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Me:Hey Dad

Dad:Hi, honey. Is something wrong?

Me:Everything’s fine

Me:I have something to say

Me:But I just want to say it over text

Me:If I talk I’ll cry and I don’t want to cry

Dad:Okay.

Me:I decided to come to your wedding

Dad:That’s wonderful. You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear that.

Me:Yeah ok

Dad:Are you sure I can’t call you? Texting is a poor medium for conveying joy.

Me:God you’re such a nerd dad professor

Me:Please don’t call. I get how happy you are

Dad:Okay, sweetheart.

Dad:You know Shirley’s shower is next Sunday. Would I be pushing it to ask you to go to that too?

Me:Yes that’s definitely pushing it

Me:But I’ll go

Dad:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me:That’s a lot of exclamation points dad

Dad:It really is such a poor medium for communication.

Me:You gotta get some emojis in there

Dad:Not in a million years.

Dad:I love you very much, Evie.

Me:

CHAPTER 42

Uncomfortable Silences

SHIRLEY’S WEDDING SHOWERis “themed,” which is a fancy way of saying it’s a costume party. We’re supposed to dress like we’re going to afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace.

For the occasion, Danica’s wearing some sort of vintage, sleeveless, pink-and-white-flower-patterned silk dress. She’s also wearing an elaborate hat sculpture. I see a hummingbird and hibiscus flowers nestled in her Afro. It sounds ridiculous but looks incredible. Choosing the perfect outfit for every occasion is her superpower.

My outfit is nothing special, just a beige skirt and a gauzy pale-yellow blouse. I (briefly, very briefly) considered wearing funeral black. I’ve talked myself out of going to this thing at least two times in the past week. Both times, X talked me back into it.