Kalina made her way back to the main hall, weaving through clusters of black-clad mourners who looked more like they were attending a business conference than a memorial service.
She scanned the crowd for Ophelia's purple dress—wait, no. Black coat. They were both wearing black coats now.
This is why matching outfits are stupid, she thought irritably.
Finally, she spotted her sister near the refreshment table, surrounded by a group of older businessmen and their perfectly coiffed wives. Ophelia had her "networking smile" on—the one that looked pleasant but didn't quite reach her eyes.
Kalina approached, intending to rescue her sister.
Big mistake.
"Oh, Kalina!" One of the wives—Mrs. Chen, if she remembered correctly—latched onto her arm with surprising strength. "We were just discussing the upcoming charity auction. Your mother mentioned you might be interested in joining the planning committee?"
Mother, I'm going to kill you.
"I'm actually quite busy with—"
"Nonsense! It's for the children's hospital. Surely you can spare a few hours a month?" Mrs. Chen's grip tightened. "And you, Ophelia dear, your gallery would be perfect for hosting the art donation preview!"
Ophelia shot Kalina a look that clearly said help me.
Kalina tried. She really did.
But the next two hours became a blur of forced conversations, business card exchanges, and thinly veiled questions about their personal lives disguised as polite interest.
"Are you seeing anyone, Kalina?"
"Your father mentioned you've been quite busy lately. With what, exactly?"
"Ophelia, dear, your gallery is doing so well! You must introduce me to your suppliers."
By the time they finally managed to extract themselves, Kalina wanted to scream.
"I hate networking," she muttered as they speed-walked toward the car park.
"You and me both," Ophelia agreed, checking her phone. Her eyes went wide. "Oh no. Oh no no no—"
"What?"
"My date! It's at five!" Ophelia grabbed Kalina's arm. "Kal, it's four forty-five! We're going to be late!"
"We'll make it—"
"We're twenty minutes away and there's always traffic and I'm still wearing this—" Ophelia gestured frantically at her black coat, beneath which lurked the purple disaster. "—and I haven't even fixed my makeup and—"
"Okay, okay, breathe!" Kalina picked up her pace, her heels clicking rapidly on the pavement. "We'll drive fast. You can fix your makeup in the car. It'll be fine!"
They practically ran to the car park.
Well, "ran" was generous. More like "speed-walked while trying not to break an ankle in heels."
Kalina's right foot twisted slightly as they reached Ophelia's Mercedes.
"Shit—" She stumbled, catching herself on the car door.
"You okay?"
"Fine. Get in!"
They threw themselves into the car. Kalina started the engine while Ophelia was still buckling her seatbelt.
"Drive, drive, drive!" Ophelia urged.
Kalina pulled out of the parking spot with perhaps a bit more speed than necessary, earning a honk from another departing guest.
"Sorry!" she called out the window, not actually sorry at all.
On the Road
"Why is there TRAFFIC?" Kalina groaned, trapped behind a line of cars that were barely moving.
"Because the universe hates me," Ophelia moaned, frantically digging through her purse for lipstick.
Kalina glanced at the clock. 4:52 PM.
"We're not going to make it in time for you to change," she said carefully.
Ophelia froze, lipstick halfway to her mouth.
"What?"
"The restaurant is still fifteen minutes away. Your date is at five. Even if we get there at five on the dot, there's no time to—"
"No." Ophelia's voice went up an octave. "No no no. I am NOT meeting Maximilian Blackwood looking like a purple cupcake!"
"You're wearing the coat—"
"I can't wear a COAT through an entire dinner date! What am I supposed to say? 'Sorry, I'm just really cold in this seventy-degree restaurant'?"
Kalina bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
"It's not FUNNY, Kal!"
"It's a little funny."
"I'm going to DIE. I'm going to combust from embarrassment. They'll find my ashes in this stupid dress and—"
"Okay, dramatic much?" Kalina grinned, finally finding an opening in traffic and accelerating. "Look, Maxi's not going to care what you're wearing. If he's half as into you as you think he might be, he won't even notice."
"He'll notice a PURPLE PRINCESS GOWN, Kalina!"
"Maybe he's into that. You don't know. Maybe he has a Disney princess fantasy."
"Oh my God, stop talking."
Kalina laughed, weaving through traffic with perhaps less caution than she should have. "I'm just saying, if he rejects you because of a dress, he's not worth it anyway."
"Easy for you to say! You're not the one about to humiliate yourself!"
"True." Kalina smirked. "I get to watch from the car while eating snacks. It's like dinner and a show."
Ophelia threw her lipstick at her.
"Hey! I'm driving!"
"You're the WORST sister!"
"You love me."
"I'm reconsidering that right now."
Arriving at Celestia Restaurant - 5:07 PM
Kalina pulled up in front of the restaurant with a screech of brakes that was definitely unnecessary but incredibly satisfying.
"We're here! Only seven minutes late!"
Ophelia peered through the windshield, her face going pale.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"He's already here." Ophelia pointed through the large glass windows. "That's him. Table near the back. He's waiting for me."
Sure enough, Maximilian Blackwood sat at a corner table, looking impeccable in a dark suit, checking his watch.
"So go!" Kalina urged.
"I can't!" Ophelia clutched the door handle but didn't open it. "Look at me! I look ridiculous!"
"You look fine—"
"I look like I raided a five-year-old's dress-up trunk!"
Kalina suppressed another laugh. "Okay, okay. Listen. You take off the coat, walk in there with confidence, and own it. Tell him your mother dressed you. Make it a funny story. Men love women who can laugh at themselves."
"Where did you read that, a fortune cookie?"
"Ophelia." Kalina turned to face her sister seriously. "You are smart, talented, beautiful, and one of the strongest people I know. If Maxi Blackwood can't see that because of a dress, then he's an idiot. Now get out there before you're even MORE late."
Ophelia took a shaky breath. "Okay. Okay. I can do this."
She reached for the door handle.
Paused.
"What if—"
"OPHELIA LEVESQUE, GET OUT OF THIS CAR!"
Her sister jumped, startled, and finally—FINALLY—opened the door.
The moment she stepped out, Kalina leaned out her window.
"YOU'VE GOT THIS!" she shouted encouragingly.
Ophelia whirled around, eyes wide with horror.
"Kal, shut UP—"
"GO GET HIM, TIGER!"
"Oh my God—"
"SHOW HIM THAT PURPLE DRESS WITH CONFIDENCE!"
"I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW!"
Several people on the sidewalk turned to stare. Ophelia's face was bright red.
"LOVE YOU TOO!" Kalina called cheerfully.
Ophelia grabbed the edges of her black coat and pulled them closed like a shield, practically running toward the restaurant entrance.
Kalina watched her disappear inside, then burst out laughing.
"Definitely sister of the year," she muttered to herself, grinning.
Through the window, she could see Ophelia approaching Maxi's table.
He stood up, turning toward her with a welcoming smile—
And then Ophelia began to remove her coat.
Kalina grinned wickedly, settling back into her seat.
This is going to be entertaining.
She reclined her seat slightly, getting comfortable. It was going to be a long wait, and after the exhausting day of memorial networking and traffic drama, she was utterly drained.
Within minutes, her eyes began to drift closed.
The last thing she saw before sleep claimed her was Maxi's expression through the restaurant window—surprise melting into something that looked like delighted amusement.
At least one of us is having a good day, she thought drowsily.
And then exhaustion won, and Kalina fell asleep in her sister's car.