"What in the world?" Maru stared at Echo was propped up in front of her mirror with a tissue up to her nose.

"It's just a nose bleed." Echo said with a snort. "I get them sometimes when I'm stressed."

"No, I mean WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT?" Maru replied, walking over to her with her eyes wide open. "Where did you get this... oh wow."

Maru put her hand on her forehead as she tried to process what she was seeing. Echo turned with a sigh, one hand on the tissue and the other on a chair to help her balance. 

"Don't ask." Echo said, pulling the chair out and sitting.

"Too late, I need to know." Maru said. "I've never EVER seen you dressed like that... Are those... those are Louboutins."

Echo looked down at the shoe and lifted her foot up. Such a pretty shoe... but the poor feet inside them were throbbing.

"Are they?" She said. "Do me a favor and unzip the dress?"

Maru nodded and walked over to her.

"So... Where did you get this dress?" Maru asked, "It's just... since when do you where things like this?"

"Romy?" Echo replied, hoping it sounded plausible.

"Uh uh. No way, she'd kill you and her clothes would never fit you this... well." Maru said, "Try again."

"I bought them." Echo said and Maru sighed.

"Fine, don't tell me but at least tell me why you're wearing it." Maru replied. 

Echo stare at Maru, wondering if she should bother trying to come up with something but in the end she nodded. She had to admit, it felt good to be able to confide in someone. 

"Lock the door and I'll explain. The last thing I need is anyone else seeing me like this." Echo said, trying to get the shoes off. Maru nodded, moving to the door and turning the lock. She turned, facing her sister and stared. She looked so different dressed up this way.

"I look ridiculous, don't I?" Echo asked, noting the look in her eyes. "I knew I couldn't pull this off. I tried to tell him."

"Not at all. It looks quite nice but... it's very different." Maru said watching her. "I think I could understand you trying to change your look a bit, maybe dress more feminine but this..."

"I know." Echo said, "I feel so out of place but I was in such a rush to get back and make sure I made it back before Mom and Dad started asking questions,that I didn't bother changing again."

"Well, they went out but I don't mind telling you that they did ask a lot of questions. Where were you?" Maru asked.

"North town." Echo said with a sigh and Maru's eyes widened.

"You went to go see him!!!" Maru said excitedly. "Is that why you did this?"

Echo struggled for a second, trying to get the shoes off and falling over. The straps were tricky...

"Here, I'll help." Maru said, moving towards her and flicking her hands away. "So?"

"So... I went to go see him and ask him what he was up to. I wanted him to promise me that he wasn't going to cause problems for mom and dad, and that he wouldn't mention me." Echo said softly. "I told him that there was nothing going on between us and that his business with my parents needed to stay professional."

"Okay, so how did you end up in this dress?" Maru asked.

"He wanted to have lunch with me." Echo said, rolling her eyes.

"I still don't see where this outfit comes in." Maru replied.

"He wanted to have lunch with me but I had to dress appropriately." Echo replied, looking annoyed.

"What? Did he really say that? He sounds like a bossy jerk." Maru asked as the other shoe came off. Echo relaxed a bit and flexed her feet. She stared at her toes as he curled and wiggled them, feeling like the blood was finally circulation again.

"God that feels good." Echo said. "He did and he definitely is. Oh, and now he's says we're dating." Echo said.

"I am so confused." Maru said, "How did he come to that conclusion?"

"Maru, I am just as confused and believe me, I told him that we are NOT dating." Echo said. 

"So what happened next?" Maru asked, noticing how Echo frowned.

"We had a nice lunch, he took me back to my car, kissed my cheek and told me he'd meet me on Thursday for dinner." Echo said. "And I was in too much shock to say anything."

"Jesus. Wow." Maru said. "I'm surprised he didn't just say he was picking you up."

"No, he promised not to come here unless I invited him." Echo replied with a sigh.

"So then you are going to meet him?" Maru asked after a few more minutes. Echo stood, moving towards her closet.

"Absolutely not." Echo said, "You have no idea how many times I insisted that I wouldn't go but he just laughed, flashed that stupid smirk and expected me to give in just because he's handsome. He's delusional."

"Sounds like it." Maru said. "What are you going to do now?"

"Nothing. I told him I wasn't going to meet him for dinner and I mean it. Besides, I wouldn't even know what to wear." Echo said. Maru rolled her eyes and lay back on the bed dramatically.

"I don't see what the big deal is. If I were you and a mysterious, handsome man wanted to take me out for a romantic dinner... " Maru began and Echo scoffed. 

"Handsome, mysterious... arrogant and bossy..." Echo said. 

"Oh come on, you're really not interested? Even a little?" Maru asked. 

"No, I'm not." Echo replied firmly but Maru just shrugged. 

"Fine, if you say so..." Maru said, still doubtful.

"Hey!" there was knocking at the door and they both turned.

"Echo, dear. Let us in, we want to talk."

It was Vera.

"Yeah, are you bleeding?" Lena's voice came through.

"Open up, I'm not having a conversation through a door." that was Romy.

