Alexis dressed for the party, hoping to make a good impression but with seemingly little effort. She chose a dark green dress with a flattering draped cowl neckline that she'd bought from Liberty, her favorite store in London. It fell to just above the knee, short enough to show off her legs, yet long enough to maintain a modest appearance. The bodice hugged her curves. Sexy and graceful. She wore diamond stud earrings and painted her lips a deep red. It was actually pleasant to dress up for a change, to spend time on her appearance. The last time she dressed up was for a work function and, quite frankly, she didn't make as much of an effort. Alexis guessed that Tyler would be more appreciative of her labors than a room full of corporate hacks.
She fervently hoped the party would lift her spirits. The argument with her mother was still rattling around in her brain, not to mention the added stress of seeing people from high school. She anticipated the questions that would likely arise. Questions like 'what in the hell have you been doing for the past seventeen years?' 'Why have you never visited before now?' 'Doesn't your family miss you?' Caught up in her own emotional turmoil, she hadn't considered how normal conversation might put her on
the spot.
On her way out, she debated whether to bypass the kitchen. She hadn't seen or spoken to her mother since their blowout and she wasn't sure if her mother was still upset. In the end, she decided to put on her big girl pants and say goodbye. As she stepped into the kitchen, her mother gave her an appraising look from behind the refrigerator door.
"That's a special dress," Tilly said, unable to keep the admiration out of her voice.
"It's for a festive occasion."
"I should hope so." Tilly closed the fridge door. "Would you like a snack before you go?"
"I'm sure they'll have food."
"Yes, but you'll probably be too busy talking to eat," Tilly commented.
"I'll eat, I promise."
"You did a wonderful job on the cake," her mother said. "I'm sorry I didn't get to help you."
"Thanks, but I didn't need help." Alexis reddened, wishing she could snatch back that last remark. She knew her mother hadn't mentioned help as a way of undermining her. It would be a long road before they could reach an accord, she realized.
"Did Betsy do your hair?" Tilly asked.
"She did. It's nice, don't you think?"
"Beautiful. I have two talented and beautiful daughters." She pretended to examine her nails. "I'm sorry you feel that we let you down. That wasn't our intention."