Date Posted:19:52:35 01/02/10 Sat Author: Debi Subject: OMG!! This character ROCKS!! In reply to:
Page
's message, "The emancipation of Miss Rhett >>>>" on 16:14:19 01/02/10 Sat
The girl didn’t turn to
>acknowledge it, but Rhett was almost sure she could
>hear her eyes rolling. Repressing the urge to add a
>comment to the effect that teenagers shouldn’t buy
>their clothes at Baby Gap, Rhett removed her handbag
>from her shoulder and settled it on her lap. A few
>moments later, Lilith arrived, carefully balancing
>their food and drinks. Rhett reached up and relieved
>her daughter of some of her burden and Lilith smiled.
In light of the exchange between herself and her daughter later, that's a little pot calling the kettle black, isn't it? ;-)
>
>“Thanks.” She placed the two paper cups on the table.
> “I thought for sure that top one was going to end up
>on the floor before I got here. It kept trying to
>slide right off all the way over.”
>
>“I’m glad it didn’t.” Rhett popped the clear plastic
>lid off the dish and took a deep, appreciative sniff
>of the mouthwatering aroma that rose from it. “I’ve
>been wanting General Tso’s Chicken so bad I’d have
>probably eaten it off the floor.”
>
>They ate in silence for a while, satiating the hunger
>that could only come from a morning of serious
>shopping. Rhett felt her daughter’s frequent glances,
>but chose not to acknowledge them. Lilith had been
>looking at her as if she expected another head to come
>popping out of the neck of Rhett’s shirt since she’d
>seen the new car that morning. The speculative looks
>had increased with every purchase Rhett had made from
>Neiman-Marcus and Rhett knew it was only a matter of
>time before Lilith made some sort of comment. Rhett
>wanted to enjoy her food before having to explain
>herself to her daughter. Not that she needed to
>explain, but for some reason children thought they
>were due one.
Yeah, we do. It's our way of trying to keep tabs on what is happening and why.
>
>After the food had been consumed, they sat sipping
>their iced tea and resting their feet. Lilith smiled.
> “I meant to tell you, you look nice today.”
>
>Here it came. Although Rhett was sure the compliment
>was sincere, she didn’t miss the note of amusement in
>her daughter’s voice. “Why, thank you, sweetie.
>These are the jeans you got me for Christmas.”
>
>“Really?” Lilith’s eyebrows arched. “They look good
>on you. I don’t remember that top, though. Or those
>shoes.”
>
>“They’re new.” Rhett shrugged. “I got ‘em at Macy’s
>last week.” She didn’t add that the top had come from
>the Junior’s department since she hadn’t liked
>anything she’d seen in the Women’s section. The
>neckline of the sleeveless blouse was embellished with
>fake jewels that matched the vibrant red of the
>fabric. Rhett had never owned anything like it and
>had fallen in love with the way it looked on her the
>minute she tried it on. The three inch heels on her
>silver sandals were causing her feet to sing Ave Maria
>with each step she took, but they’d been too pretty
>and sexy to pass up.
The blouse I'd go for, the shoes, I'd have to take a pass on. I'm much too fond of being comfortable. But I know lots of women just liike Rhett, willing to sacrifice comfort for looking hot. Good on her!
>
>Lilith nodded and took a noisy slurp through her
>straw. “Are you liking your new car?”
>
>“Love it,” Rhett replied, pretending to scan the
>passing crowd.
>
>“Good.” Lilith’s eyes narrowed. “I just hope you
>know what you’re doing.”
>
>With an internal sigh Rhett turned her gaze to her
>child. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
>
>“Nothing!” Lilith managed to look shocked and
>innocent at the same time. “If you want a BMW then
>you should have one.” Rhett waited for the rest.
>“And if you want to wear clothes too young for you,
>then I guess that’s your call, too.”
>
>Rhett slapped her cup down so hard the table rattled.
>“Too young for me? Is that what you just said? I’m
>sorry, but I didn’t see any age restrictions on
>anything I bought.”
>
>A prissy, self righteous expression covered Lilith’s
>face. “Well Mother, you know as well as I do that
>most of the things you bought today are for women who
>are…who aren’t… you know.”
>
>“Who aren’t old?” Rhett leaned toward Lilith with a
>frown. “You think I’m too old to look good, is that
>it?”
>
>“Mother.” Lilith rolled her eyes. “It’s just the
>clothes, the car, the Facebook page for cryin’ out
>loud. You have to admit you’re starting to act a
>little middle age crazy here.” And with those words,
>the fuse was lit on Rhett’s temper.
>
>“Middle age crazy? Did you seriously just call me
>middle age crazy?” Rhett knew from Lilith’s wince
>that her voice was a tad too loud for polite society,
>but she didn’t care. You go, girl! LOL “That’s the most insulting thing
>I’ve ever heard. Let me tell you something, oh child
>of mine. There’s no such thing as middle age crazy.
>It’s middle age taking your life back, that’s what it
>is. After years of paying for cheerleading camps and
>Girl Scout trips and textbooks not covered by the
>scholarship, and after years of devoting all your time
>and energy to raising your children the best way you
>know how and making sure they have everything they
>need, you wake up and remember who you really are,
>that’s what it is. It’s realizing you’re still the
>person you used to be, somebody other than a mother,
>or a father. It’s being able to finally spend the
>money you work so hard for on yourself, to listen to
>your AC/DC records as loud as you want, and to hang a
>big ass poster of Jimmy Page over your bed. It’s
>looking in the mirror and realizing you still look
>damn good and thumbing your nose at anyone who says
>you have to wear flowered muu-muus and soccer mom
>jeans and Keds. It’s living your life the way you
>want, because you’ve earned it, that’s what it
>is!”
>
>With a start, Rhett realized the food court was
>silent. After a moment in which nothing was heard but
>the splash of water in the fountain, a smattering of
>applause began. It started small, but grew in
>intensity as women and men expressed their agreement.
I can see this, so vividly. I love it. Rhett is a woman after my own heart.
>
>“Preach it, sister!” hollered one woman sitting in
>front of the Sonic counter.
>
>“Yes, ma’am,” stated another from across the
>food court.
>
>Cheeks flaming, Rhett straightened her back and gave a
>small wave to her new army of admirers. She risked at
>glance at Lilith and found her daughter staring at
>her, a smile tugging the corners of her lips.
>
>“Don’t hold back, Mama,” Lilith intoned. “Tell us how
>you really feel.”
It is a great scene, brilliant work, and you managed to make it enjoyable and exagerated without it crossing the line to sillyness. That way the scene has a lot of debth while still be great fun. I think what Rhett had here in the end is what many dream about, but would never dare to say out loud where people could hear.