One Small Step | ✔

Unpredictable Is All The Fun

Aunt Margaret is happy
to be invited to dine with the Olsens.
Not that she isn't happy about
Soren's recovery.

She flies through the house,
trying to find something nice
to wear and trying to get
my father to come.

The restaurant the
Olsens have chosen
isn't overly fancy, but it's not
a place you'd wear jeans to.

I stare at my empty closet
for a long time, wishing
that I had a best friend who
knew fashion.

I think of
Robyn Wiltshire,
who was my friend,
way back in grade 3.

She wasn't the kindest,
she wasn't the smartest,
but she was possibly
the most observant.

I remember when Adam caught
a really bad flu
and was away from
school for a while.

Robyn had noticed me sitting
alone, doodling at lunch,
and invited me to
her house afterschool.

She'd simply approached me
and said,
"Want to come to my house,
after school, Tallulah?"

Carina had let me go and
at her house,
she showed me a
treasure chest in her room.

Her mother was a model
and was always getting free clothes.
Some of those clothes
were given to Robyn.

We played dress-up for a while,
creating scenario after scenario,
until Carina came to pick me up.
She moved away five years later.

We never kept in contact,
and we never
saw each
other ever again.

I'm lost in thought,
when a knock
sounds on the door.
"Come in," I say.

Dara's head pokes into my room.
"I was wondering
if you wanted
any help with anything."

I bite my lip. Dara is about my size,
but she's a bit slimmer than I am.
Still, I ask her. "Do you have
any dresses that might fit me?"

She considers for a moment,
"As much as I love looking at
dresses," she replies finally,
"I'm not much of a buyer."

Disappointed, I nod. But Dara isn't
done yet.
"The dinner is in three hours,
isn't it?" Again, I nod.

"Why don't we go look for some?"
she suggests.
"It's always nice to spend
'girl-time' together," she laughs.

"Okay." I say.
I've never been
so thankful about my
brothers' girlfriend.

The day is spent
at the small dress store
downtown.
Dara knows the owner well.

"Dara!" she exclaims happily.
"How are you doing?"
The owner is young, brunette and short.
Her name is apparently Gina.

"Fine." Dara replies.
Gina wiggles her eyebrows at Dara.
"Are you looking
for a special dress?"

Dara is rolling her eyes.
"Are you kidding me,
G? But we are for her.
This is Tallulah, Ambrose's sister."

Gina's hand shoots forward,
shaking mine enthusiastically.
"Alright, we are going to find
you the most gorgeous dress ever!"

For a really long time,
we go through rack after rack of dresses.
There's everything.
Sundresses, prom dresses.

Finally, we settle on a coral sundress
and a black jacket.
Matched with tights and black
boots, I hardly look like myself.

Gina pulls my hair to the side
into a quick
but professional
looking braid.

Dara declares
I need no make-up
so we drive straight
to the restaurant.

Roman and Soren
wait for us outside
the restaurant.
Soren sits in a wheelchair.