~POV: Sarah
All throughout my childhood, I thought of myself as the forgotten one, the ugly duckling. I can remember looking in my little gilt-framed mirror above my desk and turning away in shame, for I would never be as lovely as my sisters. My mother realized this quite early in my life, but she continued to pamper me in the way that she had with my sisters until Papa died. Then she just ignored me altogether, as if any chair with me in it was empty. My sisters were consciously aware of this, but they took pains to never mention Mother's indifference towards me in my presence. Well, all of them except Marlena.
One morning in May when I was about twelve, I was staring at my reflection in the mirror as I always did, lamenting over my bushy reddish-brown hair and freckled nose, when Marlena poked her head through my doorway, her large, beautiful ebony eyes fixed on me. A cold smile passed across her face as she said, "No use looking in the mirror, Sarah. No matter how long you stare, you'll never be any prettier than you are." She laughed and exited the room, leaving me alone. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at my plain face in the mirror. Was Marlena right? Papa had always said that true beauty comes from within, but whenever I was around Marlena, I had a very hard time in believing that.
As I grew older, I became used to such treatment from my eldest sister. I knew that Marlena had some issues, as well as a defined mean streak, and I willed myself into believing that she didn't really mean it. Of course, I knew she did, but I needed this false confidence to get me through the days.
When I turned eighteen, I left my home and traveled to a small town far away from my family, never to contact them again. I haven't spoken to any of my family members in twelve years. What's more, I didn't even attend the funeral of my mother, a fact which brings me constant regret, guilt, and pain every day of my life. Ironically, I, Sarah, the plain one, am the only Stevenson daughter to be blessed with a loving marriage. Now I teach my son to always be confident in who he is, and to never try to change himself for anyone. I don't want him to make the same mistakes I made, heaven forbid.
All throughout my childhood, I thought of myself as the forgotten one, the ugly duckling. I can remember looking in my little gilt-framed mirror above my desk and turning away in shame, for I would never be as lovely as my sisters. My mother realized this quite early in my life, but she continued to pamper me in the way that she had with my sisters until Papa died. Then she just ignored me altogether, as if any chair with me in it was empty. My sisters were consciously aware of this, but they took pains to never mention Mother's indifference towards me in my presence. Well, all of them except Marlena.
One morning in May when I was about twelve, I was staring at my reflection in the mirror as I always did, lamenting over my bushy reddish-brown hair and freckled nose, when Marlena poked her head through my doorway, her large, beautiful ebony eyes fixed on me. A cold smile passed across her face as she said, "No use looking in the mirror, Sarah. No matter how long you stare, you'll never be any prettier than you are." She laughed and exited the room, leaving me alone. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at my plain face in the mirror. Was Marlena right? Papa had always said that true beauty comes from within, but whenever I was around Marlena, I had a very hard time in believing that.
As I grew older, I became used to such treatment from my eldest sister. I knew that Marlena had some issues, as well as a defined mean streak, and I willed myself into believing that she didn't really mean it. Of course, I knew she did, but I needed this false confidence to get me through the days.
When I turned eighteen, I left my home and traveled to a small town far away from my family, never to contact them again. I haven't spoken to any of my family members in twelve years. What's more, I didn't even attend the funeral of my mother, a fact which brings me constant regret, guilt, and pain every day of my life. Ironically, I, Sarah, the plain one, am the only Stevenson daughter to be blessed with a loving marriage. Now I teach my son to always be confident in who he is, and to never try to change himself for anyone. I don't want him to make the same mistakes I made, heaven forbid.