Brooks smiled. "Hey, I'll take it. Means I get to see the look on your classmates' faces. Your father... honey, he would have loved to be here. I served with him for years."
As we pulled away, I glanced at the house. The porch light glowed over Camila, Lia, and Jen, silent, still, and for once completely out of words.
***
By the time we pulled up to the school, students were already gathered outside taking pictures. Heads turned as Sergeant Brooks stepped out of Dad's old Chevy in full dress uniform and came around to open my door.
I froze.
Students were already gathered outside taking pictures.
Brooks offered me his arm. "You go in there and dance, you hear? That's an order."
"Yes, sir," I said, and a few kids nearby started whispering before I'd even reached the doors.
Inside, the gym was loud and bright. Mrs. Lopez spotted me by the door.
She crossed the floor, eyes wide. "Chelsea, is that your dad's jacket, hon?"
"I made this dress for tonight."
She touched my sleeve gently. "You honor him, sweetheart. Don't ever forget that."
"You go in there and dance, you hear? That's an order."
By then, half a dozen people had turned to look. Someone near the punch table whispered, "She made that from her father's uniform?"
I braced for the worst.
Instead, someone started clapping. Then more joined in. The applause spread across the gym.
My friend, Sarah, found me in the crowd and grabbed my hand.
"You hear that? They love it. This is your night."
We danced, awkward at first, then free.
