Chapter 15/16
Rosa has no idea why she has been asked by her parents to sit down with them in the living room tonight. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the holidays are rapidly coming to a close and the "serious side of life" will soon begin again? Do the parents want to ask her to be on her best behaviour at the new university?
The girl shortly after realizes this to be a mistake, because the parents make her a proposal instead: they had discussed it with each other and would like to suggest something to their daughter:
A few weeks ago, when she got her braces, Rosa had behaved in an exemplary manner. It was clearly visible that she was not very fond of her braces in the first few days - Rosa sticks her tongue out at her parents - and yet she wore her headgear without complaining. And that hasn't changed in the last few weeks.
That deserves respect, her mother explains: "You're doing much better than I secretly feared. I confess, you are doing even better than I had hoped. I'm a little proud of you!"
Rosalynn can't stop the corners of her mouth from twisting into a flattered grin and her cheeks from turning red. "You know, mom, the worst part was when I had to put the headgear on for the first time at home. When I had to realise that it wasn't a bad dream but that Dr. Coleman really gave me this metal bow to wear. That I really do have to wear such a stupid device now and that it's going to stay like that for a few months now..."
That metal bow around her face and the cushion at the back of her head were indeed incredibly annoying for the first few days. The pull on her molars; the constant feeling of something between her lips; the pressure on the back of her neck and the glint in the corners of her eyes: All this had felt absolutely awful and unfamiliar.
Then Rosa laughs; her hands play with the fringes of a sofa cushion. "But the first night with it was a thousand times worse. Oh man, did I HATE that!" She almost spits out that word as she is reminded of said night.
Her parents nod and her father replies almost gently, "And yet you continued to wear the brace without us having to admonish you much and you put it back in the second night too!"
Rosa blushes as she admits, "But only for one reason: I only continued because mom had worn one as a child. And she promised me that it wouldn't be as bad as I imagined..." Again she laughs, a hard laugh, "And for the first few days, everything REALLY sucked. I was REALLY hoping mom was right."
Then she shrugs and turns directly to her mother, "And I was ready - like REALLY ready - to throw the whole thing in your face if it had NOT gotten better after a few days..."
"I was lucky then," smiles the mother. And the father adds, "Since you didn't throw a tantrum, I think we can assume that it has actually gotten better by now, can't we?"
"A tiny bit". Then she smiles and flicks her index finger against the silver metal bow that spans around her face at that moment. "Do I wear this thing now or not?"
The first hours and days were really bad. And yet at the same time somehow less bad than she had feared. And there are two reasons for that: Her mother and her friends. Because both had declared in their respective ways that it would be annoying during the first few days, that she could however get used to the braces in the end. And these assurances - from two different and independent sides - had helped her keep her nerve.
A look back: She got her braces only a few hours ago. She sits at her - new - game console and tries to concentrate on the game. But she finds it difficult, because the pressure on her molars is unfamiliar and uncomfortable.
But not really bad yet. And the braces are just starting to make the rest of her teeth sensitive. The orthodontist had warned that it would get worse over the next few hours and days before it gets better, but - at least for now - it is still bearable!
Seeing the reflections of the metal bow from the corners of her eyes; the feeling of constantly having something between her lips and the pressure of the neck pad on her neck; all of that is - at least for now - much more annoying to the girl than the onset of toothache. But even that she can ignore more or less as long as her mind is occupied by the game she's playing.
Another thing is far worse than all of the previous things put together:
According to the way her lips and cheeks feel, they must have been torn apart and cut to shreds by the sharp-edged brackets by now. This is far worse than she had imagined, despite all the wax she applied to the brackets.
Asked how it felt to get braces, her friends at school had warned her about exactly that. At the same time, however, they promised her that she would quickly get used to the pricking. In a few days it would be much better and in a few weeks at the latest she would have forgotten that she was wearing braces at all. For the girl, this still sounds like a fairy tale, but Rosa wants to believe her friends. After all, they have had braces for a longer time than herself and know what they are talking about.
The only trouble is that her friends can't help her with the "bridle issue". Firstly, because she hadn't told her friends yet that she had to wear such a thing and secondly, because none of them - as far as she knows - had to wear headgear.
But there is someone who has fist-hand experience with that: Her MOTHER had to endure such a treatment device as a child! And hadn't her mother promised her several times that it wouldn't be so bad? And she must know! Of course - can't be more obvious - the mother doesn't want to drive her daughter crazy and therefore won't tell her "everything", but.... but Rosa wants to believe her mother nonetheless.
If her friends promised that she would get used to her braces quickly and without any problems, and if her mother promised that she could also get used to the headgear....
The braces are far more inconspicuous than the headgear, but no less uncomfortable at the moment! Right now, everything in her mouth feels pointy and sharp, everything is new and uncomfortable. The "dull" pressure on her neck is even better to bear than the pricking of the wires of her braces. At the moment everything is just awful! It's nearly impossible to tell where the braces end and the headgear begins... Everything kind of "blends" together to a "mouthful of braces".
But if she can get used to ONE part - and Rosa has no doubt that she WILL get used to the braces - then why not the OTHER? Maybe - hopefully - the nagging sensation of feeling the metal bow between her lips will be as normal to her in a few weeks as the braces will be by then?
Back in the here and now: Rosa absentmindedly runs a hand through her hair. She had decided a few weeks ago to let her hair grow out so that she could hide at least part of the headgear underneath.
When she had got her braces, it wasn't long enough to hide the blue neck pad. Even now it is not quite long enough, but she is well on her way. In a few weeks it will finally have grown long enough for that!
