Saturday morning, I woke up feeling light and energetic. Norma and her mom had woken up early and were standing in the kitchen drinking black coffee and talking while her mom made a big southern breakfast of biscuits and peppered gravy with sausage and eggs and fried potatoes. Elise came out of her room already dressed. She flipped through her driver's handbook while she fixed her hair into a messy bun on top of her head.
When she came to the kitchen, she couldn't get past Norma to get to the dining area where the fridge was, so she just went into the bathroom, cheerfully wishing her mom and Norma a good morning as she walked through. Elise looked at herself in the mirror as she washed her hands. She didn't want to wear dark eyeshadow like Kimber or Ashley, but she wondered how she would look if she tried some eyeliner or mascara to make her lashes longer. Her hair was already dark, but her lashes were short and didn't stand out very much. Maybe after she got her first paycheck, she could go buy herself some make-up. She knew that while she was shopping with her mom today, she wanted to find some black shirts and black leggings, or something she could reuse with other items in her wardrobe already to pull of more of a goth style. She had made a point during the week while she was at school to look up images of goth style until she sort of had an idea of what to put together that would look flattering on her. She wasn't heavy, but she wasn't thin or athletic either. Her hips were wide and her breasts had started filling out to a larger B-cup, and she had a little flabby pooch on her stomach and sides, but it wasn't plump enough to be considered a 'love handle'.
She knew that she couldn't go too crazy with her new style because her mom wouldn't like it. So, she wouldn't be able to get any spiky belts or chunky combat boots, or even anything that would be too sexy. She wouldn't get away with wearing anything like that at school anyway because of the dress code. But she thought if she could find some black and white checkered or hounds-tooth patterned skirts, leggings, or pants, she could pair them with a black shirt or some of the dark maroon pullover sweaters she already had. Maybe she could at least talk her mom into buying her a new pair of shoes, like Converse or Vans, or a pair of black boots if she promised to pay her back. If not, she would just try to find some cheap black flats until she made her own money and could go shop for herself without her mom present.
The three of them ate breakfast, her mom and Norma at the table and Elise at the tv tray. Elise had to fold up the blankets Norma used and put them away in the cedar chest they kept them in before she could make her plate. Once the dishes were washed and the breakfast left overs were put away, Elise grabbed her backpack, containing just her novel, her driver's permit folded up in the front pocket, her phone, and a scribbled list of things she wanted to keep her eye out for while she was shopping. They all piled into Elise's car, and Elise drove while Norma gave her the directions to her house from the backseat and her mom tried to relax, but still held onto the door handle with a white-knuckled grip every time Elise had to make a turn and would apply the brakes. Once they got to Norma's house, they left the car running, but got out to say a proper goodbye to her. After Norma hugged Elise's mom, she turned to Elise and slipped her a twenty dollar bill with a wink.
"Here you go, honey. I know you'll take good care of that car. I hope it treats you well. This is just a little something from me for your birthday."
"Oh, Norma, you really don't have to do that. The car is a great gift already." I tried pushing the money back at her.
"Oh, pfft!" she said flipping her hand downward, "It may be my car your mom is buying from me, but it's your mom's gift to you. This is from me. It isn't much, but it's a little something until you start your job. Just take it, "she pushed my hand back at me. I looked at her gratefully before hugging her tightly and thanking her.
"Ok, now. You better go get that driving license. Happy birthday, dear. Thanks again, Lin for letting me stay over. I'll see you!"
My mom and I got back in the car. I tucked the twenty in my pocket and we waved to Norma as we pulled out of her driveway.
We had to wait a little while for the Driving Tester to be ready for me. I was given a vision test and told I might need glasses, but I passed. The Tester walked with me out to my car. I suddenly felt anxiety setting in, but I tried to keep calm and made a point to check and adjust my mirrors and seat back while the stoic middle-aged man in the passenger's seat marked on his clipboard and sat silently observing me.
"Ok, let's have you drive out of the parking lot and take a right at the stoplight at the highway." He sat back and sniffed, waiting to see how I did with this simple first instruction. I backed out, looking in my mirrors, then shifted gears to Drive and made it to the stoplight without error. I turned when the light turned green, but I was so nervous I forgot he said 'right' and made a left turn instead. I didn't even realize what I had done until he said, "That was an excellent left turn." I felt proud, but he continued on, "But I believe I said 'right'."
Embarrassed, I said, "Oh, I'm sorry." I gripped the steering wheel tighter and my body tensed.
"That's alright," he said. "We'll just turn here and go through this neighborhood then."
The rest of the test went well, except when we returned to the Test Center, I didn't use my blinker to turn into the parking spot. He kindly explained to me, "You did very well, but I noticed you didn't use your blinker just now when you pulled into the parking spot. It's not a big deal since there aren't many cars here, but in the future use your blinker, especially in busier parking lots to let other driver's know you're turning into a spot. It'll prevent unnecessary fender benders."
"Ok," I shyly responded, "thank you." I turned off the ignition and asked, "So, did I pass?"
