He looked at her out of his dark eyes, and her heart sang. She was wearing her best blue dress and a white apron, and mom had braided her braids, with blue and pink ribbons. Surely her father liked her. Mom had said that blue was his favorite color. But why didn't he smile? Didn't she stand still enough? "Don't mess around and act like a lady, that's what dad likes," Mom had said
Just a few minutes“" Mom said. She said it very quickly. Was she afraid? But from what? "It would mean so much to her, Alex. Please …“
Alex Stafford stared down at Sarah, his mouth pressed together, and studied her in silence. Sarah stood as still as she could. She had looked at herself in the mirror for a long time that morning and knew what dad was seeing now. She had his chin and nose and mom's blonde hair and her fair skin. Her eyes, too, were those of her mother, only a little darker. Dad just had to think she was pretty, he had to! She looked up at him hopefully. But the look in his eyes was not at all nice