Chapter 3

I had asked the male parent of me to provide his invitations in black envelopes, but then had dithered over the color of my envelopes. Red was much too obvious as a counterpoint, blue too staid. Purple? No. Green? Ehh. Bubble gum? Ummmmmmmmmmmm, close, but not...

Since I was on my floor with my back against my nightstand and my feet against my bathroom door straddling the mirror and was ... enjoying myself and ... That’s it! Now, where can I get envelopes that color?

With my six invitations enveloped in a pink that was not quite right and only five invitations in black, I walked the hallways upon a slightly early arrival.

What are we doing?

I thought you didn’t go to school.

Your weird bubbliness has you concerned, so we deigned to matriculate together.

Well, fuck me ... and you, too.

I was a bit more than merely appreciative when the first invitees I saw were IanKyle.

“Hi, it’s...”

“ ... lovely to see you...”

“ ... again...”

“ ... Annah.”

“Thanks. It’s equally lovely to see you again, KyleIan.”

Whoa! We reversed them.

I’ve decided on equality of placement, since I would like both in front, so I decided to trade them back and forth. Go away, now. Don’t distract me.

“We’re getting...”

“ ... excited seeing those...”

“ ... envelopes.”

I glanced in both lateral directions, then smiled and told them, “Would you be willing to come to regular dance parties at the estate?”

“We would...”

“ ... love to.”

I handed a pink envelope to each of KyleIan and IanKyle.

“Annah...”

“ ... you are so...”

“ ... thoughtful.”

“What sort of frequency...”

“ ... do you expect for...”

“ ... these...”

“ ... parties?”

“Every other week, on either Friday or Saturday.”

In stereo: “Bitchin’!”

“Are you going to make...”

“ ... formal invitations every time?””

“Do you guys need one every time? I ask, because I’ll certainly invite you every time.”

“We don’t and...”

“ ... that would be...”

Stereo: “Bitchin’!”

“We loved dancing with...”

“ ... you and Emma.”

“I’m afraid that you two are better at that than either of us, but we’re hoping we can get better. We both enjoyed that so much.”

Laying it on a bit thick. Aren’t we?”

No, but we both like dancing with them, so hush.

“Unfortunately, Emma might miss half of the shindigs because her parents are cracking down on her due to her sister’s ... current...

Searching, searching...

... malady.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Those parasites can cause...”

“ ... all sorts of problems. Surely...”

“ ... you’re not feeling bad...”

“ ... for Emma’s sister.”

“Not at all, but it did take her telling me about her sister for me to figure out who she is. I imagine that you knew.”