"With flying colors! Congratulations. We'll go in and get your picture taken, and I'll issue you your new Driver's License."
"Yes!" I pumped both of my elbows downward as I exclaimed.
The rest of the process was very official, and I felt surreal all through it. When we left the Test Center, my mom had me drive the car to the DMV to register me as the driver of the car and to pay the property tax on the vehicle. It was almost 1:30 by the time we finished with it all.
"Let's get some lunch before we go shopping, I'm hungry," my mom announced. We sat down inside Wendy's and ate. I sat staring at my freshly printed plastic card that meant I was officially an Arkansas driver. I looked pale in my picture, and I wished I had thought to take my hair down before, but I had my driver's license and couldn't have been happier. My mom watched me over her burger with her elbows propped up on the table.
"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," she told me. I looked up at her and smiled.
"Thanks, mom. I'm pretty proud too. Seventeen is gonna be a great year."
She smiled at me while she chewed. When she had swallowed her bite, she said, "I guess we need to have your eyes checked soon. The insurance from my work might cover some glasses for you, but until then, just be careful while you're driving. Especially at night or in bad weather."
I nodded at her. My mouth was full when she finished talking. My mom finished her meal and sat back in her chair. "Well, where do you want to go from here?"
We talked about the shops we would visit while I finished eating, then we threw away our trash and got back in the car. We went to two thrift stores and spent about an hour and a half at each one perusing the racks of clothes on our own. You really have to dig to find the gems at these stores, but they were much cheaper than getting them new, and sometimes you could find items that still had their tags from the department stores.
At the first store, I found two pairs of black leggings, one black tee shirt, and one white baby doll top with a square neckline and puffed short sleeves. I looked through the pants and found some dark jeans to try on. I also picked out a red and green plaid short skirt, a long black cotton skirt, and a casual black A-line dress that stopped just above my knee and had elbow-length sleeves and decorative buttons from the waistline up. Almost everything I tried on fit me, except for the plaid skirt, but even if it had, I decided it was too short anyway. Even if I wore leggings under it, I would have to keep pulling it down when I sat or bent over.
The second store wasn't as fruitful as the first, but I did manage to find a pair of black heeled booties that were peeling on the toes and laced up, and my mom found a nice ladies' wallet and a cute tiny backpack for me. The tiny backpack would have barely held my romance novel, but it would work in lieu of a purse when I wasn't at school for my wallet and my phone. My mom found several things for herself too. She liked to buy dressy shirts to wear on the weekends, even if she was just going to Walmart or Home Depot. We paid and took our treasures out to the car to pile them into the very large trunk. It was about 5 o'clock by the time we got home.
I immediately started a load of laundry to wash my newly acquired articles. While I waited for the laundry, I texted Finnegan.
"Hello, Mo cooshla! I have a surprise for you!! A couple surprises actually, but let me know when you aren't busy."
I took a shower. Wrapped in my towel, I switched the clothes over to the dryer and went in my room to put on my underwear and pick out some accessories to put on. I didn't have much jewelry to speak of, but I had some little heart-shaped earrings in several different colors. They were from one of those cheap multi-packs of earrings that I bought at a Claire's on a trip to the mall in Branson, Missouri a few years ago. They were childish, but besides those, I had a friendship bracelet Cheyanne and I had gotten together, a simple cubic zirconium necklace, a pinky ring with an elephant on it, and some toe-rings (another cheap multi pack). I threw the friendship bracelet in the trash bin, along with the toe-rings that had gotten bent out of shape and were uncomfortable to wear anyway. Staring at what was left, I settled for the pinky ring and a pair of white heart-shaped earrings.
I brushed my hair and did my best to fix it parted down the middle into two little buns on top of my head. I used a few bobby pins to hold down the fly-away hairs, but I was satisfied with this hairstyle. I went to the dryer to remove my clothes and carried them back to my room, dumping them unceremoniously on my bed. I tried on everything again, in different combinations with some clothes I already had. I ended up wearing the black leggings with my pleated jean skirt and my new white top. I picked out a gray infinity scarf to wear too. I laced up my worn booties, and packed the tiny little backpack with my wallet-containing my new license, my school ID, and the twenty dollar bill I received from Norma-and my phone. It was probably going to be cold, so I grabbed a thicker coat and went to my mom's room to look at myself in her full-sized mirror.
When my mom saw me as I entered, she set the mail she was looking through aside and her jaw slightly dropped. I timidly set my coat and little backpack on her bed and stepped back so she could see the full effect. I made a little turn and watched her expression.
When she had finally taken it all in, she said "I like it. You look like you're growing up, even if it is a little edgier than I care for. I guess I can't stop you from being a teenager." She pursed her lips together and looked like she was trying to keep from crying.
"Mom," I paused, trying to find some comforting words, but I was glad she didn't hate my new style, "I may grow up, but I'm your only daughter. You're stuck with me."
