Karin rose from her seat, smoothing down her short blue dress as she did. She resisted the urge to tug down at its hem. What had possessed her to dress as if this outing were a date eluded her now. Earlier, in the dim light of her closet, it had seemed an appropriate choice: one of the only choices, in fact, that did not make it painfully obvious how much weight she had lost, hugging her lessening curves in a fit surprisingly flattering. Heels and makeup had completed the potentially overdone look, but had also done much to hide the hollows beneath her eyes and the pallor of her skin. It was a fair enough exchange.
Still, she could not help but feel a touch foolish as she saw her acquaintances stride in, Charlie's expression making quite clear just what she thought of Karin's suggestion. Karin's lips thinned, and she drew a slow, deep breath, steeling herself for the worst. After this moment of collecting herself she managed a wave, more determined in its broad sweep than she herself felt, and a broader, more welcoming smile.
"Charlie," she said, giving a small nod in greeting as the pair drew near. "Rylee. Thank you for coming."