"Are you now?" Annabel begins to measure, starting with the neck, and it's with a deliberate jerking motion that she pulls the tape taut.

"You had better treat that young lady right, then. I'll dress you well enough, you just make her feel like the the belle of the ball, even if she doesn't win Flower Queen."

And then she smiles so brightly, loosening the tension like it wasn't even there.