This wouldn't do at all, the matriarch of the Carlyle household tallied herself as her tongue felt around the corners of her mouth. Not at all, nor would she stand for much more of it.
One grayed eyebrow raised suddenly, hooked like a fish in a lake, as she eyed the spread upon the table. The white cloth certainly went well with the silver, she applauded, but something definitely seemed to be missing. As the other brow furrowed, showing a bit of age in the wrinkles it caused on her forehead, Ms. Carlyle adjusted the spotless serving platter from the center of the table to slightly off to the left of the center of the table; she usually found that a bit of askew amongst the perfection made things seems a bit more homey. After all, this was Alice's first night home since the semester had started in early August. She only had two weeks to make sure that her daughter was getting the finest quality education, and things had to feel nice and cozy for her little girl'
No, she didn't like it. Shaking her head, Ms. Carlyle corrected her previous movement of the silver platter. It would have to do, she reasoned, until she could place some decorative thistle around the lip of the ornate platter. Of course when tonight's meal was ready, the table would seem much less empty.
Dallying out the fine china in four sections, one for each member of the Carlyle family, the brooding housemom paused to check her reflection in a spotless silver spoon. Her platinum blonde hair had fallen slightly from her desired volume, one stray lock of quicksilver out of place and quickly smoothed back into her normal 'do. Bringing the utensil closer to her countenance, she checked her makeup. Not too much, though not too little; she was a very sensible woman in the sense of fashion. A little went a long way, as far as looks were concerned.
And she was a naturally good looking woman, too. Her features were soft, though defined in the same sense as the delicate swatch of a painter's brush. A jaw that was strong, though not masculine, and lent a tidy angle to the lower half of her face. Well-placed makeup hid the crow's feet she had developed over time, thankfully for her those were the least of her troubles'though the slight laugh lines developing around the corners of her mouth were a little troubling to her, if not to anyone else.
'Jan, stop it.' Came a sensible voice from behind her, 'She's our daughter, not the Pope. I'm sure she won't mind if your makeup's a little sloppy.'
Ms. Carlyle turned to face her husband of twenty-two years, discontent at his suggestion barely hid by the pursing of her lips and the slight widening of her eyes. 'Honey,' she began slowly as he wrapped himself around her, a wry smile forming between his own wrinkles, 'You know I just want everything perfect. It's been so long since she's been home, so long since I've seen her''
'So she probably won't even remember how the dinner table looks!' said her husband with a smile, 'Hell, I don't think she's ever seen the china outside the cabinet before. Relax a little, okay?'
He brought her in close, their torsos meeting awkwardly as their spines bent to accommodate this new angle. He smiled, his cheeks dimpling as the slight shadow he'd developed over the course of the work day dimpled along with it. Her face tugged to the left as she fought back a grin of her own, until he squeezed her bottom.
'Jack!' she cried out, 'The girls'll be home any minute!'
'Wouldn't be the first time they'd caught us kissing, would it Ms. Claus?' Mr. Carlyle's grin turned surly as his eyebrows jumped seductively. There was a family tradition in their home in where he would dress up as Santa on Christmas morn to hand out presents, while Ms. Carlyle had her own of drinking a little too much eggnog. Needless to say, a two-daughter chorus of 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus' was a bit of a tradition in itself.
'Shoo fly, don't bother me.' She sighed, exasperated by the whole ordeal as well as her husband's lack of cooperation in its execution, 'They say that sort of thing can damage a child permanently' I'm starting to think that's what happened to Mel.'
'Hey now, don't be like that.' Jack corrected her gently, 'She'll be out of our hair this time next month when the Spring Semester starts''
'Oh wonderful! Where she'll live in a dorm away from me and do as she sees fit? Lord, knowing her she'll eat herself round as a beachball before Summer!'
'Jan, you know you don't mean that.' Jack said crossly, 'And you said you'd stop harping Mel about her weight.'
'Yes I did, but I distinctly remember saying that it was my New Year's Resolution.'
'Jaaaaan''
'Oh' fine.' She huffed, very much resembling her daughters in her bout of girlish loss, 'It's just... I worry about her being so big, its unhealthy! All she does is lounge around all day, wasting her Winter away! And now Alice is going to that Academy' I'm worried that''
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
'Oh! Oh! That's them!' Ms. Carlyle jumped excitedly, color returning to her face as an earnest smile creased her lips, 'Now no more talk of this Mel business, we've got to make sure that Alice has a wonderful time back home! Go on, straighten your tie and' ooh Jack, examine your zipper!' she jerked the metal contraption upwards in a sudden motion, 'Honestly, what am I going to do with you?'
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
'Coming sweetheart!' she cooed lovingly to the unopened door, 'Just a moment!'
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