As I gazed at myself in that dark
room, I did not perceive that the sequins were garish or that the dress
was a bit snug around the hips. Blinded,
perhaps, by my own wishful thinking, I only knew that the silver glitter
set off the highlights in my hair and the plunging neckline created the
illusion that I had the figure of a twenty-year-old.
I decided that this dress had the power to cast a spell
so magical that even my husband Gifford,
who had lately grown hazy and remote, could
not escape its enchantment.