Its wings lightly fluttered. The movement was as imperceptible as the motion of the wind to the common eye, but Jenny was able to see it even through her peripheral vision.
Only in the interim between being fully alert and awaking from a deep slumber was this angel so wicked in its teasing. The cherubic face camouflaged its underlying mischievous nature.
Sometimes it would play its guitar, although Jenny could not hear the melody. She would simply perceive the elegant movements of its tiny hands glide over the musical instrument.
That is the sole reason why Jenny slept with the bedside lamp on. She wanted to catch the angel in action. There was no sunlight yet when it was time to wake up.
By 6:00 am she had to be ready to start the long day ahead.
-“I saw you, you know.” Jenny said to the image of the angel posted on the wall next to her small bed. She smiled because whenever she caught it in action; she felt that she was not so alone. Perhaps he watched over her during her sleep she mused, as she quickly dressed in something warm.
Softly closing the door to her room, Jenny walked up the stairs to the first floor bathroom. She washed her face and teeth, and saved the bath time for later in the morning. She had too many chores to do in the morning, and was strictly forbidden from making too much noise before 7:30 am.
Jenny did not need the booster to accommodate her to the sink anymore. She had had a growth spurt in the past two years, and although slight of stature and girth, there was unmistakable evidence that she had developed into a young woman of sixteen.
With the expediency and efficiency of a professional chef, Jenny simultaneously prepared both breakfast and a full meal for lunch. She boiled the water in the large pot for rice, as well as more water in a slightly smaller pot for oatmeal.
While those were gathering steam, she quickly chopped vegetables for the scrambled eggs, and plenty more for the stew. She started with the potatoes though, since those were slower to cook.
Jenny’s face was flushed from the vapor of the aromatic stew, and of the other three fires at full burn. She had to halt the coffee making process as her name was yelled from above.
-“Jenny, you stupid girl! Where is my red dress? I TOLD YOU yesterday that it had to be hand washed and pressed. Where the hell are you?” Myrna yelled from the second floor.
-“I’m coming! It’s in my room, I had pressed it last night, and I forgot to take it upstairs. One moment please, while I turn off the stove!” Jenny did as told at a frantic speed.
-“Here, I’m sorry.” Jenny said as she transferred the impeccable dress to Myrna’s hands. She was careful to look down at the floor, so as not to incur more of her wrath.
-“Stay here. I need you to help me zip the back.” Myrna said as she quickly donned the tailored dress. “Push harder! How can you be so inept?”
-“I am trying, but it is stuck! The zipper refuses to budge." Jenny said as she waited for to be blamed for this as well.
-“Wait! Just unzip it, I need to take this off for a moment!” Myrna said as she struggled into an industrial type full- body girdle.
-“Okay, now I am going to lean over the dresser, and you should be able to zip it up. Try it now.”
After struggling for five minutes, the zipper was conquered, although Myrna’s breasts seemed to be flattened like massive pancakes. The seams were over extended, and threatened immediate dissent.
-“Oh great, I forgot to put on my pantyhose, and shoes, and there’s no way I can bend now. Jenny, get the taupe control top panty hose from the drawer, and my brown pumps. I need you to put those on for me.”
Jenny knelt down on the floor next to the bed and while she rolled on the pantyhose over Myrna’s feet, she avoided staring at the corns and darkened toenails for too long. That would seem rude.
To be continued…
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