Meanwhile, in the House of X

Y had just finished cleansing her face, she used her daily toner and was gently rubbing her moisturizer over her face and neck. She was getting ready to reapply her make up even before deciding what she was doing for the night. Gazing at herself in the mirror she realized that her eye brows were not exactly symmetrical and she got very self conscious about it. She decided she would go heavy on her make up tonight so they won't be that noticeable till the next day when she can have them reshaped.

Meanwhile, in the house of X, X had just finished bathing the kids and put them to bed. She headed to the shower, tripped on a few cars and tiny doll furniture on the way, only to realize there was no more hot water left. She grabbed her moisturizer and used it to cleanse her eyes and face, the stinging in her eyes never stopped her from doing that night after night. She washed her face and wondered whose bottom did she dry with that towel before using it on her face! She went back to the living room, there was a nice lively song on TV, something that did not talk about the importance of vegetables in one's diet nor stressed the importance of saying please and thank you, so she stepped on the treadmill, "since I didn't take my shower yet," she thought "I might as well enjoy some me time.." She started out really slow, planning to gradually pick up the speed, hoping to do at least thirty minutes of exercise. Her husband was out for dinner with someone so she had enough time. Checking out the room around her she noticed the laundry basket which has been lying there since noon. She contemplated folding the laundry while doing her walk, "naah!" she concluded, "won't work". Just as she was getting
into the mood and beginning to feel the heat, her mobile rang. "Damn!! I swear I should never let this thing leave my pocket…" She stopped the machine and got the phone. It was Y, wondering if she's free for the evening. ."What is she thinking, this girl!! Surely she knows by now I can't just go out impromptu like this.." And then it hit her that maybe she was supposed to invite her over. She called Y again. Y did not need much convincing, and X was embarrassed that she did not ask her to come first time she called.

X and Y have been best friends for years, but the friendship has not been at its best ever since X got married. It's always the case, they both knew. When someone starts a family, it must take something out of the previous status. The single one doesn't feel comfortable being around the love birds all the time, the couple mingle with other couples which makes it hard for the odd one out to fit, they both knew it's inevitable and both still valued their friendship greatly, but that's the way it was.

X knew Y can never make it till at least one hour, but it was useless going back to her treadmill. There was no way she would let Y see her in such a mess. She tidied the room up as much as she could, took some pastries out of the freezer to have something to feed her extra skinny friend. She took a super short shower and pulled her hair up in a pony tail, she did not forget to try and dress up her skin with a few layers of stuff that she thought might be invisible, all in the attempt of faking a naturally beautiful and relaxed look. As she smoothed foundation around her eyes, she remembered Y's tip of always doing that upwards in an attempt to delay wrinkles. She took one last glance and liked what she saw, she wished there was some sort of concealer for all those extra kilos that she liked to attribute to child birth.. though they're not. X was trying hard,she knew that very well.. she had to, she could not live with the emotional pressure that Y would put her under if she found her in a petty shape. It has been the case time and over again, Y would go on and on about her work and friends, how busy her life was and how she can not imagine being stuck at home with kids all day. If it was a once or twice declaration, X might not have minded that much, but being a constant statement, every time they met, started getting to her. The way Y sympathized every time she found X busy doing her daily routine, the way she declared how she was not born for that sort of thing, like whoever does it is some sort
of underachiever, and the boredom she showed whenever she had to spend time with X and her kids were just too much.

X put up a great act given the short time she was granted, she nicely camouflaged the fact that –up to the last hour-her house was just a war zone, and that she herself was a victim of that war. Y came and did not hide how impressed she was. She looked immaculate, as usual in her jeans and fashionable top.. X was jealous, it was the good kind of jealousy but she did not know if she hid it well.. Y remarked how cute the children looked in a new picture that was added to the gallery on the book shelf. It was a thrill for X to hear her say something positive.. she longed for her friend's stamp of approval ..she did not want to feel ridiculed by her best friend and she found herself muttering : "I'm glad you like it, for a change!" 

Y laughed, she sensed there was something hidden in that phrase but did not feel offended. "And what's that supposed to mean?" Her laughter put X at ease, it allowed her to elaborate, "well, you know, you always disapprove of my life style, and with my daily struggle with kids.. I thought you never saw a bright side to this.."

"You're silly, don't you know? You haven't figured it out yet.. I'm jealous, should I say it out plain and simple? I'm jealous of what you have, and can't hide it..I think it's obvious from all these remarks I shoot in your face.."

"You, jealous?" X wondered? "I'm the one who's jealous.With all this freedom you have , all this flexibility? all this time you have for self worship? you want to give it up and start changing diapers and cooking meals for picky children? You want to give up your manicures and facials to spend time on the sand and swings?"

"Yeah why not? Though I will probably not let myself go the way you have, but why not?"

She was interrupted by a tea towel that flew right into her face, "You messed my hair you stupid!" she cried…

"You messed my hair you stupid!" X echoed…and they giggled the night away.

March 2007