“It’s a shame we look so damn cute,” Kim said. “I’m about to eat my weight in fair foods.”
“Don’t worry, boo, I’ll roll you out on one of those roller-coaster carts,” I said lightly but inside I was a bundle of nerves.
“You’re a good friend.” She nudged me with her shoulder.
Kim wore white linen shorts that highlighted her fantastic legs. Her chestnut brown hair was rolled in pin curls and tucked neatly under a maroon ribbon. Her shirt was a long-sleeved crop top that wrapped around her to show just a smidge of her midriff. It was a patterned plaid of browns, yellows, and oranges, with a starched collar.
I wore simple pedal pushers in a retro pattern in a rainbow of goldenrod, hazelnut, and pea green. I wore a turtleneck of a solid goldenrod and a thick brown belt that cinched my waist to unrealistic proportions. I finished my look off with black and white saddle shoes and a high ponytail with ringlets. Gretchen even gave me a cat eye on point with hers and curled my usual straight bangs to fit the style.
“I’m glad you came out,” Suzie said to me. “You’ve been working so much.”
Suzie wore black capris and ballet flats with a fuzzy pink, cap-sleeved crop top. Her hair was reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn in her pixie phase … but with a body strong enough to hang perpendicular off a pole.
“I didn’t really have a choice. Gretchen made me,” I teased.
“Hey! I am not so pushy these days. I’m getting better,” she added when I gave her a look. “Listen, people don’t change overnight.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” I said. “No. I really did need a night out. Seeing Skip at the hospital was a wake-up call.” I didn’t mention the other person I saw there nor my big plans for the day. Only Gretchen knew and helped me ensure it would happen. “I’m going to be cutting back a little at work.”
“Glad to hear it. Did he seem better?” Kim asked.
“Yeah, he’ll just be in crutches for a while. But they gave him one of those cool scooty things so he can still get around.”
“That’s good,” Kim said patiently. “But I was referring to Sanders.”
“Oh.” I let out air. He looked tired that night at the hospital. His preppy look had grown out. The beard had been surprisingly dark and thick for his light coloring. His longer hair showed that he was more of a dirty blond, sun-bleached and saltwater-textured. Like he’d been captaining a ship especially wearing that damn knit sweater. I said, “He seemed sad. Better and worse. Haggard? Skip said he’s talking to a therapist though. I’m glad.”
“Therapy is so necessary,” Kim said.
Suzie nodded. “We need to treat mental health like a priority and not emergency aftercare. If it was up to me, we’d have therapy as often as haircuts.”
“Agreed,” Gretch said sucking on a red lollipop that she had produced out of nowhere. Of all of us, she looked the most at home at the carnival. Her fiery red hair was wrapped in a silk polka-dot scarf paired with oversized white sunglasses so big her fire-engine red lips popped even more. Her outfit was a simple white and cherry halter dress with a sweetheart-cut top and a flared skirt.
“Does he love you?” Gretchen asked.
I shrugged. “He hasn’t said so.”
“Maybe the timing wasn’t right?” Kim said.
She and Devlin finally reunited and they were in a very happy honeymoon period. Her cheeks glowed perpetually with joy. I was only a tiny bit jealous. Only because I had tasted joy like that once and now life seemed bland.
“Yeah, but I’m not the same. I think we’ve both changed,” I said.
“You’re still Roxy. And if he loved you, then that didn’t change.”
Let’s hope, I thought. Instead, I said, “Can we eat fried food until I bust out of this ridiculous girdle? Thank God girdles died.”
“Cheers to that,” the girls said in unison.
We clinked our plastic cups of cherry soda.
After I swallowed, I said, “Damn, y’all. We seriously look good. Check out all the looks we’re getting.”
Kim blushed and Suzie blew a kiss at a passing teenage boy who then tripped over the flat ground.
“Everyone else here barely made an effort,” Gretchen said.
“Everyone else here is wearing cheesy costumes from those Halloween superstores,” Kim said. “We look like we stepped out of a black-and-white film.”
“Seriously, Gretchen. You should dress people for a living,” I said.
She shrugged. “I just popped around some vintage shops. No big deal.”
Gretch was weirdly modest about her multitude of talents. But we did all look fantastic. We all had outfits that perfectly accentuated our different figures and most importantly we all felt beautiful.
“You could open a shop from your closet alone,” Kim said.
She took a long sip of her soda. “When are the fellas coming?” she asked, effectively shifting the focus off herself.
“Ford is on his way.” Suzie examined the crowd.
“Devlin too,” Kim said.
“Oh, did you ask him about an autograph—” I asked.
“No,” Kim said. “We just got back together. I’m not about to scare him off with your intensity.”
“Fine,” I said. “I can wait a couple days.”
I was so happy for her. And Suzie. I knew their relationships wouldn’t always be so easy but I figured since they had survived a rocky start to their relationships, together they’d be able to handle whatever came next. I couldn’t wait to watch.
I blinked at the setting sun, feeling a new sort of hope.
“Are you thinking about him?” Gretchen asked softly at my side.
“Yeah,” I answered honestly.
She put her arm around me. “He’ll be here soon.”
I rubbed my palms on the thick fabric of my pants. “What if he doesn’t come? What if I’ve pushed him away too many times?” I asked.
“Then you’ll be okay. Time makes it better.” Something about the way she said it
