Terani's Broken Lips

Alexa

Terani lay in the settee, her tiny fair legs docked underneath the duvet, her lips shivered with cold. From a distance, one can still see the pinkish dot on her cheek like a makeover intentional for an outing. Today, she ought to join her secondary school alumni in the centenary celebration. The occasion had been one that she had looked forward to.

I would love to see my classmates and seniors again after a long while.

Unfortunately, she won't remember because of a fever. Every May, Terani is either admitted to the hospital or battling with a cold that usually breaks the tiny lining of her lips.
A few years ago, after a medical examination, she started to use a lip balm that seemed to work perfectly on her lips. But seeing the same symptoms again, just a few hours to attend the reunion event slated for later in the day, Terani became so emotional. Her head was buried in the bosom of the arms pillow on the couch, lean beads of tears rolled down and soaked on the pillow.

bzzzt! bzzzt!!

Her telephone landline rang but she refused to go near it. The caller must be one of the executives who were organizing the event. Terani was supposed to have responded to the invitation to attend the centenary celebration about twenty-four hours ago. Since these broken lips started, she has lost her mind and would not think as she ought to.

The buzzing sound of the telephone came on again, this time, so loud that it pierced her ears as she covered her head with the duvet that lazed her tiny legs.

Reluctantly, Terani rose from the couch, rolled towards the telephone, and picked up the call.

Hello, this is Amara calling from the Muson Centre, the venue of the ACHS centenary reunion party.

The caller spoke from the other end of the phone.

Oh! Thanks for calling. Is there any way you want me to help you, please?

Terani muttered with the upper palate of her mouth, she tried for the first time to speak using her lips but the severe pain wouldn't let her.

Sure. Your seat and classmates are still expecting you to join in the reunion party. We are now in the red carpet session.

Terani who is now fired up decided not to allow her torn lips to debar her from meeting with her friends and other schoolmates who she has not seen for so many years.

Alright Amara. I will join you all in a jiffy.

She ended the call, took her duvet to the bedroom, and went to the bath to wash off the oil that had gathered on her face from the previous day.

The washing did not take too long. Terani flapped her towel on the stool that is placed in front of her mirror stand. Wearing her shroud linen gown and started to dress her face with all sorts of facial ointment. By the time she was done, the thick lining on her lips caused by the cold had disappeared.
She appeared like a queen in her wine color dinner gown, silky and soft as the hot afternoon breeze blew across her whole body.

I am going to be the rave of the moment with my gown.

Terani wagged her waist as she walked through the long green lawn to veer into her porch car.
She drove with such a sense of mildness, caressing the wheel through the busy road to the MUSON Centre.
The first person that Terani saw was her stubborn seat partner, Michael. They never agreed on anything, not even to solve a simple arithmetic problem. Michael looked at her with a deep smile from the corner of his right eye, then opened his arms for a hug.

Is that your open arms for me?

Terani queried Michael with some sort of soprano voice while she walked like one a run way toward Michael. The hug she was holding back in her speech was given freely to Michael. The duo walked to the hall together with her broken lips unnoticed, thanks to the makeover.