thinking of something layered and formal or something flowing and fun?”
“ Flowing, please. Something that takes well to turns and twirls.”
The attendant thought for a bit, “Hmm, I think I know something that should do well for you. Come here and I’ll show you a few designs. Have you thought about color?”
“ Well, I was thinking about bright white, but…”
“ Ah, that would be an excellent choice for contrast; it would frame your face and make your hands and feet seem to float on the dance floor,” she offered.
“ Do you really think so?” Dawn was starting to get a little apprehensive.
The attendant nodded firmly and smiled. Dawn turned and cast a glance at Gwen who nodded and smiled back. Suddenly Gwen produced a brilliant white anklet band with silver bells and said, in an almost musical tone, “Match!”
Dawn blinked a bit. She wasn’t sure, but she thought that was the first time she had ever heard Gwen say anything . The attendant, unfazed, smiled and took the beautiful anklet. “Oh, that is a nice satin white. How does white polished cotton with satin trim sound?”
Dawn nodded absentmindedly, “If you think so.”
“ Well let’s get started and get you fit, so it will be ready in time. It does look like you’ve blossomed a bit since you were last here.”
Dawn beamed at the observation. She was really enjoying being the big sister of the family for a change. She quickly tried on several dresses of various styles while the attendant made measurements and kept notes. Finally they found one that suited her fancy, so they shifted their attention to choice of fabrics. Dawn never realized there could be so many possible variants of something as simple as white. There were several different weaves, weights, nap and polish to choose from. Fortunately, Maria soon arrived and helped sort it all out.
As they left the store, Gwen carried Lily while Maria led the merry band down the street to visit the vendors selling a wonderful variety of piping hot foodstuffs. A quick snack for all did them well.
“ Isn’t that Gavin?” suddenly asked Maria.
Sure enough, Gavin was walking up the street toward them.
“ Gavin!” called Dawn, all but beaming.
He smiled and waved and soon joined the crowd, “Good to see you. You were coming to watch practice today, yes?”
Dawn nodded enthusiastically, “But where is your armor, how will you practice?”
“ Oh, we’re doing Live Steel drills today. No armor needed, or allowed.”
“ It’s wild to think that something like Live Steel can be tame enough to practice with.”
“ Wild indeed! You get hit and the pain will make you all but delirious for a second or two, but it quickly passes and does no physical harm. Keeps you on your toes and makes sure you don’t get sloppy.”
“ Sorry to interrupt,” interjected Maria, “but if you two want to just go ahead and go to the practice field, we will catch up with you later.”
Dawn and Gavin both nodded and started off together.
“ You look a little stressed,” noticed Gavin, “Gwen? Lily? Me?”
Dawn laughed and shook her head, “No. Just a girl… Kate. She’s so mean!”
Sudden realization flashed over Gavin, “Oh, her ! Yeah, she thinks she can follow in the footsteps of her mother. She had been an only child for a long time, and wasn’t nearly so rude. But her baby sister came along and Kate turned into a serious grouch! She is sharp, I’ll grant you, but she talks behind everyone’s back. She isn’t winning herself any long-term friends.” Gavin laughed, “My Second Mother says Kate has delusions of grandeur. My big sister says Kate has delusions of adequacy!”
They both had a good laugh at that.
“ She seems to have eyes for you, Gavin.”
Gavin laughed so hard it almost floored him. “Oh that is fresh. Three months ago the word she used to describe me was ‘whelp!’” Gavin smirked and mused aloud, “I wonder if Tobias knows Kate is shopping around on him. That
“ Flowing, please. Something that takes well to turns and twirls.”
The attendant thought for a bit, “Hmm, I think I know something that should do well for you. Come here and I’ll show you a few designs. Have you thought about color?”
“ Well, I was thinking about bright white, but…”
“ Ah, that would be an excellent choice for contrast; it would frame your face and make your hands and feet seem to float on the dance floor,” she offered.
“ Do you really think so?” Dawn was starting to get a little apprehensive.
The attendant nodded firmly and smiled. Dawn turned and cast a glance at Gwen who nodded and smiled back. Suddenly Gwen produced a brilliant white anklet band with silver bells and said, in an almost musical tone, “Match!”
Dawn blinked a bit. She wasn’t sure, but she thought that was the first time she had ever heard Gwen say anything . The attendant, unfazed, smiled and took the beautiful anklet. “Oh, that is a nice satin white. How does white polished cotton with satin trim sound?”
Dawn nodded absentmindedly, “If you think so.”
“ Well let’s get started and get you fit, so it will be ready in time. It does look like you’ve blossomed a bit since you were last here.”
Dawn beamed at the observation. She was really enjoying being the big sister of the family for a change. She quickly tried on several dresses of various styles while the attendant made measurements and kept notes. Finally they found one that suited her fancy, so they shifted their attention to choice of fabrics. Dawn never realized there could be so many possible variants of something as simple as white. There were several different weaves, weights, nap and polish to choose from. Fortunately, Maria soon arrived and helped sort it all out.
As they left the store, Gwen carried Lily while Maria led the merry band down the street to visit the vendors selling a wonderful variety of piping hot foodstuffs. A quick snack for all did them well.
“ Isn’t that Gavin?” suddenly asked Maria.
Sure enough, Gavin was walking up the street toward them.
“ Gavin!” called Dawn, all but beaming.
He smiled and waved and soon joined the crowd, “Good to see you. You were coming to watch practice today, yes?”
Dawn nodded enthusiastically, “But where is your armor, how will you practice?”
“ Oh, we’re doing Live Steel drills today. No armor needed, or allowed.”
“ It’s wild to think that something like Live Steel can be tame enough to practice with.”
“ Wild indeed! You get hit and the pain will make you all but delirious for a second or two, but it quickly passes and does no physical harm. Keeps you on your toes and makes sure you don’t get sloppy.”
“ Sorry to interrupt,” interjected Maria, “but if you two want to just go ahead and go to the practice field, we will catch up with you later.”
Dawn and Gavin both nodded and started off together.
“ You look a little stressed,” noticed Gavin, “Gwen? Lily? Me?”
Dawn laughed and shook her head, “No. Just a girl… Kate. She’s so mean!”
Sudden realization flashed over Gavin, “Oh, her ! Yeah, she thinks she can follow in the footsteps of her mother. She had been an only child for a long time, and wasn’t nearly so rude. But her baby sister came along and Kate turned into a serious grouch! She is sharp, I’ll grant you, but she talks behind everyone’s back. She isn’t winning herself any long-term friends.” Gavin laughed, “My Second Mother says Kate has delusions of grandeur. My big sister says Kate has delusions of adequacy!”
They both had a good laugh at that.
“ She seems to have eyes for you, Gavin.”
Gavin laughed so hard it almost floored him. “Oh that is fresh. Three months ago the word she used to describe me was ‘whelp!’” Gavin smirked and mused aloud, “I wonder if Tobias knows Kate is shopping around on him. That
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