For Them, We Must

A Dress, A Date, A Dream.

Oakley checked her reflection one more time in the mirror. Her hair was softly curled, mascara on her eyelashes and blush on her cheeks. She turned to the left and right, the dark green suede dress falling right above her knees. It would still be cool, so her coat downstairs was waiting. Tapping her boots on the floor she walked out to see Evelyn sitting on the bed.

"You look pretty, Momma," Evelyn smiled.

"Awe thanks, baby," Oakley walked over to her. "You think your daddy will like it?"

"Yep," Evelyn nodded, dropping her voice as deep as it would go. "He'll say, wow, darlin'...you sure are real pretty!"

"Does your daddy look good?" Oakley giggled. 

"All black," Evelyn then started to giggle too. 

Oakley may have confessed to Evelyn that cowboys look better in all black and it has certainly stuck with the six-year-old. 

"Well then," Oakley winked. "I think we better go find him." 

Evelyn nodded her head energetically. Oakley laughed, pressing a kiss to Evelyn's plump cheek before standing up. The two of them made their way downstairs where the boys were sitting in the living room. Rip and Beth were also there, Rip looking well out of place.

Kayce looked up when Oakley and Evelyn walked in, standing quickly. He walked over to Oakley while Evelyn took his seat on the couch.

"Alright kids," Oakley said. "Behave, please."

"Use protection you two," Beth looked up from her magazine.

"This is who's watching them?" Oakley asked Kayce.

"Please?" Kayce pleaded with his sister.

"Protection from what?" Asked Lee.

"Bears," Oakley said quickly, grabbing Kayce's hand and pulling him out of the room.

They walked out to the front porch and stopped to put their coats on. Kayce grabbed Oakley's hand and pulled her back to him when she tried to step off the porch.

"Wait," Kayce said softly.

"What?" Oakley asked.

"Hi," Kayce smiled, his hands slipping between her jacket and dress, over her hips.

"Hi, cowboy," Oakley smiled as Kayce kissed her cheek.

"You look beautiful," Kayce told her and Oakley's cheeks flushed.

Kacey was dressed in all black, with his hair pushed back under his cowboy hat. He smelled good too and paired with the way he was looking at her, Oakley thought she was about to be a goner.

"Come on," Oakley pulled his hand. "Or I won't make it off this damn porch."

Kayce laughed, leading her to his truck and opening the door. Oakley climbed in and smoothed down her dress as Kayce got in on the driver's side.

He took her to a new place in town. It was a burger place, but one where each burger was special and worth an ungodly twenty-two dollars. After ordering, Oakley looked across the table at Kayce with a smile.

"Thank you for this," She told him.

"We needed this," Kayce said. "Plus, I get to not only see you in that dress..."

He trailed off as the waiter brought them their drinks and napkins. Oakley smiled at the girl while taking a sip of her beer. She looked back at Kayce.

"But...?" Oakley laughed.

"What?" Kayce asked.

"You get to see me in this dress and? You didn't finish." Oakley sat her glass down.