they aren’t performing.
James glanced back toward my mother.
“She wore that dress on purpose, didn’t she?”
I smiled.
“Yes.”
“She was testing us.”
“She would say she was gathering information.”
“And?”
“You passed.”
He looked genuinely confused.
“What did I do?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“That was the test.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“You didn’t react to the dress.”
James frowned.
“Why would I?”
“Because it was unusual for this place.”
“It’s clothing.”
He shrugged.
“Your mother isn’t her dress.”
Then he looked genuinely puzzled.
“What she was wearing might be
