UNEDITED
Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.
Those are the words that Justin McCallister has been repeating in his mind since the day he was diagnosed with a non-cancerous brain tumour that's been causing partial...
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Adelaide
After my shift at work ends on Saturday evening, Mom and Aunty Elle drag me into the staff room to prepare me for my date. Though they've given me more than enough advice about first dates, such as the dos and don'ts, I'm almost regretting telling them. They're so prominent about making sure I have the perfect first date that I'm starting to worry they'll interfere. And that is just what I need.
So I don't smell like food and dish soap, I quickly change out of my uniform and into a soft and baby pink vintage one-shoulder long sleeve shirt, black skinny jeans, and my white Keds; the clothes that Mom brought me. When I'm dressed, I inspect my outfit in the mirror. I'm satisfied with it. It's casual, but also formal. And just to be sure I don't smell, I basically drench myself in the perfume I brought.
"What do you think?" I ask Mom and Aunty Elle as I step back into the staffroom.
"Your dad andUncle Hart would approve," Aunty Elle jokes.
I snort. Yeah, they may approve of my outfit, but deep down, they are so those overprotective dads that don't want their daughters to have a romantic relationship until they're married.
Mom laughs and then says, "I like it – formal and casual and it shows a little bit of skin."
Feeling embarrassed, I try to adjust the drooping shoulder of my shirt. It stays up for a moment but eventually slides back down to give everyone a full-on view of my right shoulder.
Mom and Aunty Elle exchange a glance. "She looks beautiful?" Aunty Elle inquires.
"She looks beautiful," Mom concludes.
My blush deepens. I know they're not trying to make me feel embarrassed, but for some reason I do. Now I can understand why Sophia kept her and Zander's relationship a secret for so long. The attention is hard to deal with. It was never like this when Jake introduced us to Camilla.
Aunty Elle sits me down on one of the chairs and gets to work on my makeup, while Mom begins to style my hair. I feel like I've suddenly been transported from the restaurant to a salon.
After Aunty Elle has laid out her "tools", she inspects my face. "I think we're going to keep the makeup as natural-looking as possible, with a hint of rose-gold," she says. "Are you okay with that?"
I give her a thumbs-up instead of nodding my head – I don't want a trail of smoky eyeliner down the left side of my face.
Aunty Elle gets to work, honed in on my face and the techniques she uses with each makeup instrument. By the time she's finished, Mom has also tied my hair up into the perfect bun, leaving two wisps of hair to bracket my face.
When they're done, they step back and admire their work, passing a handheld mirror to me when they seem pleased with what they've done.
