The cloth was warm, and Mom dabbed carefully. It felt so nice, being taken care of after putting herself through the torture of this morning, that a few tears did slip out.

“Everything okay with you and Oliver?” Mom asked.

“Yes. He’s wonderful. But I don’t want him to know I did this.”

“What exactly was it that you did, honey?”

“Micwoneedwing, eyewash extensions, wip injections, Botox and teeth whitening. I wook wike an idiot, and I feel worse.”

“Why did you do all that, hm?”

If Juliet told her the truth, Mom would worry. She had enough on her plate these days. Plus, Barb hated when she couldn’t help, and there was no helping here. She’d be distressed to hear that Juliet was aging out, that there was that tremor in the Force that had become a constant rumble, that someone else was now the favorite child. She’d given everything to Juliet, and it would distress her no end to hear her daughter was struggling.

And so she said, “Kathy wecommended it, and she wooked gweat, so I gave it a shot.”

“Well, Kathy needs it, hon. You can tell she was a sun worshipper. Skin like leather. You don’t need anything. Okay. Let’s take a look at these silly lashes.” She smiled. “You girls. So beautiful, and always trying new things when you don’t need to. Hold still and I’ll trim these a little.”

“Thanks, Mama.”

Yes. Forty-three years old and still calling her mother mama. Sometimes, Juliet thought her mom was the only person with whom she could be one hundred percent herself.

It was such a relief.

An hour later, the redness had faded. Her lips were less numb (though hardly at all fuller). Her lashes looked thick but not fake. “Looks like you had a little allergic reaction,” Mom said, and there it was, the perfect lie, the thing she could tell her husband and children.

“I love you, Mom.” Looked like she had her l’s back.

“I love you, too, sweetheart. So much. Oh! I’m having a little dinner party this weekend. You and Oliver are invited, of course. I’m inviting the event planner who’s helping with the town’s anniversary, she’s just been wonderful. And she’s single, and Sadie’s bringing her single teacher friend from New York. And you know, Sadie has no friends here, so I figured I’d get a little business done and help Sadie, too. Caro and Ted are coming, and I thought maybe it would do your father some good, having folks around. Can you make it? Friday night around seven.”

“I’ll call Riley and see if she can babysit,” Juliet said. “Thanks, Mom. Let me know what I can bring.”