Aunt Melissa tried again. “Honey, sometimes we all say that Kelsey has no filter, but in truth it affects the whole family. Sometimes things come out really awkwardly or wrong. I’d like to set the record straight.”

“Is she all right?” It was Nans, squeezing in.

I sighed. “Please, please can I have a minute alone?” I sniffed. “I just… I just need a minute.”

“The girl needs some alone time!” declared Jenna. “Everybody out.” They all filed out.

I just needed some air to think a little bit. But how was I going to walk out of the bathroom and look like everything was fine? Or leave my shift?

There was a knock on the door. Again.

“Lindsay, it’s Daddy.” Wow, he hadn’t called himself Daddy in a long time.

“Um, this is awkward, because I can’t actually come into the ladies’ room, but I’d like to talk to you and not through the door.”

I sighed. There was no way I could just slip back to work. I pushed open the door to the stall and looked at my puffy face in the mirror. I threw some cold water on it and patted it dry, which felt good.

When I came out of the bathroom, Nans, Jenna, Lily, and Aunt Melissa were all standing there with Dad, looking anxiously at me.

“This way,” said Dad, taking my hand and leading me back through the kitchen.

He opened the back door and a breeze hit my face. Finally, I could breathe. Dad sat down and patted the step next to him. I sat there for a few minutes, just thinking. It was nice not to have to say anything.

“The thing about family,” Dad finally said, “is that they always mean well, but sometimes they don’t say exactly the right things. I’m sorry you got upset.”

“So are they having a dress party because they feel sorry for me?” I asked.

“No!” Dad almost yelled. “They are having a party because Mimi wants so badly to make shopping for this dress a special experience. She knows how much Mom would care about taking time to make sure you had a dress you loved, and she’s trying really hard to make it a memorable thing for you.”

“So why didn’t Mimi just take me dress shopping?” I wailed.

Dad looked across to the trees at the end of the lot. “I think she’s trying to make it a happy occasion. But in truth, it’s a sad occasion for her. She feels terrible that Mom didn’t get to experience this. And she feels even more terrible that you don’t get to have Mom here. So her idea was to have a fun party to distract from the plain fact that everyone is missing Mom.”

I was quiet for a few minutes, thinking about that. “So it’s actually Mimi who feels sorry for me?”