Though my brothers loved me, it wasn’t like they were going to spend their time thoughtfully decorating my space. And of course the nicest thing my parents had ever done was give me a used yo-yo for my birthday when I was four. But Tess had spent time and effort to do something nice for me.
Maybe she doesn’t dislike me as much as she claimed.
I ran my hand along the edge of the desk. “I might actually have to keep living here even after Greg executes his grand plan.”
“What plan?” Tess asked.
“Never mind,” I said hastily. I didn’t need Greg’s ire turned back in my direction.
“Did you all get your rooms set up?” I asked my sisters, hoping to change the subject.
They nodded, and I followed them down the hall to their rooms. The rooms were sweet, tasteful, and not covered in neon rainbows. Enola’s room was a powder blue with white trim. In the center was a large white rug and a little desk with colorful art supplies.
Annie’s room was pink but not a neon pink. The bedroom had more of a retro vibe with round globe lights, a floating desk with a little gray pouf stool, and big pieces of artwork on the wall.
“These are great rooms,” I told the girls. “I might have to move in here.”
“No!” they said, giggling.
“We tried to keep it classy,” Enola said.
“Did you keep it classy too?” I teased Tess.
“She did not,” Enola replied.
“Ouch,” Tess said. “Unlike you, I never got to live out my childhood bedroom fantasies. To the late nineties, here we go!”
I was speechless when we walked into Tess’s bedroom.
“I think I’m going to have a stroke,” I finally said. The room was painted multiple colors, including bright purple, hot pink, and a toxic shade of yellow. The hardwood floor was covered with a neon tie-dye rug with a giant unicorn. From the ceiling hung a huge chandelier. It was the type of fixture designed for the foyer of a mansion, not someone’s bedroom. The bed was a huge four-poster number with curtains. The fainting couch and the beanbag chair occupied opposite corners of the room. The whole effect was psychedelic Victorian.
“It’s like being inside of your head,” I said. “It’s shocking you’re able to get anything done.”
25
Tess
“And Beck just let you buy all of this?” Holly asked as I showed off my new bedroom on Monday. Maeve looked over her shoulder at the pictures and whistled.
“Wow, you are really channeling your inner thirteen-year-old self.”
“And she is very happy,” I said.
“I love the girls’ rooms,” Holly cooed. “They’re so sweet!”
“Yeah, they tried to use being tired from decorating as an excuse not to go to school,” I told my friends. “But I can’t babysit them anymore, honestly. I’m so behind on work.”
“She says as she has her second cup of coffee of the day and her third pastry,” Maeve teased.
“Hey, I had a hard weekend!”
“All that shopping and pool lounging and going to fancy restaurants must be so difficult!”
“I was babysitting and doing enrichment activities,” I said primly.
“Translation, you were baking and watching reality TV shows.”
“I’m going to make the most out of my brush with luxury.” I ate my chocolate croissant.
