I was more than pretty
ror did
first thing
g. No contouring to sharpe
d acne lingered near my hairline. My nose was broader, my chin less defined. My ey
hed my
m.
ess of my jaw - the very feature Julian had once
to ha
selfies, tilting it just right so the w
t
cognized the gi
she looked
se she lo
ness around her mouth from years of biting back words. Sh
be betrayed by the two people w
rom the mirror,
happening,"
phone, hand
e 1
year
oss
h my messages. My
e the surgery, before the inheritance,
I s
t fro
sons doesn't accept just anyone.
eath
hen I was
efore I died. We'd stopped talking after she said, "Yo
o the edge
he gray I'd chosen later. My sketchbooks were stacked on the desk - untouched
st at T
he only woman who was b
he was held to a stand
ed my
l inbox
message fr
of 2014! Orientation b
d that email in
y I remembered every small joy before
walked back
I didn't
l," I said
idn't
e real
with a scream, but with a
't dre
oken up fr
iven somethi
ond c
relive
recla
nt years trying to erase - was th
d
irst thing I saw
d out the brochure I'd hidden for
al Aesthetics & Rec
red a
pened th
reeze sl
paper ove
ch
mo
en the woman I was - and th
't thr
t
close the d
e this
to change my fa
to love the face that