The next day I got home before anyone else. As usual I dropped my bag in the hall and took my shoes off. I walked into the dining room and couldn’t help but notice the make up that Suzie had used last night was on the table. I stood for. A moment in silence wondering if it had been left there to taunt me following my debut as a make up model, or just a coincidence.

I was curious, not sure why but I picked up the lipstick that had been used. ‘Pretty in pink’. Something compelled me to look at it. I took the lid off and slowly twisted the coloured stick up. I was just twisting it back as the back door flew open and in walked mum and Sophie,

‘Well, what do we have here?’ Said Sophie.

‘Looks like someone is taking an interest in your wedding make up Sophie’ mum chuckled ‘it’s a lovely colour, I’m sure it would suit you, do you want to try it on sweetheart?’

‘No it’s ok, um, thanks’ is all I could manage.

Sophie winked. I put the lid back on, put it back on the table, made my excuses and left [quickly] feeling a little embarrassed.

The next morning I stayed in bed until mum had left for work. Annie was out at a friends so just Sophie at home, and me.

After a quick wash, walking past Sophie’s room
I heard her quietly sobbing so I knocked on the door and went in. She was upset as she had arranged to meet Suzie for an evening make up rehearsal, but Suzie had let her down and she was getting more anxious about being ready for the day. I was puzzled that the evening make up was that much different from the day make up but she explained that Suzie was there for the day, and she would be doing it for the evening. She wanted to practice so everything would be perfect. I apologised I couldn’t help and started to leave when she dried her eyes and said ‘actually, you can!’

‘Oh, you don’t mean!?’ I replied.

‘Yes, it’s ok it won’t take as long as it did the other night and i promise it will help me feel better.’

‘Ok, but in half an hour I’m taking it off, no pictures and we never talk of it again’

‘Ok’ then a wink.

She sat me at her dressing table and started.

I’m not sure how I again found myself in this predicament but Sophie seemed to really cheer up at the prospect of being able to practice, so I thought maybe it was the right thing to do.

She started with a light dusting of foundation ‘just to even things up’ she said, then straight into the colour on my eyes. I must’ve been shivering a little but she didn’t stop as she moved between my eyes first applying the same pinks and blues as the first time but she said in the evening the look needed to be more dramatic and glamorous so she added a darker blue and was happy when she thought they were smokey ‘enough’..

‘Ahh, you’re shivering, she said to break the silence.

‘Yeah, I’m a bit cold just sitting here in my underwear!’ I said sarcastically ‘can I go and grab a TShirt?’

‘It’s ok I have just the thing’ she replied and picked up a black garment.

She slid it over my head while my arms were held upright as instructed, careful not to mess up my foundation and smokey eyes, she said. It was very soft, it was thick shiny material and very stretchy but it didn’t cling to my body and was over me so fast I couldn’t work out what it was. Some thick straps seemed to hang down in front of me and it kind of bunched up at my waist but no time to complain as we were on to finishing my makeover with final touches to my eyes and then on to my lips.

I was pleased that it didn’t take nearly as long to complete my [my!?] make up as the first time. Black mascara was added, but with a promise that it wasn’t the same long lasting one Suzie used. Sophie did apply a thicker line of eyeliner that seemed to go further out of the corner of my eye that she said was the best way to wear it for full effect in the evening.

‘Ok, now your favourite part’ she said smiling.

‘Huh?’ I replied, then I could see what she meant.

She lined my lips with a dark red outline, no lip plumping this time but the colour was darker and bolder, more definite that the pinks from before. ‘Ok’ she started to explain ‘ we want a long lasting movie star smile for you, really glamorous for the evening’
She chose a lipstick from her selection that was called ‘Ruby Movie Star’. She kept eye contact as she took the lid off the red and black tube and twisted the dark red perfumed stick up. Applying it first to my bottom lip, then the top, she asked me to smooth my lips together and open my mouth slightly for a second coat. She made me blot it onto a tissue then a final touch up before she stood back and confirmed i was ‘ready, except a couple of finishing touches’

She asked me to stand up, I complied. Then with what seemed like one sweeping motion she pulled the bottom of the black silky material, that she had slipped on me earlier, until is settled about mid thigh, stepped behind me pulling up the two thick straps that were hanging down in front of me then crossed them behind my neck and then tied them. It was only in that moment I realised I had been wearing a little black dress while she worked on my face.

