My deceased father appeared in my dream the night before my birthday and warned, ‘Don’t wear the dress your husband gave you.’ I woke up trembling, because my husband had just given me that dress. And when the seamstress brought it back and I checked the lining, I realized my father hadn’t just visited in a dream, he might have prevented something I hadn’t noticed.

“Oh, come on,” Mark said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Everything’s going to be great. You know how amazing Nikki is. She planned every detail. And you in that dress? You’ll be the star of the night.”

That dress again.

Liv felt a knot tighten in her stomach.

“Mark, maybe I’ll just wear the blue one instead. You remember the one we chose together last year? It looks really good on me, too.”

Mark paused, turned toward her, and she caught something flicker in his eyes. Irritation, or was she imagining it?

“Liv, we already discussed this,” he said, his tone firm. “I ordered that dress specifically for your 50th. I spent good money on it, too. Ms. Reed worked hard tailoring it just for you. Are you trying to insult me?”

“No, of course not,” she responded quickly, a wave of guilt washing over her. “I just thought, never mind. I’ll wear your dress.”

“Good,” Mark said, and his expression instantly softened. “That’s my girl. Trust me, everyone’s going to be amazed.”

He climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom, leaving Liv sitting there with her arms wrapped around her knees.

What’s wrong with me? Why am I reacting like this to a simple request from my husband?

He was right. He’d spent money, gone out of his way to do something thoughtful for her. And here she was being dramatic over nothing but a dream.

She forced herself to get up and head to the kitchen to make breakfast. She switched on the electric kettle, pulled out eggs for an omelette, and sliced some bread. The routine steadied her a little, giving her something else to focus on besides the nagging worry.

Mark came out of the shower dressed and ready, hair neatly combed, the scent of his cologne filling the air.

“I’m heading into the office for a bit,” he said as he poured himself coffee. “Just need to sign a few documents. I’ll be back around lunch. What about you?”

“Just staying home,” Liv replied, stirring the omelette in the pan. “I’ll call Nikki. Then I need to start getting ready. And Ms. Reed said she’d be stopping by today to drop off the dress for the final adjustments.”

“Perfect,” Mark said, sitting at the table and picking up his fork. “So you’ll try it on tonight, and tomorrow everything will be perfect.”

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