Wings Unfolding-4

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Before the surgery she had found no strong family resemblance to either parent.

This had all been her father's idea, after Clarissa's last "wise" visit. Thoroughly put out with the conniving of both the older girls, Father had told her, "I will see to it that they get what they give, Monie. Don't think for a minute that I'm unaware of all you're doing for me, all that you've given up. I'm trying to find a way to make it up to you."

His version of making it up to her was larger than life, as his ideas usually were. Initially Monroe had flatly dismissed his idea of reconstructing her, feeling slighted and ashamed that her looks weren't good enough, even for her father.

Refusing to accept no for an answer, he had introduced her to Dr. Patrick Bertrell. The surgeon had actually come to the house at Father's beckoning. Still Monroe flatly refused.

But her father and Patrick formed one of those instant and enduring links, and he began stopping by the house on a regular basis. He would pop in to challenge Father to a game of chess or backgammon. Soon Father was inviting him for meals. He became a regular feature in their lives.

Whenever he was at their home, the young doctor always made a point to include her in their conversations, to ask her opinion, to draw her into their fun. Next thing she knew, Patrick was taking them both to movies, the theater, dinner. He became her ally, helping her to accomplish what she could not do by herself to expand her father's world as well as her own.

This change in circumstances made her as giddy and light headed as if she had been drinking too much. She was still reeling with it when months later, her father again brought up the idea of cosmetic surgery. This time Patrick was able to draw from her the admission of what was truly in her heart. She wanted to be beautiful--on the outside as well as on the inside. Patrick could make that happen. He wanted to.

No one seemed prepared for the way she had turned into her mother. But appearances, she knew, could be deceiving. Still, Monroe was pleased with the effect. Her neck seemed longer and more slender, and her hair shimmered as it brushed against her face, just below her ear instead of trailing listless and with nameless color down the length of her back. She stepped back from the mirror to view the whole package--her frame carrying over sixty pounds less weight, clad expertly in a tailored gabardine suit of armor gray.

In her heart she shut away the hope that this new appearance would reap what she wanted from her siblings. She dared not hope for love. In fact, she did not want it; their version of love was too demanding. But dignity and respect--that would be nice, if only for a fleeting, victorious moment. She wouldn't be able to stand it if she came off as a sideshow. Maybe it would have been better to let Patrick be here, just for show value. Yet the one thing her heart was sure about was the fact that from here on out, she needed to act alone.
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Tune in tomorrow for the next exciting episode of Wings Unfolding :)