Page 34 of Under the Influence

My gaze flashes to Clover next to Roxie. They’re talking about how they don’t want to flash their boobs at the wedding. My gaze moves to Lola who is watching everyone and seeming offish. Earlier, she behaved oddly about the color as if certain we’d complain.

The color she chose is actually a lovely pale red. I want to buddy up with her and share how she has good taste, but I’m worried I’ll come on too strong. If Lola thinks I’m weird, she’ll no doubt get upset when she finds out about Duke and me.

I notice how she keeps an eye on Clover. Duke wasn’t kidding about his younger daughter’s fashion sense. Her clothing is three sizes too big for her body. But the actual outfits are cool in that easy way Betty has with her rockabilly style and Oana’s found with her rocker girl style.

Lola dresses more like me. Though I get dolled up for dates in skirts, I’m usually at the homestead where I might get tackled or drenched by a super soaker at any moment. Jeans and a T-shirt suit me.

Lola seems to like low-cut shirts and tighter jeans. She gives off a tough-chick vibe, so maybe she isn’t comfortable with these silk-and-lace dresses.

“Lola seems awkward,” I whisper to Oana. “She might not feel comfortable trying on her dress in front of us. Maybe you can say something.”

“Why me?”

“In high school, girls claimed I came off as a bitch.”

“Those girls were the bitches.”

I grin at Oana’s protective streak. “True, but Lola doesn’t know me. I’m worried she’ll think I’m pushy when I’m only trying to be helpful. You don’t seem pushy like I do.”

Oana’s blue eyes study me. Though naïve about a million things, she isn’t dumb. I suspect she sees right through my lies.

“Things are uncertain with my new boyfriend,” I whisper against her ear. “It’s making me behave angsty. I’m afraid my weird behavior might mess things up for Val and Lola. Please help me.”

Oana smiles softly and looks around. “I don’t know anything about these events or dresses.”

“Just ask Lola if she has a dress picked out. I think she’s so focused on watching over Clover that she’s forgetting to pamper herself.”

Alexis leans into our huddle and says, “I want to help. I don’t care about dresses. Raccoons are notoriously sexy in any dress.”

Grinning at her Toomy family joke, I stand back while Alexis and Oana approach Lola about her dress. She doesn’t seem comfortable showing it off. I watch her fidget and act insecure.

Duke mentioned how Lola didn’t have girlfriends. I was the same way in school. I came off as too self-contained. I was mostly faking it, acting out an impression of my ma. Journey has always held herself in a confidently cool way. She is the rock. The sister who doesn’t need a fainting couch. The Earlham woman least likely to gasp.

The downside to such an aura is people often assume I’m a bitch. If Lola was anyone else, I could face her judgment. Today is not the day to roll the dice on us hitting it off, though.

Lola warms up to Oana and Alexis. She shows off the dress she picked with Val. I smile at how my cousin getting involved with the dress shopping. He loves in such an open way. Lola seems more hesitant to admit how she feels.Much like Duke.

Earlier, Lola’s eyes lit up at the sight of the dress. Now, with us watching her, she loses her confidence. She’s torn between her own taste and the idea of living up to someone’s else idea of a proper bride.

“That’s beautiful,” I tell Lola as the clerk holds up the dress. “It’s not slutty.”

Lola takes a dig at the dress by explaining, “The off-shoulder sleeves make it seem like the top might fall off and reveal my breasts.”

“Sure, it’s sexier than most people would wear, but it’s not slutty,” I insist and take the dress from the clerk. Holding it in front of Lola, we stand facing the mirror. “As long as it’s fitted well enough to not actually fall off and show your breasts, it’ll be fine.”

Lola turns her gaze to me, and I feel like Duke is with us right now. I try to picture him as a young dad to Lola. I want to know everything about their lives together.

Rather than ask those personal questions, I say, “Will your hair be up or down?”

“I think down looks better.”

Nodding, I reply, “Women with great hair should always go with down.”

Lola’s earlier uncertainty is gone. After she tries on the dress, I take pictures of her and Clover to send to Duke. I can imagine the smile on his face when he sees them.

“Have you picked a dress?” he texts back, and my body flushes at how he’s thinking of me and not just his daughters.

“Not yet. Do you want a picture of me dressed up?”

---