Miss Sebastian instantly relaxes. “Oh, okay.”
We all stare at the top of the stairs, and when Danny walks out from behind the wall, the responses are instant.
“You’re not leaving the house dressed like that!” Carter yells.
“Where’s the rest of it?” I ask, praying this is a joke.
“You let her get dressed like that? What were you thinking?” Marcus turns to Miss Sebastian.
“I was thinking she’s sixteen and going to her first prom,” Miss Sebastian quickly defends Danny’s choice of prom dress.
“Exactly,” Logan snaps. “She’s sixteen!”
“You’re fucking with us, right?” Jaxson asks.
“F-Bomb!” Jamie, Della’s little sister, yells. “That will be one hundred bucks, Jax.” She smiles at Danny. “Thanks, I owe you one. Now I have money for gas.” Then she holds her hand out to Jaxson who begrudgingly pays up. Jamie shrugs as she takes it with a smile. “End of month finances and all.”
When Jamie rushes out the door, I know it’s because she wants to avoid the shit storm that’s about to hit this house, as we all turn back to Danny.
Her beautiful face looks heartbroken as her chin starts to tremble.
“I knew you wouldn’t like it,” she mumbles.
“Princess,” Carter coos as he climbs the stairs, “You look beautiful. It’s just that there’s way too much skin showing. What happened to that gown you got?”
Danny rolls her eyes. “This is the gown, Daddy. Aunty Willow just made some minor adjustments.”
“Willow!” Marcus yells.
Willow comes rushing in, but stops when she sees all of our faces.
“Did you leave your glasses at home?” Marcus asks.
Willow's eyes widen and then she lets him have it.
“Marcus Reed, I will slap you so hard you’ll see stars for days. Don’t you talk to me like that!”
The next second, Miss Sebastian slaps Marcus upside the head.
“All taken care of, my angel-girl,” she calls out sweetly.
“Guys!” I snap. “Can we focus on the fact that Danny is only wearing half a dress?”
“Uncle Ledge,” Danny says and hearing the tearful way she’s saying my name instantly makes me feel like shit.
“Princess, it hardly covers your shoulders,” I try to explain. “Where are the sleeves?”
“That’s it!” Della snaps as she comes up behind Danny. “All of you in the living room now!”
“Oh, shit,” I mumble as we all sheepishly trudge back to the living room with Della right behind us.
“Sit,” she snaps, and like one man we all plop down, with the same dreaded look on our faces.
“Enough is enough! Danny has been looking forward to this night for weeks. There’s nothing wrong with the dress she’s wearing.”
She glances over her shoulder to where Danny is standing, and her face softens a little as she says, “Baby, let Miss Sebastian touch up your makeup. Mommy doesn’t want you to hear the next part.”
“Fuck,” Marcus groans as Della turns back to us.