Lily helped me into a button-up shirt so I wouldn’t mess up my hair, and I pulled on a pair of jean shorts.

I followed Jenna, Lily, and Casey but stopped as I got halfway down the stairs.

The living room was set up like a giant dressing room. The sofa and chairs were pushed along the wall and someone had rolled up the rug. There was a rolling rack like you see in a big store, and it was filled with dresses. Next to the rack was a line of shoes, some of which I recognized as Kelsey’s. A full-length mirror was propped up on the wall, and I saw Nans’s sewing basket next to it.

There were balloons tied to the chairs, and flowers in bunches on the end tables.It definitely looked like a party.

“Well, come on down, Ms. Lindsay!” said Mimi. “Let the dress games begin!”

I stood next to Mimi, not sure what to do.

“Okay,” said Kelsey. “Here are all the selections.” She pointed to the rack. “You decide where you want to start. Then you try on all the dresses until we find the perfect one.”

Everyone was looking at me and I felt a little shy.

Mimi pulled out a green dress. “I thought this would be so pretty,” she said. She grabbed my hand. “But come look and pick one to start.”

I took the one Mimi was holding. “This is nice,” I said. It was dark green with light green ruffles on the skirt.

“Okay, that’s the first one then!” said Kelsey. She pointed to the corner of the room, where someone had hung a bedsheet. “That is your dressing room!”

“And I am your official dresser!” said Molly. “Some of these dresses have a lot of buttons!”

I giggled and followed Molly to the corner and behind the sheet.

I pulled on the dress and Molly zipped it up. “It fits!” she yelled out.

“Good job on getting the sizing right!” Nans said to Mimi.

“Oh, I’m so glad,” Mimi replied.

I looked at Molly. “Well, you have to come out of the dressing room so everyone can see!” she hissed at me.

I took a deep breath and shuffled out, and then Molly pushed me into the center of the room.

“Oh, you are just so lovely,” sighed Mimi.

“That’s beautiful, Lindsay,” said Aunt Melissa.

“I love that color,” said Mrs. Peters.

“You look like grass,” said Skylar from the hall.

“Sky!” Nans scolded, and everyone started laughing.

“Okay, we’re on our way out now and just came to say goodbye,” said Dad, pulling Skylar. “Gone fishing! Lindsay, you look beautiful as always, but choose the dress that makes you happiest, okay?”

“And one that doesn’t look like a soccer field!” called Skylar.

Everyone cracked up again, and Dad scooted Skylar out the back door.

“Well,” I said. “Now all I see is grass.”