"Aw, hell no. But brave, very brave." Alex giggled and moved back toward the house, answering the cell phone as she walked and beginning a lively conversation as she slammed the glass panel.

***

"You're not wearing that!" Karen continued to zip up the back of the black dress she had pulled from the closet watching Isaiah pace angrily and listening to him shout. "Why not? It's one of my very favorite dresses, I certainly am going to wear it." "No, you're not." He zoomed in on her, taking her by the wrist and pulling her to the mirror. "Look at you." She did, and failed to see the problem he had with the dress, the thought crossed her mind that perhaps it wasn't the dress he had a problem with in the first place. "It's positively dowdy, and you're not wearing it to a party at Bryan's house," he said, continuing his rant. "Who is Bryan anyway? And why should it matter what type of dress I wear?" Isaiah stared in shock for a moment as if trying to believe she really didn't know who Bryan Chase was, and why wearing a house frock was an unappealing prospect. "Who is Bryan Chase? You really can't be serious." But her shaking head affirmed it; she hadn't a clue. "Well, okay. Bryan Chase is the CEO of Sun records, the most influential man in the recording industry, and my boss. You are not wearing that piece of cloth to his house because there will be reporters everywhere and I don't want my picture in the paper standing next to Rebecca of Sunnybrook farm." He ignored the horrified look on her face and continued. "What about that dress you wore in London, the one we bought at Debenham's?" "The one you bought, you mean. So now my clothing has to be inspected and stamped with the Izzy seal of approval?" "Yes." "Then I'm not going." Karen pulled the dress off without bothering with the partially closed zipper, hearing it rip as she pulled it past her hips. She flung it onto the floor of the closet and spun around to find an empty room. "Iz?" No answer.