Invisible People

Invisible People: Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“Is that what you’re wearing tonight?” Ruby asked Amy as the Wednesday late-afternoon shoppers decreased and an early nightfall darkened the sky.

Amy looked down at herself.  She chose some light-tan slacks and a deep green sweater to wear to work, thinking she’d just make an appearance at Paula’s party afterward, and be done with it.  She didn’t really like the sweater.  For one, it was a bit too small, and it itched like crazy, and she kept pulling at the neckline, fearing it would eventually choke the life out of her, but when she got dressed that morning, she had to pair the darker green with the lighter pants, in hopes that no one noticed how rounded she was on the bottom...because women with figures like mine should never wear anything close to white.

“What’s wrong with it?”

Ruby blinked with perturbed significance.  “It’s a party.  You have to dress up for these things.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s a party!”

Amy pursed her lips as she eyed Ruby’s choice of clothes for the evening -- a red,white, and blue mini-dress over white lace stockings, with red platform heels.  “If that’s some kind of fashion rule,” Amy said, turning away from the patriotic glare of Ruby’s dress,  “then it’s a stupid one.  I’ll dress how I like.”  She tugged on her sweater again.

“Oh, yeah...you’re so in love with that sweater,” Ruby groused.  “You’re going to rip it apart if you keep pulling on it like that.”

Amy sighed and dropped her hands.  “Well...I didn’t have anything else to wear, okay?  I’ve lived in Arizona my whole life, and I don’t have a lot of wintery things.  This is the best I could do at short notice.”

Ruby frowned at her, thoughtfully, and said, “I’m closing up tonight...why don’t you head over and see if Javier has any new dresses you can try on?”

“A dress?  Not with my legs.”

“What’s wrong with your legs?”

“They’re...white.”

“So?  It’s February.  Everyone’s legs are white,” Ruby said.  “And where’s Jack?”

Already irritated, from her choking sweater and her nervousness about Paula’s party, and Heath being there, she inhaled sharply and said, “Who knows?  And who cares?  He hasn’t bothered me today, so hopefully, he’s gone back to his fantasy world and wrote me off as a lost cause.”

“You’re not a lost cause,” Ruby argued.  “I’d wish you’d stop saying stuff like that.”

“I know I’m not a lost cause because I’m not anyone’s cause,” Amy replied sternly.  “I like who I am, and I don’t need any help from a fairy godmother...godbrother, or whatever he wants to call himself.”