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“Yes, ma’am,” I grumbled as Tenley giggled softly.
“Anyway, say an hour? Will that be enough time?” Her gaze slid around the room. Rather enthusiastic nods were offered in response, and everyone was quickly jolting out of the room before Tenley even had a chance to climb down from my lap.
Rosemary quickly rushed our way as her dad was wheeled out by Frank. “Tenley dear, you’re coming with me. I have the perfect dress for you,” Rosemary giddily said, and Tenley’s eyes widened.
Rosemary’s hand clamped down on her arm, jerking Tenley forward. She stumbled a few steps, and reached for me. “Help. Me,” she mouthed, desperately.
I grinned, watching for a moment as she was dragged across the room. “Darling, do you have a dress here?” I asked, wiggling my brows.
Her eyes bugged out of her head. “Well, no,” she squeaked and looked back at her mom. The outfit that her mom had on warranted the concern that was etched across her gentle features. It was modest and worked for Rosemary’s plumper figure and mature age, but if that’s the style that she would be offering Tenley, I couldn’t help but chuckle. It was very old fashioned. It had the poofy sleeves with tiny florals stitched across it.
“Weston,” her voice cracked, and I rose from the chair.
“Sorry, Tenley. I don’t think I have anything in my wardrobe to spare,” I replied, and her mom whisked her up the stairs. I know that my mom was trying to make things work before I finally took Tenley on our first date, but there was a small part of me worried that this lunch thing, being extravagant enough to require suits, would bleed longer than she expected.
All good intentions again, but there went my last hope for a first date.
“You coming or not?” Cassidy’s voice rang out, and I pushed out of the chair, not quite as happy as before.
“Yeah, I’m coming,” I replied, and he disappeared out of the house to go change into his own suit. My feet dragged across the floor, feeling mild despair. And then this small voice in the back of my head reminded me of the gentle admonishment from Tenley. All she wanted was to spend time with me.
I guess even if that wasn’t us alone, it was time together. For a fancy lunch, in fancy clothes. And I couldn’t wait to grin at how she would look wearing one of her mom’s old fashioned outfits.
Besides, it would still work to give her my last gift at lunch. Or maybe even after we finished eating and were waltzed off to whatever thing my mom had planned for after. There was nothing wrong with that, because we would be together. Another memory to add to the full bank that already existed.
And it was Christmas. No matter how crowded it was, it would still be magical, because she was the magic. She was the electrifying lifeline that I’d clung to this world, desperately waiting for.
Which meant digging out my suit from the back of my closet that I hadn’t worn in a while. Rummaging through the clothes, I pushed my organized hangers aside and found the only full suit I had. Wearing something other than dark, starched jeans was going to feel a bit strange, but I guess she was also going to wear something that would feel strange to her. At least mine would be from this decade.
I chuckled to myself, laying out the coat and slacks on my bed. Snagging a nice white button down that was crisp and ironed, I laid it on the mattress and stripped from the onesie. Disappearing into my bathroom, I took a quick shower and freshly shaved—other than the mustache that I simply cleaned up—with my hair nicely gelled into place within a half hour.
Quietly padding back into my bedroom, I was surprised I hadn’t heard much noise from Tenley’s grandparents coming to change. Though they most likely had already taken care of that by the time I’d made my way up to my house from my parents’. I had to stop and check on a couple cows along the way.
Glancing at my watch, I shrugged on the white button down and sharply inhaled. I was late. I don’t think I’d ever gotten into a suit so fast in my life. I was buttoned, zipped, and belted within two minutes. Tightening the crisp, forest green bolo tie around my neck, I jerked open the top drawer of my dresser and rummaged through the underwear.
Where was it? Tenley’s final present. I could’ve sworn I hid it in here.
But no matter how much shoving and tossing I did, it wasn’t there.
Ripping open the middle drawer, I dug within those clothes, desperate to find it.
This wasn’t happening. It had to be in here. Wait, maybe I already shoved it into a pocket. Standing up, I patted the sides of my legs. Nothing. Digging into the suit coat, I felt around for the present.
Nothing.
“Uncle Weston!” Keaton shouted, throwing the bedroom door open. My eyes widened, shocked as I locked onto his face. He was wearing a fresh, brand new tuxedo. Yes, an actual tux with the butt flaps and cummerbund and everything.
“How do I look?” He ran his hand over his clean cut hair and adjusted his purple bow tie. Not a bolo tie, but a fancy, deep plum bow tie with a matching pocket square.
“Wow, bud. That’s fancy,” I replied, and he grinned.
“Well, let’s go. I’m here to escort you out.” He wiggled his brows and lifted a hand from behind his back. He had on fancy white gloves and everything.
My feet carried my body to this little boy. I was stunned, shocked by how put together he looked. “When’d you get a tux?” I asked as he gestured out of my bedroom. Once I walked past him, he quickly paced back in front of me and led me forward.
“Follow me, sir,” he said, lifting his head and clasping his hands behind his back. When he said escort, apparently he literally meant escort. I followed behind in a daze, walking quietly across my carpet and blindly up the stairs.
He paused by the front door and pointed at a polished pair of black square-toe cowboy boots. Ones that I almost never wore unless it was to a very special occasion. I guess this counted, and I stepped into them. Keaton grabbed my hat off the ring, which was no longer dirty, and offered it to me.
