“It’s supposed to go on the cheekbones, so,” said Marlin. “So that you get these model-like cheekbones. Why do you suppose she had lipstick but no good clothes? Who wears bright red lipstick with ratty old T-shirts?”

Natasha had picked some wild roses and put them in Fiona’s hair.

“Thanks, Nat. They look really pretty,” said Fiona, who planned to take them out once she was out of sight of the house.

“You look good,” said Charlie. “Even if they are just your old Sunday clothes.”

“You smell nice,” said Natasha. “That’s the wild roses. Smelling nice is actually probably even more important than looking nice. It is in the animal world.”

“You look very chic. Very London chic,” said Marlin. “I reminded Al he was driving when I took his dinner over at four-thirty. When’s he supposed to come? It’s ten to seven already.”

“He’s late,” said Fiona glumly. “Knowing him, he forgot anyway. I guess I’ll walk over there and remind him.”

“Have fun. Have fun!” called the girls from the porch steps as Fiona made her way carefully down the driveway, trying to keep her good shoes nice.

I will, thought Fiona happily, I’m just going to forget everything tonight and have fun. She had already watched endless YouTube videos of people dancing. Slow dancing, fast dancing. Just to make sure she knew how it was done. Her stomach was flipping over with nerves now as she imagined her arms around Davy’s neck and wondered whether at any point they would be alone and if he would kiss her. She had studied old movie clips on YouTube of people kissing to make sure she wouldn’t do anything stupid if he did. Davy had bought the tickets to the dance and not let her pay him back, which she thought was very romantic. She wondered if Al would manage to keep his mouth shut when he dropped her off. She hoped so. Maybe she should ask him to drop her off a block away from the school. Yes, that’s what she would do. Then she’d meet Al a block away afterward as well and there would be no chance he could tease her or embarrass her in front of Davy.

When she got to his driveway she saw Al’s pickup truck sitting where it always did. At least I know he’s still here, she thought, and went up the trailer steps and knocked loudly on the door. There was no answer. She knocked again. When he didn’t come out she went to the garage and peered in but he wasn’t in there or in the truck. Finally, she went back to the trailer and opened the door a crack and peeked in and there he was lying on the couch snoring away.

Oh, for heaven’s sake, she thought, he would forget and take a nap. She went over and tapped him on the shoulder. “Hello! Hello!” she said loudly. “It’s time for the dance. We’re late!”

Al opened his eyes a crack, rolled over, and went back to sleep.