Page 64 of Beginning Fate

“You are not wearing that. It’s a party!”

“D-E-N-N-Y said this was fine. We’re going out to dinner first. He made reservations at some Italian restaurant.”

Until Autumn piped in, I didn’t realize that I was speaking out loud while signing. It was just habit really.

“That’s one of the nicest places in town.”

“It is?”

“Yes. You definitely want to dress up a bit for it.”

I groaned.

“I didn’t bring anything fancy. I have one dress with me.”

“Put it on and show us,” she advised.

“Good idea,” Kylie agreed.

I quickly changed while leaving them staring at the empty bed I’d just vacated.

When I returned in the flowered frock, they both cringed.

I sighed. “Maybe I should just cancel.”

“No, don’t do that. Relax. We’re on our way,” Autumn assured me as the screen went black.

True to her word, Autumn and Kylie burst into Denny’s room about fifteen minutes later. I had already taken to pacing the room. He’d checked on me twice, so I knew he was sensing my anxiety.

Wasn’t dating supposed to be fun? This felt stressful.

“Okay, try this one on,” Autumn ordered as she shoved a black dress in my direction that I knew was going to be far too small.

Much to my surprise, it fit, but barely. The hem of the dress ended more than halfway up my thigh and was unlike anything I’d ever worn before.

“What was wrong with my dress?” I asked, thinking of the pale pink tea length dress covered in flowers that was one of my favorites.

“You look hot in this,” Kylie signed excitedly.

“It’s perfect. Can we do your hair, makeup, and nails, too?” Autumn asked.

“My nails?”

“Absolutely.”

Before I could agree, the two of them pushed me down into the desk chair and got to work. It felt as if I was being poked and prodded everywhere.

While it was way outside my sense of normal, I had to admit that having them there to help me get ready was fun.

“Perfect!” Kylie finally exclaimed, as Autumn guided me to the bathroom to look in the mirror.

I barely recognized the woman staring back at me.

“I can’t go out like this,” I blurted out.

“You look beautiful and not like a forty-year-old.”

I scoffed. “Kylie, I do not look old,” I insisted.

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