‘Hey!’ I said, but almost resigned to the fact I now had to let her have her fun.

‘It’s ok’ she said ‘it’s a ruffle hem halter neck mini dress [a little black dress] and it fits you perfectly, although you could do with a bit more chest but it’s ok for now. Let’s finish your face and you’ll be all set [set for what?]

She dusted my cheeks with a rose blusher, for a bit of colour she said would help me stay looking slightly ‘flushed’, added a silver hair band to hold back my hair then pulled a few strands forward to soften the look and make it look a bit more ‘feminine’ [her words] and then added a delicate silver necklace with a heart charm on it to my exposed neck, and slipped a matching charm bracelet on to my wrist.

‘All Done’ she stood back to admire her work ‘now I’m starving, shall we go downstairs for some lunch?’

‘No way’. I said ‘not until I take all this off!’

‘Oh we can’t stay up here all day silly! And, Well’ a devilish grin spread over her face ‘until mum gets home we don’t have any make up remover, and it’s not going to come off without it’.

I was trapped. Then she took a photo!

‘Sophie! What the hell….’

‘Oh don’t be such a worrier, it’s just a photo. I tell you what, I’ll get all dolled up too and then we’ll both look like we’re ready for a night out while we have lunch waiting for mum and the make up remover. We can come back upstairs before mum gets home and change you back, if you want to’ a wink ‘it’ll be fun and you have cheered me up today’

‘Ok’ feeling like I didn’t really have a choice ‘I’ll come downstairs with you, but only for a short time’.

She sat at her dressing table for what seemed like ages. She dusted her eyes with a dark grey for a Smokey finish, heavy eyeliner and mascara like mine [mine!?], blusher dusted on to her cheeks and the same deep red lipstick. She changed into a long satin dress with a similar neckline as the one I was wearing but hers was longer with a split up one side, all the way to the top of her thigh. She looked amazing.

While she was getting ready she also suggested I slip on some tights to keep me from getting too cold. I did as she asked but it turned out the bundle of material she gave me were hold up stockings, not tights.

‘Ready?’ She said

‘As I’ll ever be’ I replied.

Before we left the room my phone rang, it was Katie, on a FaceTime call! ‘I can’t answer this’ I said ‘what would she say if she saw her boyfriend all dolled up ready for a girls night out’ [yes I really did say that!]. Sophie snatched the phone out my hands and answered.

‘Hi, Sophie. Wow you’re looking gorgeous today, what’s the occasion?’ Said the voice on the phone.

‘Oh, just playing dress up’ Sophie replied as she winked at me.

‘Is he there’ Katie said.

‘Hang on, I’ll see’ Sophie replied.

Sophie turned to me ‘oh what a predicament’ she said ‘you have two choices…1: I hand you the phone and she sees you looking all gorgeous and glamorous or 2: I make an excuse for you!?’

‘Ok, make an excuse’ I replied with very little choice.

‘Ahh, sorry Katie’ she said uncovering the phone ‘he’s not feeling very well and can’t come to the phone right now’ and hung up. Great I thought, I’ll have some explaining to do later!

‘You owe me for that! Come on then’ Sophie said ‘downstairs’

So I followed. With every step I was aware of my webbed stockinged feet, the cool material of the skirt brushing against the occasional bare skin of my thigh, above the stockings. When I blinked I was aware of my powdered, heavily outlined, Smokey eyes but the main reminder of my current situation was the taste of my lips and each time I spoke they were very slightly tacky which I am sure I would get used to with time but for now a completely new sensation.

Sophie fixed us some lunch and made me a rum and Coke to calm my nerves. I felt very exposed but now downstairs Sophie reassured me and played the big sister of looking after me. We chatted about the wedding plans, we Watched some tv, Sophie made me fix my lipstick at one point as she said it had worn away a little with the food and drink, then a second rum and coke and I had almost forgotten about what I was wearing when we heard the key in the front door! ‘Shit’ I yelled out.

