Casey waited outside the school for another forty-five minutes before a hunter green Explorer pulled up in front of her. A lanky girl, with red hair, the same age as Casey emerged from the backseat. "Marla, you know I was about to walk home waiting on all of you for almost an hour." The red-head threw her hands up into the air, "We were just trying to prepare ourselves, and I'm glad we did. What the hell did Nora do to you? And honey pie pink isn't a flattering color with your skin tone. I brought my credit card, and I thought we could play around. Now that I'm seeing this maybe fix you up a bit. What do you say to that?" Casey smiled, "I've kind of been waiting for someone to want the old me back." She piled into the backseat with Marla, as the Explorer plunged out of the parking lot.
"You know Casey Lola Macdonald, I had to skip my last three classes just to come down here to see you, and I haven't even gotten a freakin' hello," came a male voice from the driver's seat. "Charlie! I'm sorry, I can't believe you're here. But I wish you wouldn't skip classes to come see me?" "It was no big, I didn't feel like cutting up a dead body today anyways." The girls looked at him appalled, while the guys in a stricken awe. "You have to cut up a corpse?" "To become a doctor yeah." "Right, from what I've heard you aren't going to become one til you're like fifty." "That's not true I'm graduating next year." "A twenty-six year old doctor? Charlie no one's going to hire you." "Thanks a lot Lola. You just wait I'll become the most infamous chemotherapist around." "Yes, and we've heard from so many already," said Allen sarcastically from the rear seat. "I've heard from a few," said Casey solemnly.
"I know you have Lola, but only good times now." Casey touched her necklace, remembering how it was given to her. "Maybe you're right, so how's Mary?" "Good, good. Finally slipped a ring on her finger." Casey clapped her hands. "Oh, I just knew you two would be together. Remember I told you that when you first started dating when I was five." Charlie nodded. "Well, here we are, everyone get out of my tank." All seven of them jumped out at the same time. Eric stretched hi arms before speaking, "I'm sorry, but I didn't come here to go from store to store to find the perfect outfit. So if it's alright with you girls us guys will go our separate ways." Jackie tossed her ebony hair over her shoulder muttering a "Whatever" to her boyfriend.
The girls walked into the Limited, already starting to toss bundles of clothes over their shoulders. After awhile Casey decided on some ripped, faded low-riders, and a light lilac shirt. Just a bit smaller, just a bit tighter made the world of difference to her. She began to feel like herself again. "Do you really like your hair that way?" Marla asked, twisting a strand between her fingers giving it a harsh tug. "Damn what was that for?" "Just to see if it was real." "Well, it is. But, I would kind of like it different. It isn't me." Casey replied, smoothing her hair back down.
When they got done with the salon Casey had come out with a French ruffle with blonde and light brown highlights. They called the guys on the cell, and met them in the food court. They nodded their heads at Casey giving her their approval on her look. "Better than before, at least we can tell who you are," said Allen with a chuckle. "Feels better too," Casey said. "I've been wondering why Mrs. Mac would do that to you in the first place," replied Allen. "I guess after being taken care of by Charlie for so long she didn't see me as her daughter. She wanted to make me into something she could approve of." "That's a bit screwed up right there, to approve of, what's there to approve of?"
"I am not sure, but I can't get angry with her. She just wanted a relationship with me like she has with Lizzie." "Then she should take the time to get to know you," said Jackie. "She still seems too busy to take the time to do that, she wants to raise George's kids now that I've gotten her seal of approval. That was always the problem with her, that's why my dad broke up with her. I mean our dad now I guess," she said indicating Allen and Marla. "Your mom still mad about Sandra?" "Who knows or who really cares. We try to stay as far away from that subject as possible." "You guys stay away from other personal subjects?' "Yes, we do, and it's going to stay that way." "Fine, I know your mom kind of doesn't "approve" of us anymore, but do you think she'd let you stay for Thanksgiving?" "Don't know you'd have to ask her yourself." "Fine, come on then." Casey laughed, as she secretly crossed her fingers, hoping for once she'd get her way with her mother.
Just a little author's note but I've always thought of the whole Casey/Nora relationship being kind of like the one in White Oleander so bear with me for awhile while I try to make it work better….