CHAPTER 44
“No, Mama. It’s a Christmas party, so you have to wear red.”
“But I think this black dress makes me look skinnier.”
Dez scrunched up her face. “Why would you want to look skinnier?”
“It’s just what people do when they get to be old like … oh, never mind. So you really think the red one’s nicer?” She held up the dress on the hanger.
Dez nodded. “Uh-huh. It’s more like a party. The black one would just make you look like …” She c****d her head to the side and considered. “Like a lump of coal.”
“Well, thank you very much, Miss Fashionista.”
She shrugged. “It’s what I’m here for.”
“Well, you go scram now so I can get dressed. And you better have all those new toys off the floor by the time I come out or I’m taking them away for two whole weeks. Got that?”
“Okay.” Dez jumped
