Olivia held the dress to her body and studied herself critically in the mirror. It was a pretty dress, a milk chocolate, fine whale corduroy mini dress with a high boat neck and delicate satin detailing. She scrunched up her face. Pretty dress, but no waistline. It would depend on how it hung on her, and she couldn't tell here. Maybe she'd have to try it on. Truthfully, Olivia didn't need the pretty dress, but she was having a bad day with Brian threatening to leave and to top it off, her students misbehaving. Shopping was something of an escape and today she needed it more than most. She was just about to turn and find the sales assistant who had offered her a bottle of water when suddenly from beside her she heard a masculine voice in her ear. "Beautiful color on you."
Olivia took a deep breath and turned slowly, ready to berate this intruder into her thoughts. With an annoyed look on her face, she began, "I really don't think that..." but quickly trailed off as the face turned out to be one she did not expect. "Allen!" she exclaimed, and then stopped. A slow smile crept upon his face as Olivia stared at him, dumbfounded for a moment. Then, as if in a trance her hand reached towards his face, her thumb tracing his eyebrow and down his defined cheekbone, the hand holding the dress dropping so the soft fabric hit the floor with a gentle sound. Olivia and Allen stood there for a moment, staring at each other. She wasn't sure how to react- she hadn't been sure he was alive up to this point, and yet now, here he was. In front of her. Hid brown eyes stared into hers. What could she possibly say? How do you react to someone who disappeared so completely from your life?