, do you want some, too?" she asks, suppressing a laugh.

Caroline turns to her parents in question.

"Go ahead," Charity tells her, then nods a thanks to Anne.

As they start down the hall to the kitchen, Charity turns to her husband. "What's your hesitation, Phin?"

He can't help but smile, knowing that there's no way anything can get past her. He pulls her close, and she rests her head on his shoulder. "I just don't want her to think that she'll be able to get everything she ever asks for is all."

Charity's quiet for a moment. "She's just excited for tonight, you know? And it's only eyeliner, it's not like it's some bright red lipstick that'll make her look like she's a teenager."

Suddenly, in the kitchen, Helen gasps, "Caroline gets lipstick? Can I have some, Anne? Pleeeeeeease?"

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currently headed to nyc ahhhh😍🏙🗽