Readers Didn’t Understand My Story -WHY?

So I’m writing a story about two women and a robotic cat that acts like a dog. Woff Woff!… My writing group read the first page then asked me, which woman owns the cat-dog? My jaw dropped. Then they read it a second time. “Oh, I see now.” Why did it take two reads to understand what I thought was…

The Date

Skipp pulled the black necktie with grey smiley faces through the space held open with two fingers. The double Windsor knot complimented the ash-white button-down collar shirt and black pants with fitted cuffs.  He looked at himself in his full-length bedroom mirror. “Grey or black Stacy Adams?” The question cut through the quiet bedroom bouncing off no one.‘The grey oxfords look…