Edward peeked into his parents’ bedroom. He saw his mom busy applying something on her face. He had learned more than once that she was not one to disturb when she was doing something.
He tiptoed quietly behind his mother and watched her from a safe distance.
“Hi honey!” Edward was surprised to hear a jovial tone in his mother’s voice.
“Need anything, sweety?”
“What are you doing, mommy?”
“Putting on makeup, dear,” she eyed him from the mirror as she simultaneously spread some cream on her cheeks.
“Makeup? Like in school?”
“Nooo! Silly!” His mom giggled.
“This is to make mom look better!
“But you’re already pretty, mommy!” Edward contested.
“Awww! You’re such a sweet thing! Are you sure you didn’t come here to ask me for something?” She was flattered with what Ed said.
“So why do you have to put it on?” Edward was not one to give up on his questions easily.
“[SIGH] How do I explain it to you dear?” She continued spreading the cream.
“Mom and Dad have to go to a party. So Mommy has to fix herself up so she would look a little better.”
“Then makeup is like putting on a mask?”
“Not really, just something that would make your face a little different,” she tried explaining.
“What’s that you’re putting on now?”
“Oh, this white cream? It’s called foundation.”
Edward was now standing beside his mother, looking at the array of tubes, containers and flasks.
“This is like the school laboratory!” he exclaimed.
“What’s the orange tube?”
“That is used to darken my skin a bit, honey!”
“Mommy, when do you know when to stop putting on makeup!”
“Well, I guess when I’m satisfied,” she said.
“But you said before you’re hard to satisfy,” Edward recalled.
“That was for something different, dear,” she smiled and started with her eyelashes.
“So when will you be satisfied with your makeup, Mommy?”
“When the mirror says so,” she joked.
“You mean like Snow White?”
“That was a different mirror, dear. I meant, when I see that my face is how I want it to be.”
“Will I like it more than the face without makeup?”
“That depends,” she nudged him mischievously on the tummy.
“Why don’t you be a little useful, young man. Fetch me the box of tissue paper in the bathroom, will you?”
Edward goes to the bathroom and brings the box.
“Why doesn’t daddy put on makeup, Mommy?”
“Men don’t really need it.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a woman thing,” she was getting a little impatient with his unending questions.
She then started looking for her lipstick. There were three colors, and wanting to make her son feel useful, she showed them to him.
“Well, young man. What color do you think will make mommy beautiful?”
“Didn’t you say it’s a woman thing, Mommy?” he shrugged his shoulders indifferently.
“Yeah, I know! But I’m just asking you to help me pick a color.”
“Why don’t you put all three then, Mommy?”
“Of course not! I would look like a clown!”
“At least you would look funny!” he started to laugh.
“Now go on dear, why don’t you tell Daddy I’m almost done,” she felt hopeless and decided to end his wise remarks.
“Okay. Thank you for the makeup lesson, Mommy.”
“Anytime dear!”
Edward goes to the living room where he finds his father impatiently waiting for his mother.
“Is Mom ready yet?”
“She said she will be out soon,” he replied.
“What’s taking that woman so long?”
“I guess she can’t decide on what face to put on, Daddy!”
“What!”