Just as she had applied the last perfect, stroke of make-up, her drawn mask came down in a crack of grins, grimaces, and sobs.
Her eyes went all black with mascara coming down in long bands down her cheeks.
Jerry heard her from the living roomand went into the bathroom bumping into the door with his enormous butterfly wings.
He caught a glimpse of himself art the mirror, and hated that huge, ridiculous insect he had become "just for fun".
Then he looked at Amy and understood straight away.
Yes, they were too old for that kind of fun, even if the intent was to make their teeenager grandchildren happy.
He patted Amy's back.
She tore a piece of cloth and removed all the make up on her face.
He got rid of those huge wings that hindered every single movement.
"We'll tell them we could not find the right costumes, and that the traffic is terrible."
"That's only half a truth -- said Amy. We'll tell them the truth: that we are too old for such nonsense, and our plain clothes will have to do, if they want us with them."
Jerry nodded.
Alicia and Andrew were splendid in their costumes, and that made their disappointment only more evident.
"You let us down, gran," Andrew said lowering his eyes.
Alicia turned back to complain with her parents.
"But we are really too old, can't you see?"
Alicia shook her head.
The parents made even a greater fuss: "Couldn't the two of you do it just for fun? You always have to spoil everybody's fun."
"In that case," said Jerry," we are going, you'd much better without us, and now I am convinced that this was a bad idea from the start."
He took Amy's arm and they marched out of the hall, with half the family staring at them disapprovingly.
At home, Amy sighed.
"It has been a while since I told you how beautiful you are without any stupid make-up?"
Amy smiled, and waved with her hand, but Jerry took and kissed it.
Fifty-six years together, and this lady, his lady, had made him very, very happy.
Amy shone in the half-light of the night-stand lamp.
All was silent, old-fashioned about the colors and fragrances, and perfect in the ways only two lives that have known great love together can be.
