“What do you think: purple or red for lips?” Beatrice asks the six friends helping her prepare for her date.
A mixed murmur of both colour names scatters throughout the living room of the Wellington flat.
“You should try something loud and bright. Like orange!” Costa announces, leaping up off the couch.
The response to his suggestion is an overwhelming no, shouted at different times and with much more creative language.
“Okay okay, no orange. Green?”
“Who thinks we should ban Costa from suggesting things?” Peter raises his hand, urging the others to do the same.
Everyone’s hand, save for Costa’s, pops up immediately.
“If you want to stifle greatness, be my guest. Just don’t come crying to me when your relationship falls apart because your date’s favorite colour is orange.” Costa says, slumping back down in his seat.
“Yeah yeah, but seriously guys, which one?” Beatrice asks again, trying in vain to maintain her mask of calm as Fred french braids her hair.
“What did her profile say?” questions Jaquie as she comforts Costa (despite the fact that she too had raised her hand during the vote)
“I think it said that she likes horror movies and flower crowns.” Balthy recalls, running his fingers through Peter’s hair.
“What’s her name again?” Peter asks, directing his question towards the all knowing Balthazar.
“Meg.” Balth answers, leaning his head on Peter’s shoulder.
“That helps a bunch.” snarks Ben from the sofa.
“How about fuchsia?” Bea holds up the tube of purpley red lipstick.
“That could work.” Fred chimes in from behind Bea’s head.
Everyone nods in approval.
“Ben!” calls Beatrice.
Ben gets up, takes the lipstick, and applies it perfectly to Bea’s lips.
“Thank you!” Bea smiles sweetly as Ben sits back down.
Fred finishes the braid and Beatrice stands up.
“Well, what do you guys think?”
Bea is wearing a light blue dress (with pockets), dark tights, red nails, and tall black heels that she borrowed from Rosa a while back and has yet to return. Her makeup is perfectly blended: a brown smokey eye with even eyeliner, slight contour, and the fuchsia lipstick. Ben really is good at this makeup thing.
Her friends are in awe - she looks breathtaking.
“Wow, I mean.. wow.” Peter stares at her, eyes wide in amazement.
“Hey, eyes on the prize.” Balth says quickly before giving his boyfriend a kiss.
“You look stunning.” Ben says, pausing. “I did a great job!”
“Wow, thanks.” Bea says sarcastically.
“So, how are you meeting her? Are we dropping you off or is she coming here?” Costa asks, momentarily breaking the vote for his silence.
“Hahaha…hell no.” Bea pretends to laugh, but then turns serious. “She is not meeting any of you until I know for sure that she likes me.”
The room is suddenly filled with whining.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t have you guys ruining this for me.” Bea apologizes while putting in the most authentic pair of fake diamond earrings she owns.
“You don’t sound sorry.” Ben mutters under his breath.
“I think it’s fair, I wouldn’t want a first date to meet you guys either.” Jaq says sympathetically.
“Thank you, Jaquie. Peter, let’s go.”
“I thought none of us could meet her.” Freddie questions, whining a little.
“Pete isn’t meeting her, he’s just driving me then coming straight back here.” Bea moves as she talks, pulling on her coat and handing Peter the keys.
“How are you getting home?” Balthy asks, straightening up in his seat and taking advantage of the newfound room on the couch.
“I’ll get a cab.” Bea opens the door. “Bye guys!” She and Pete leave.
“Are you nervous?” Peter asks after they’ve been on the road for a minute.
“Just a little, and only because I haven’t been on a date in so long.”
“I’m surprised you landed this one! How’d you do it, fake profile picture?”
“You suck.” Bea playfully swats Pete’s arm. “I don’t actually really know though, she messaged me first about how she thought my bio was funny and wanted to see if I wanted to get dinner.”
“Anything for a free meal.”
“Anything for a free meal.”
The quiet lasts almost two minutes.
“We’re here, want me to stay until I hear you scream?” Peter half-jokes as he parks across the street from the restaurant where Bea is meeting her mystery woman.
“I’ll be fine, but if I call you and say ‘Are you okay?’, come and get me immediately.”
“Okay, have fun.”
“I will.” Bea grabs her purse and gets out of the car, closing the door before she starts walking.
“I love you, stay safe!” Peter yells out of his rolled down window.
“Love you too, Mom.” Bea yells back as Pete drives away.
It’s raining lightly, and the restaurant is comfortingly warm when Bea steps inside.
“Reservation under the name Winter?” Bea asks the hostess at the door.
“Right this way.” The hostess leads Bea to a gorgeous candlelit table in the back where all the couples are on this brisk Saturday evening.
Bea sits down the at table and waits. After about five minutes, she sees a beautiful dark haired girl in a black jersey dress enter the restaurant. She talks to the hostess, and is then led to where Bea is sitting.
“Here you are, your waiter will be here shortly.” The hostess says before she walks away.
“Hey” Meg sits down across from Bea, taking off her coat and leaving it on the back of her chair.
“Hey.” Bea’s heart is beating fast; Meg looks radiant. Her lipstick is dark red, matching her heels, and her eyes are green and bright.
“So, have you eaten here before?” Meg questions, opening the menu.
“No, I haven’t, you?” Bea does the same.
“I came here once last year, I think the spaghetti is alright.”
“I’ll get that then. Do you want to split a side order of onion rings?” Bea closes her menu and sets it down.
“Sure. I think I’ll get the fish.” Meg stacks her menu on top of Bea’s.
The waiter shows up a moment later. Meg and Bea order, and he walks off with their menus in hand.
“So, your profile said that you love to travel! Where have you been?”
“Brazil, Poland, and America, as it’s where my parents live.”
“You know, I’ve never been outside of New Zealand.” Meg admits.
“Really? Have you ever wanted to?” Bea is intrigued.
“Of course I’ve wanted to, it’s just I’ve never had any reason to. My whole family is here,and no one’s ever given me a reason to leave.”
“Huh.”
“Yeah.” Meg says, looking across the room at the kitchen.
“What’s your favorite color?” Beatrice blurts out.
Meg turns her head and thinks for a second before answering. “Red.”
“Oh thank god.” Bea says under her breath.
“What?” Meg can’t quite hear Bea’s words.
“Oh, it’s just that one of my friends said that if I didn’t wear orange lipstick, our relationship would fall apart before it even began.” Bea blushes.
Meg starts to laugh. It’s not a small laugh or a giggle, but a howl.
It’s the best sound that Bea’s ever heard, and it continues all through the night.