“If I had known about the event, I could’ve found a dress that was like yours.”

Winnie shrugs. “I think you look amazing.” My sister gives me a kiss on the cheek. “Let’s go. We have schmoozing and checks to cash in our future.”

When we get downstairs, my mother looks up, and a wide smile crosses her face. “Well, if you two aren’t the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen . . .”

“Thanks, Mom.” Winnie beams. “You’re sure you don’t want to come? I bet there’s another prom dress in that closet. Lord knows Jessica went to enough of them.”

She waves her hand dismissively. “Oh, posh. You don’t want an old lady ruining your good time. It’s nice that you’re both going, and that I kept that dress.” Her brows rise as she smiles.

“Yes, your hoarding tendencies did us well this time,” I say.

“It’s called being thrifty, Jessica. One does what we must when we need to.”

Instead of fighting her, I walk over and kiss her cheek. “I’m glad you saved it. Even if I can’t breathe.”

She laughs softly. “A woman who wants to be beautiful usually must suffer for it.”

“This is true,” Winnie agrees. “I will either pee my pants or hold it all night because none of this can be adjusted.”

I roll my eyes at my sister, who is a far cry from heavy.

“Be home by midnight,” Mom says, causing us to turn and look at her. “Oh, sorry, old habits.”

We giggle and head out to Winnie’s car, which thankfully, has the top up already. I look at the seat, wondering if I should sit.

Winnie does the same, her gaze meeting mine above the roof. “If we bust a gut now, at least we’ll have an excuse not to go.”

“If we bust a gut, I may cry.”

“On the count of three?”

I nod.

“One,” she starts.

“Two.”

We watch each other, and then she says the final count. “Three.”

Slowly, we get into our seats without any incident. However, breathing is damn near impossible. The problem isn’t so much the waist area as it is the chest. I was not as . . . endowed at seventeen as I am now.

Everything in town is about fifteen minutes away, so breathing shallowly is doable. Winnie and I don’t say much, probably because neither of us can move without fear of tearing something or want to waste what little air we can pull in, and when we get out of the car at the Park Inn, I feel dizzy.

“Winnie . . .”

She left out the part about it being held here. How I missed it on the event calendar, I don’t know. I’ve been off the last two days and all that was there on this day was: family party.

I should’ve known.