‘Shh, I’ll help you’ said Sophie [help me!?]

The lounge was next to the hall that led straight upstairs. Annie had come home and Sophie popped her head out the door without fully opening it. They spoke for a brief moment and Annie trotted straight upstairs.

‘There’ sophie said ‘she went straight up to her room. She said I looked lovely and I am sure if she saw you she would say the same!’

‘But she’s not going to see me!’ I replied ‘I need to get upstairs and take this all off!’

‘We need to wait for the make up remover little sis’ she smiled at me, clearly enjoying it.

We waited a while, more TV and me getting more and more anxious with Sophie clearly enjoying it.

Then the doorbell rang. It was mum with too many shopping bags preventing her from using her key.

‘Ok’ said Sophie ‘I’ll help you again, this will be the third time and you’ll owe me three times now!’ she whispered with a big grin ‘I’ll open the door to mum, take her straight into the kitchen, you sneak upstairs and I’ll meet you in my room, ok?’

I didn’t really have any choice ‘ok!’

The Door bell ring again. Sophie let mum in and they talked about her dress and make up. Mum gushed at how lovely she looked and they went to the kitchen. I sneaked out of the room. I ran upstairs hoping I wouldn’t see Annie and straight into Sophie’s room. Now there it felt like ages and I got bored, quickly. The make up was all over the dressing table and again I felt compelled to have a better look. No idea why, was I starting to enjoy the attention? The lipstick was on the table in front of me and Sophie walked in just as I opened the tube.

‘Want some more’ she chucked at me.

‘No’ [well what else could I say!] ‘not today, I think I’ve had enough!’

‘Ok’ she said ‘I’ll let you get changed as long as you agree now that you owe me three times. In return I won’t share the photos and the video I took of you fixing your own lipstick earlier while we were downstairs, and pulling on your stockings earlier, will stay our secret!’

‘Oh my god, what!’ I knew I was heading for more embarrassment ‘ok, ok I owe you three times! Now please, give me the remover’

Before she gave me the make up remover I had to write out three owing slips. They said ‘I Owe you! I promise to do as you ask, when you ask, to help you with your wedding planning on production of this owing slip’ I signed and dated them as instructed and handed them to her.

Finally satisfied she gave it to me. ‘Here’ she said handing me the tube of liquid ‘go for it’

I took it from her and went to the bathroom. It took a while but I managed to clear all traces of make up from my face. I couldn’t untie the neck of the dress (I suspect she tied it so tight so I couldn’t) so had to ask for Sophie’s help which she seemed to find very amusing, her bare faced brother standing in front of her, asking for her help, wearing a little black dress!

Dress off I returned to my usual TShirt and jeans. I handed back the dress, stockings and hairband to Sophie just in time for dinner.

Not much was said at dinner but at one point mum did ask me about my necklace that I had forgotten to take off. I just said it was Katie’s she left behind the other day but Sophie and I knew why I was wearing it. Sophie grinned at me a few times during dinner.

I went to bed early, relieved the day was over. I text Katie a few times but she didn’t reply. Just as I was drifting off to sleep a feint knock at the door was Sophie.

‘Goodnight sweetie’ she whispered ‘thanks for today, I had fun. I have left a few things for you in your top drawer and wardrobe, you can keep them. See you tomorrow’ and blew me a kiss.

I didn’t reply and waited a few minutes before looking for the ‘things’ she mentioned. It seemed I now owned that little black dress, some accessories and even a few bits of make up including the lipstick. There was even a set of purple satin and lace underwear (panties, bra and what looked like just a pile of straps I would later learn were suspenders for the stockings) in the pile of gifts that Sophie had put in my room there was a note that simply said ‘for next time x’.

I thought about returning the dress and everything else straight away but decided it might cause a commotion and didn’t want mum or Annie hearing and getting involved so I decided it would be best just to leave it for another time.

To be continued….