Perspectives: 19

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Josie

Josie’s triumph

Perspectives:

a novel with eight voices


by Louise Anne Smithson


Karen — sister of Sue (Saturday 30th July 2011)

 
We suspected that Mum might have been plotting something special for Josie, after all the dress she was going to wear did look lovely, and she was the only one among us who was small enough to be able to wear it. When Josie left us an hour early, pleading aching feet, we realised what was happening. There were a couple of sour comments about ‘favouritism’, from Jenny and Sue when we got back to our rooms, but I soon put a stop to them.

‘Come on you two, Josie has done a lot for us over the last week. It is only through her co-operation that we are here, and had the opportunity to perform so well last night. The least we can do is to be nice to her this evening.’

‘I suppose so,’ said Jenny, ‘but I’m going to have a lot of ammunition in future if I ever have any trouble from my so-called brother.’

‘Remember your promise, Jenny,’ I said.

‘Oh don’t worry, I won’t actually say anything to anybody, but that doesn’t mean that I might not threaten to do so.’

I left them to get changed and went to the room that I shared with Josie to have a shower and get changed myself. When I got there I found Aunt Carol getting herself ready, apparently having been evicted from her room by Mum and Josie. There was no problem, however, as she’d already taken her shower and got dressed by the time I arrived and was just fixing her makeup. By the time I emerged from the shower she was almost ready and about to leave, but seemed to be waiting to ask me something.

‘Tell me, Karen, how do you find sharing a hotel room with Josie?’

‘It’s fine,’ I said. ‘We get on well together. She’s tidy and considerate, which is more than can be said for my sister.’

‘But you wouldn’t have wanted to share a hotel room with Joe?’

‘Good heavens no; it would be so embarrassing. I wouldn’t know what to say to him,’ I replied.

‘I see,’ said Aunt Carol and left me to continue to get myself ready.

As soon as I was finished I re-joined Sue and Jenny in their room. Sue was also ready, but Jenny was a little way behind us as she’d had to wait to use the shower. I must say that Sue looked pretty good in her costume and I even wondered whether she might have a chance in the competition later. She and I were busy admiring one another’s efforts when Josie and Mum appeared and quite took the wind out of all our sails. Josie looked absolutely stunning and I’m afraid there was no comparison between my sister and her.

‘Just look at you!’ I said, hardly able to believe my eyes.

’You look very nice in that outfit,’ added Sue, probably now realising that her own ambitions had just taken a dive.

Jenny, who had her back to the door as she was putting the finishing touches to her own eyes now turned and caught sight of her new sister. Her jaw visibly dropped.

‘Wow! The shame of it, being put in the shade by my own little bro.. I mean sister.’

Jenny clearly didn’t know what else to say, so I started to tell Josie how lovely she looked when Aunt Carol suddenly re-appeared. She took one look at her and she too gasped audibly. It also took her a second or two to know how to react.

‘How are you feeling Josie?’ she asked.

‘Nervous, but I think I’m alright,’ she replied.

‘Well you certainly look stunning.’

‘In fact you all do,’ she added in what was clearly an afterthought.

Josie looked both bashful but also quite pleased with herself. Jenny continued to look flabbergasted.

‘I’m going to have to get myself ready, but there’s no reason why the rest of you shouldn’t go down to the ballroom now,’ said Mum.

The second competition was going to be judged solely on the basis of the best costumes worn. In the first round all of the contestants paraded before the audience, who then were each permitted to vote for five men and five women to go through to the next round. The five contestants of each sex, who received the most votes, would then be interviewed in front of the audience, and the invited judges would vote for the most attractive male and female costumes. Both Josie and Sue made it through to this final group, and performed fairly well in front of the judges. Sue came over as the more confident and polished, whereas Josie came over as a shy and demure little thing but who looked truly gorgeous. I suspected that this would go down well with some of the guys in the audience.

‘How did you think we did Mum?’ Sue asked as they two both returned to our group to await the results.

‘Well I am biased, but I thought you both were great,’ answered Mum.

‘I don’t think I have ever been so nervous in my life, and I thought I was going to faint in this corset,’ said Josie.

‘You came across as two beautiful young women and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for both of you,’ I said.

The finalists were invited to return to the stage

‘Come on Josie, they’re about to announce the results,’ said Sue.

‘Sue please don’t run, remember, I have to move slowly in this dress’

They had just returned to their places in time to hear the results.

‘…. And the winner of the best female costume is …. Josie Stevenson’.

Josie walked on to the stage in a state of shock and disbelief. She was presented with a bunch of flowers and a Debenhams shopping voucher for two hundred pounds, whilst the audience applauded. She was then asked to hold the arm of the best male contestant, a good looking young man called Richard, and the pair did a circuit of the room together with the audience applauding. Before they left the stage the organiser reminded them that he hoped they would both be able to attend wearing their costumes the following morning for a photo shoot.

Josie was very much the centre of attention for the rest of the evening, receiving many congratulations from her new friends, and also from people she’d never seen before. She was asked to pose for many photographs. She was even asked to dance a few times but politely declined.

Sue took her defeat very well and was quite gracious, declaring that Josie deserved to win. Likewise, once Jenny had gotten over the shock of seeing her former little brother look so beautiful, saw the funny side of the events, even though she would not be able to share the joke with her other friends. Everyone seemed to take pleasure in Josie’s triumph and regard her success as a mutual project. Josie now seemed to enjoy being the centre of attention and admiration of the other competitors.

‘Aunt Jean, would you be able to help me get ready in my costume again tomorrow morning please? The organisers want to take some publicity photographs for next year’s event,’ said Josie as they were walking back to their rooms at the end of the evening.

‘Yes, but I’ll also need to help you take down your hair tonight as well so as not to spoil the flowers. I am afraid you will need to sleep in rollers as well so as not to spoil the styling,’ said Mum .

This last comment caused some amusement to Sue and Jenny who were walking with them.

‘See Josie, we warned you last night that you’d have to suffer some discomfort for the sake of your looks,’ commented Sue.

‘Believe me I already have been doing so wearing this corset, all evening,’ she answered.

‘But it was worth it since you won the first prize,’ I said.

‘Yes, I suppose it was,’ she replied.

Next time: Where do we go from here?
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Comments

Perspectives: 19

Jenny, or any of the others would be breaking their agreement if they were to tell the truth about Joe/Josie. Even threatening to do so can backfire if the wrong person overheard.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Shopping?

Isn't Josie going to use her newly won voucher for some new clothes?

_Bev_

Re Next time Louise!

Where do we go from here?

Where else! The sooner the better.

Were we supposed to hear her sing?

Great story thanks Louise.

hugs-

Age is an issue of mind over matter.
If you don't mind, it doesn't matter!
(Mark Twain)

LoL
Rita

"I Suppose It Was"

joannebarbarella's picture

Josie is elated beneath her casual comment, I'm sure. Every triumph she has is another nail in Joe's personality. I'm sure he's never coming back!