"Oh," my mom stood up and walked around her bed to hug me, "I know it and you'll always be my baby, even if you aren't a little girl anymore." We held onto each other for a little while longer before I pushed her gently away.
"Ok, well, I'm gonna try to surprise Finnegan. I promise to be back at 8 o'clock sharp."
"Ok," she said, hesitating to let go, "Just be careful driving. I love you," she pulled me into another short hug, caressing the back of my head.
"I will. I love you too, mom. Bye." I grabbed my coat and backpack purse and headed out the door to my car.
I pulled out my phone before I started the ignition. Finnegan still hadn't replied and it was almost 6:30. Placing the phone in the cupholder, I decided to just go ahead and drive over to his house. It would take me about half an hour to get there, so she wouldn't get to see him for long, but she really wanted to see what he thought of the outfit she put together and let him know she could drive herself now. Not that she didn't want to still ride with Finnegan, but the the plastic her license was made of was still warm, as in fresh, and she wanted to share this momentous achievement with him.
I drove the speed limit, careful not to exceed it by even a mile over. I stopped at a Dollar Store to buy some eyeliner with my birthday money. It was almost pitch black outside by the time I finally made it to Finnegan's house. It was 7:05. I looked at my phone. Still no message. I tried again.
"Hey, guess where I am."
I opened the eyeliner and applied it in the mirror before I gathered my things and walked up to the front door to knock. Finnegan's mom answered, and she looked pleasantly surprised to see me.
"Hello, Elise. How nice to see you. I didn't expect you. You look very nice."
"Hello. Um, thanks. I hope it isn't a bad time. I told my mom I'd be home by 8, so I can't stay long anyway. I got my driver's license today. I texted Finn, but I wanted to surprise him."
"Oh, well come on in."
"Thank you." She held the door open for me, and I stepped past her.
"I was just having some tea. Can I make you some?"
"Oh, no thank you."
"Alright, I think Finny went out to his shed a while ago. You're welcome to go on out and see if you can pry him away from his meditations."
"Thanks." She nodded at me, taking a sip of her tea and picking up a book she was in the middle of reading when I arrived.
I decided to put my coat on. I was chilly standing at the front door, before his mom answered. I was disappointed that Finnegan wouldn't get the full picture of my new style, but I could still surprise him with the fact that I drove here.
Finnegan's dad was on the back porch smoking a cigarette and staring at his phone with his headphones in. When he saw me, he pulled the earbuds out and said, "Elise! What a pleasant surprise. Don't you look warm," he smiled. He was only wearing black cargo shorts and a tee shirt, with socks and slip-on sandals.
"Oh," I said, "aren't you cold?"
"Nah," he said, wincing his face and opening his mouth with a shrug. He took a drag of his cigarette. "Does Finn know you're here?" he asked.
"No, I got my license today and wanted to surprise him."
"Oh, I see." He held his pointer finger up to his lips and winked. "He should be hiding under his rock in the backyard."
"Ha," I laughed, "Ok, thanks. I won't be long. I'll have to leave soon. I just wanted to tell him my big news about my license." He nodded and replaced the earbuds back in his ears. I made my way down the steps and into the backyard. The shed was dark. As I got closer, I realized he wasn't in there. I kept walking, remembering that he sometimes went into the forest. I pulled out my phone to use the flashlight. Trying to step quietly, I continued down the path. I saw some dim lights ahead and heard a deep chanting. I came to the clearing with the circle of stones. Finnegan was standing in the center with his arms raised and his head thrown back and chanting sonorously. He was wearing only a necklace, which I couldn't make out the pendant on it from where I was, a pair of dark pants with a leather belt where the end of it was hanging down the front, some boots and some wrist guards. He looked less like my fantasy prince, and more like a medieval Celtic warrior.
I had been standing there taking in the scene before me when his chant finished, and he brought his arms down, outstretched in front of him and palms facing me, eyes closed.
A jolt of energy hit me square in the chest, and everything became unbearably bright. When I could finally move again, my face was in the ground. I lifted my head, but found that I no longer had arms! Or legs for that matter. Everything was blurry, and I was scared. I tried to call out to Finnegan, but I couldn't talk either. I was so cold, and moving so slowly. I turned my body, for that was all I found I could do, and I saw a black and white snake tail. I jerked away from it, but it was attached to me. I flicked my long, forked tongue out instinctively and tasted Finnegan's scent along with all the earthiness that surrounded me.
OH NO! I realized I WAS the snake. Finnegan approached me, wide-eyed and terrified, his hands delicately reaching for me. He held my entire body up, for I was only about two feet long, growing more terrified as he looked me over. My eyesight was blurry, but I could see his body heat, glowing like a relief beacon for my new cold-blooded form. I began my ascent of his arm and coiled myself around his shoulder and along the front of his throat.
"Oh, Gods, what have I done?" I heard him whisper, stroking my body and gingerly bending to pick up my phone, my coat, and the backpack I dropped when I transformed, then briskly hurrying back to the house, trying not to jostle me around too much as he moved. His heartrate was racing.