The country club restaurant was as busy as Abby had feared. She rushed over to the table where her mother and Ben were having a lively conversation. They stopped when they saw her approach.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, sitting down beside Ben. He was wearing his best suit, the one he only wore when dealing with important buyers. Her mother was also dressed nicely in her favourite peach dress suit with pin stripes.

"Hi daddy," Abby scooted her chair closer to her father. Something was up and she would get it out of him. "What's going on?" she whispered.

Her dad leaned back in his chair and simply patted her on the back.

"Sit up straight Abby," her mother said, tilting her head up as though demonstrating how to sit straighter. "Why are you late? And why are you wearing that?"

"No one mentioned this was a formal dinner," Abby said. She'd worn a simple white blouse with a little lace detail near the collar and a black skirt. "I went to the Pow Wow this afternoon and it was really warm out today, so I had to take a shower first before coming to dinner."

"I don't know why you go to those Pow Wows," Ben said, taking a sip of his wine.

Abby frowned at him. "What's wrong with the Pow Wows?"

Ben avoided her eye line, looking off to another table where a couple was seated.

"The dances are beautiful—" Abby continued but was interrupted by her mother.

"Ben has a good point dear." She pointed her finger at Abby. "You shouldn't be going out to those types of events alone."

"What do you mean, those types of events?" Abby's cheeks flared. Her dad placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to calm her, always the peacekeeper.

"Excuse me." A waiter leaned over to talk with Abby, as though he was telling her a secret. "I'm sorry but I'll need to see some I.D."

"Oh for goodness sake," Abby's mom said, flinging her napkin down onto the table. "We've been coming to this place for years."

"Mom, it's fine, seriously." Abby dug through her purse. "They have to I.D. everyone." Except for you. Abby bit back a smile and handed her I.D. to the waiter. He was obviously new here and hadn't met her mother yet. He glanced at the I.D. quickly. His eyebrows raised and he looked like he was about to say something, but then he just nodded and went away.

"If you'd just eat once in a while maybe you'd grow a little and not look so..." her mother waved a hand in the air, apparently at a loss for words.

"I think Abby looks great," Ben chimed in.

"Thanks Ben," Abby said, sitting up taller. It was true that she was only five foot tall and weighed a mere 94 pounds, but that wasn't her fault. In fact it wasn't her parents' either because they were both tall and big boned. She was probably adopted, which would explain a lot.

"Well, I suppose the youthful look does run in the family," her mother said, smoothing back her greying hair. Abby kept her comments to herself.

"Yes," Ben smiled. "You both look wonderful."

He seemed in an awfully chipper mood. Maybe it was the wine.

"How's the job hunting going?" Abby's dad asked.

"Fine." Abby took a large bit of the salad in front of her, so she wouldn't have to talk. There were buns and small bowls of salad set on the table for everyone. Her mom probably already ordered for her.

"Your mother's new office in the city needs a receptionist," Abby's dad said, clasping his hands together and resting his elbows on the table. He had a serious expression on his face.

"I don't want to live in the city," Abby said quietly. "There's too many people and traffic."

"You don't want to live in the city?" Abby's mom chimed in, pursing her lips. "Or you don't want to work... in the city?"

Abby's stomach tightened. This was why she never ate. Her mother made her lose her appetite every time she was around. "I do want to work," Abby said. "Just not with customers." Her mother looked skyward but said nothing. It was no use. She refused to believe that Abby had social anxiety, as though it would be some sort of embarrassment to the family or something.

Ben laughed, lightening the mood. "Abby won't need to work," he said. All heads turned to him. "My parents are giving me their shares in the business, instead of selling them."

"Oh that's marvelous!" Abby's mom leaned across the table to hug Ben. "This will work out nicely... for all of us," she said.

"Am I missing something here?" Abby asked. She looked at her dad who seemed deep in thought. He wasn't smiling. Then she looked at Ben, who had a big smile on his face. He already had shares in her dad's business, and his parents did too. If he got his parents' shares that would mean he'd become the majority shareholder.

"Can you even be majority shareholder?" Abby asked him.

Ben leaned back in his chair. "I can, if I get Canadian citizenship."

Abby was about to ask how he was planning to do that, when he cleared his throat loudly as though preparing for a speech.

"As you know," he began, sitting up in his chair, "Abby and I have been dating for over a year now and..." He reached into his suit jacket pocket and pulled out a small box.

Abby's mom gasped dramatically, drawing the attention of onlookers from the other tables. Ben opened the tiny box to reveal a shiny diamond ring.

"Wait..." Abby pushed her chair back, moving away from Ben. "I... we need to talk." Everyone in the restaurant was looking at them now. Ben reached for her hand and she pulled it away.

"No, I..." She got up from her chair. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

Then she ran out of the restaurant.