Dinner at their house was always loud and bustlingю The clinking of silverware mingled with bursts of laughter as plates of lasagna and salad were passed around the table. Betty sat at her usual spot, picking at her food trying to ignore Stacey and Jeanette’s animated conversation about the latest school gossip.
Her dad, sitting at the head of the table leaned back with a playful grin. "So,prom season’s coming up."
Betty immediately groaned, dropping her fork onto her plate. "Not you too, Dad."
"What? I can’t bring it up? It’s a big deal!You’re really going to let your sister show you up on the dance floor?"
Stacey snorted, smirking as she took a sip of her water. Jeanette, seated next to her, stifled a giggle behind her hand.
Betty rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. "Dad, you know I don’t do dancing. Or dresses. Or awkward small talk under bad lighting."
Her father chuckled, cutting into his lasagna. "You might surprise yourself," he said warmly. "Besides, it’s not about dancing or dresses. It’s about showing up—for yourself."
The sincerity in his tone caught Betty off guard. She glanced at him, her defenses faltering just a little.
Jeanette chimed in, her voice gentle but persuasive. "Think of it as a way to let go, just for one night. No stress, no overthinking. Just... fun."
Betty snorted softly, shaking her head. "That’s easy for you to say. You’d look good in a potato sack."
Jeanette grinned, but her eyes softened. "It’s not about how you look, Betty. It’s about how you feel. And you deserve to feel good for once."
Betty’s chest tightened. A longing she couldn’t quite name.
"You’re all impossible."
Her dad reached over, giving her hand a quick squeeze. "We just want you to be happy, kiddo. That’s all."
Betty didn’t respond, keeping her eyes on her plate. But as the conversation drifted to other topics, her dad’s words lingered looping in her mind.
“It’s not about dancing—it’s about showing up for yourself.”
She wouldn’t admit it, not even to herself, but for the first time she considered it. Just for a moment.