Not that this will be of much use, Rosa after all has absolutely no desire to wear her headgear "outside". Her mother had said that it was enough if she wore the brace at home and Rosa intends to stick to that. Apart from her parents - and her three friends from High School - no one will ever see her wearing it.
So she didn't really need to let her hair grow. And yet it is somehow "reassuring" to know that - when push comes to shove - in a few weeks no one will be able to notice that she has to wear headgear. At least from behind. Unfortunately, that doesn't help against glances from the side or the front. The neck pad can be hidden, but the silver bow cannot.
But as said, she doesn't plan on wearing the headgear where she could run into "strangers" anyway. So everything is more or less cool!
As the mother continues, she interrupts her daughter's train of thought: "We would like to suggest something to you: You have worked so hard in the last few weeks; you have tried so earnestly to get used to your braces.... We think that this is not something we could have expected and that it deserves a reward. What do you think?"
The corners of Rosa's mouth point upwards. She is immensely pleased. Less about the implied reward and more about the praise her parents had offered. She had been REALLY serious about coming to terms with her bridle. That is something she never expected herself. That this is recognised and rewarded by her parents means a lot to her. At the same time, of course, she is curious to know what her parents think of as a fitting "reward".
"You know, Rosa," the mother begins, "we had noticed that you were disappointed when you didn't get the right grade in the UPT for the holiday in France. That's why you asked us to exchange rewards. We refused at the time, as I'm sure you remember."
Rosa rolled her eyes: Of course she remembers. Because if her parents had allowed her to freely choose the rewards for her grades, she would most certainly NOT be sitting in the living room now with a headgear around her head.
The father puts in, "We still think that was fair back then: we agreed on something - you and us - and we both had to stick to it - you and us." He smiles slightly, "Yes, I admit that for you it had the 'stupid' consequence of not getting inconspicuous braces - but Rosa - you admitted yourself that you've gotten used to it by now..."
The girl shakes her head, "Not at all. I have definitely NOT gotten used to the stupid headgear!" Then she waves it off, a narrow grin on her face, "But.... But on the other hand, it didn't turn out QUITE as bad as I feared..."
"Same difference," the father smiles. "What I meant to say was: you got your Playstation; you went shopping and you want to wear the new dress on the first day of university. And you don't need to - as you have just admitted - cry your eyes out over your braces. In other words, on three of the four rewards, you have no cause for complaint..."
"Nor with the fourth," Rosa quickly interjects. "Death Valley may not be France, but it's certainly worth the trip!"
She certainly doesn't want to appear ungrateful. The "telling off" her parents had given her a few weeks ago had served its purpose: In the meantime, she had slowly but surely realised the costs she had caused her parents. And that she had perhaps gone too far with her wishes. Her parents nod, visibly pleased that their daughter was sensible enough to realise this.
"That's true, Death Valley is impressive and definitely worth a trip," agrees the father. "That's why we originally suggested it to you."
"But you know, honey," his wife picks up the thread, "let me tell you something: Do you know why we suggested to fly to France in return for an 'A'?"
Rosa shakes her head. She hadn't asked herself that question before. But now she listens all the more curiously. Her parents look at each other and for a moment their features melt; they hold hands and grin at each other like teenagers head over heels in love. Rosa gets wide-eyed: she doesn't know her parents like that.
"We spent our honeymoon in France." the father explains, "And we wouldn't mind going there again." And his wife adds with a smile, "I have to admit, we were - just like you - a little disappointed when your grade wasn't good enough for France..."
"Are you serious?" Rosa stares from her father to her mother and back. And when they both nod, she throws her head back, "My goodness. This is really stupid! If you yourself wanted to go to France the whole time, why didn't you throw these stupid rules overboard? It would have been easier for all of us." She reaches for the metal bow, "And I wouldn't have had to put up with THAT now..."
"You know, Rosa," the father begins, but his daughter interrupts him, "Yes, yes, I know: 'rules are rules'!" Then she sighs. "But now let me tell YOU something: sometimes, rules are just stupid!"
Another sigh, long and lingering. "But it's too late now anyway. Now I have my headgear and now I'll wear it as best I can! Anything else doesn't make sense anymore! I understand that much"
A second passes, then another. Then she grins broadly: "But do I understand you correctly? You really want to say that... that we are going to France?"
"There's no point NOW, the holidays are almost over," the father calms his daughter down. "But next summer holidays? Does that sound viable?"
The grin on Rosa's face is only slightly narrower than the metal bow she is wearing. She claps her hands enthusiastically.
"Provided," her mother interjects, "that you continue to wear your headgear in an exemplary manner. After all, it's supposed to be a reward for your efforts. It would be stupid if you slacked off now..."
Now the broad grin collapses a little. She looks uncertainly at her mother: "What am I supposed to think of as 'exemplary'?" What would her parents ask of her? How exhausting would it be to please her parents?
Does this "exemplary" perhaps even include that the parents expect her to wear the headgear to university? If so, France would remain a dream.
"There's no question about that," her mother shakes her head. "I promised you that I would NEVER ask you to wear the brace to school. No, it's actually quite simple: just keep wearing the bow the way you've been wearing it for the past few weeks and you'll be well on your way."
Then she cocks her head, "And if you could try a little harder to wear the bow in the afternoons too, when you get back from Uni, then I won't have any more complaints. Do you think you can do that?"
As a reply, the broad grin returns to her daughter's face. "So I'll get to see France after all!"
