Chapter 11

Over the next few days, Jenny’s confidence waned.

She thought about calling Liam and canceling their date a zillion times.

Kara stopped her. “Liam will think you’re making up another excuse to cancel your date with him. It will be the coup de grace of your relationship whatever it is.”

Saturday was a bright and shining day, but it could have been filled with storm clouds for how Jenny felt that morning.

“I don’t know if I can do this. I’m not what he is expecting. It will ruin everything.”

“It won’t if Liam is as special as you say he is,” Kara said, doing her best to calm Jenny down.

“What if I send him a photo in my wheelchair,” Jenny suggested.

“At this point, he might show up just to see if you’re telling him the truth. I’m afraid you wasted too many chances of coming clean. There is nothing you can do now. Except show up there and face the music.”

“I hope he lets me explain myself.”

“If he walks away from you, I’ll break his kneecaps,” Kara said half-jokingly, pointing at the pink baseball bat leaning on the wall. “He’ll have no option but stay and listen.”

“I know you’re joking! You know this situation is not Liam’s fault, but mine,” Jenny pleaded.

“I am joking ... ish,” Kara gave an encouraging smile to her sister. She clapped her hands and said, “Better not to think about that now. Let’s get you ready for your date.”

Jenny looked at the wall clock and exclaimed, “I have to be ready in thirty minutes and I still haven’t finished my hair! It’s not even dry!”

“Jenny, do me a favor.” Kara took a seat beside her sister, turning Jenny’s chair, spinning her around to face her. “You need to calm down before you do anything else, especially operate a hot hair dryer that you can swing at my head at any moment.”

Kara reached for the item in question and carefully extracted it from Jenny’s hands, set it on the counter, and faced her sister again.

“I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath.”

Jenny nodded her head, following her sister’s instructions. She inhaled and exhaled, taking deep breaths.

“Go to your happy place,” Kara said.

Jenny’s eyes remained closed as she pictured herself at the lake, under a willow tree. Her sister was right. What was done was done. Getting nervous was not going to solve anything.

Jenny took a last calming breath. “I’m fine. Well, as fine as I can be.”

“Okay, now let’s tame your hair.”

Kara took over and dried her hair for Jenny, as she finished up her makeup. Before she knew it, she had her hair swept up in a low messy bun with a little teasing on her crown to give it a lift. Partnered with her natural makeup, she didn’t look too shabby.