Maru and Echo glanced at each other and then back to the door, both checking to make sure it was actually locked. 

"Just a second." Echo said, quickly disappearing into the walk in closet and wiggling out of the dress.

"Come on!" Lena insisted.

"Want me to get it?" Maru asked.

"Maru are you in there? Open up!" Lena asked, jiggling the handle

"Echo dear, we just want to talk." Vera said again.

"I got it." Echo replied, coming out of the closet in one of her trademark out fits. She quickly picked up the shoes and pushed them under the bed. "Yeah... coming."

A few seconds later, she opened the door.

"What's going on?" Romy asked, looking down at her nails but not missing the tissue stuffed up Echo's nose.

"I got one of my stress nosebleeds." Echo said simply, walking back to the desk.

"Aha, so why did you lock the door?" Lena asked, looking at Maru.

"I think I locked it by mistake when I walked in." Maru said with a shrug.

"So why did you take so long to answer?" Vera asked, finally joining the conversation.

"I was changing my shirt, there was blood on it." Echo said quickly.

Romy, Vera and Lena all exchanged glances. Something was very strange about the whole situation.

"Anyway, if you'll excuse me. I'm going to go clean up the mess in the hall." Echo said but they didn't budge. 

"Yeah, what happened out there?" Lena asked.

"I slipped when I got in." Echo said simply. 

"How many times?" Romy asked.

"A couple... I just stumbled and struggled to regain my balance." Echo said. 

"She's clumsy, we've always known that." Maru chimed in. 

"Well, I've got a mess to tend to." Echo said, squeezing between them and disappearing into the hall. 

The three then turned to Maru, as if expecting more information.

"Ugh, I'm going to go help her." Maru said, getting up and pushing past them as well.

"What in the world is going on here?" Vera asked, shaking her head.

Downstairs, Echo was washing her hands from the dirt she'd scooped up off the floor. She'd rushing in, trying not to be seen and used the plant to stop herself from hitting the floor too hard when she slipped. It was going to take time to get used to those shoes.

"No, it's not." Echo muttered to herself with a shake of the head because she wasn't going to wear shoes like that again. She wasn't going to go meet Luke and she wasn't going to entertain his ridiculous ideas that they were dating. They were NOT dating. Besides, she had no idea where they were supposed to meet so it was moot anyway.

"Hey you." Alice said as she walked into the kitchen, noting how Echo was furiously scrubbing her hands. "everything okay? You know, you should stop scrubbing once you see bone."

"Yeah, just washing my hands." Echo muttered with a chuckle. Alice raised a brow.

"Aha...I heard you had some trouble getting in." Alice said, noticing the broken frame on the counter.

"Yeah, I slipped and brought down a couple of things as I tried to break my fall." Echo said. Alice nodded.

"And your nose?" she asked. Echo reached up, realizing the tissue was still in her nose. She gave a nervous laugh as she pulled them out and tossed them in the trash.

"Just another nosebleed." Echo said, "But enough of that... how was dinner?"

Alice looked at Echo, that was strange. Echo usually avoided conversations, didn't try to lengthen them. Still she humored her.

"Good. George sends his love." Alice said. "Maybe next time you'll join us?"

"Yeah, maybe. How are the wedding plans coming along?" Echo asked, wiping the counter.

"Fast. Really fast, they're looking at venues for October." Alice said.

"October? That's only a couple of months off... Although I suppose the weather will still be nice" Echo said, surprise.

"I thought the same thing!" Michael said, walking into the kitchen. "But I suppose he wants to make sure he's back from his honeymoon in time to launch our project with the Ark."

"Oh? I thought you guys just spoke to him this morning?" Echo asked.

"Yes but he was very clear that he wanted to make a decision soon." Alice said with a smile, "and honestly, our proposal is perfect."

"That's great. When are you supposed to hear from him?" Echo asked as nonchalantly as possible.

"I think by the end of the week. Although I don't see any reason for him not to accept." Michael said.

"Sounds great, Daddy." Echo said.

"Why don't we call him tomorrow and make sure he received it?" Alice said and Michael sighed.

"No, that's too soon. Let's give it until Thursday at least." Michael said. "Or Friday even. Maybe that's better. People are usually in much better moods on Fridays."

"That sounds like a good idea." Alice said.

Echo hovered around nervously. She hadn't meant to start a full blown conversation with her parents and was already feeling anxious. She just didn't want her mother to continue to press her about what happened in the hall.

"Well... I'm going to bed, It was a busy day and I'm exhausted." Echo said, trying to leave.

"Oh, Echo." Michael said, stopping her.

"Yes, dad?" Echo asked, turning toward him.

"You forgot your cell phone." He said, looking at the counter where the phone was sitting. Unlike her sisters who had the latest phones, Echo had managed to have the same flip phone for the last several years.

"right." Echo said, picking up the phone and leaving the room. She'd only taken a few steps out of the room when she stopped.

A new message.

Echo stared at it for several minutes before she opened it.

"Thursday, 7pm. Sawashee Restaurant."