p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"James watches the slender hand sneak out from behind the shower curtain, groping for a nonexistent towel. He chuckles and holds a towel in her line of grasping. The of her hand bumps into the towel and/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"she draws it back into the shower as James returns to his spot on the opposite side of the bathroom. A/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"few seconds later Idina pulls back the shower curtain and takes a cautious, tired step out, wrapped/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"only in a towel. James stifles a gasp. The costumes had done a better job than he realized of/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"concealing how thin she had gotten. James' gaze is drawn from the prominent bones to the memories/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"displayed clearly on her arm. Idina catches him staring and looks down as well. The shower causes them/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"to look as red and angry as the night they had been made./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""I cover them up onstage when my sleeves don't cover them. Normally they don't show quite so bad./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"As soon as I dry off I'll cover them up again." The forced emotionlessness of her voice is broken only by/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"a hint of shame and hatred. Looking at her eyes, James sees all the emotion she tries to hide. The pure/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"hatred and shame makes his heart ache for the beautiful woman in front of him./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""No, Idina, you don't need to cover them up. Not for me." He struggles to find words for his emotions,/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"his mind still reeling from the revelation./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""Yes, I do. They're ugly, horrid, despicable. Mistakes, just like me." She meets his eyes, the pain of/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"memories hidden behind strong-willed determination daring him to disagree./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""I don't think they're ugly. I see them as a sign of strength and beauty. And you could never be a/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"mistake. Think of all the lives you've changed, the ones you're still changing." Idina looks away, closing/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"her eyes against the onset of tears, not believing a word James is saying. He cautiously takes her hand/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"and pulls it towards him, extending her arm straight. He bends forward slightly and presses a kiss to the/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"scars closest to him. Idina's head snaps around to look at him, mouth open in shock. He places another/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"one right above that, and another one, until a tender gesture of love has touched every hurt-filled/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"memory. He straightens again and looks Idina in the face. Tears stream down her face at the love and/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"care for her from the man in front of her./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""James...I don't know what to say..." Idina struggles for words but instead throws her arms around/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"her neck, crying silently into his shoulder. Taye had always hated her scars, called her weak and/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"dispicable for having them, no matter how old they were. James' pure, unadulterated love for her, the/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"acceptance and non-judgement of her scars...no one has loved her this completely, this fully, since her/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"mess began. She clings to him, never wanting to let go./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""Idina, you're absolutely incredible. Nothing you say or do, nothing you've said or done or have yet to/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"do could ever change that. These scars, they show your strength, not your weakness. You're in a battle/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"against yourself. No, you're winning a war against yourself." James speaks softly into her ear, running/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"his fingers through her still dripping wet hair. His brows furrow in concern as every time he draws his/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"hand away, more hair follows. How does she even still have hair left on her head? Idina pulls back,/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"sniffling and avoiding his eyes again./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""I need to get dressed." Managing a sentence through the tears, she draws a shaky breath before/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"bringing her head up to meet his eyes again. The pain, the innocence, the memories, the fragility, all/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"displayed so clearly in the typically guarded green orbs pull James' heart to his throat. "Please don't/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"leave me." She whispers, her eyes searching for something in his. He hopes she sees to his heart, that/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"she sees he'll never leave. He grasps her unoccupied hand and squeezes it reassuringly./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""I promise, I will never leave you. I'll be right here. You'll be changing in your dressing room and I'll be doing my business." James attempts a joke and cracks half a smile. The corners of Idina's mouth work/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"like she's trying to smile, but nothing's happening./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"she draws it back into the shower as James returns to his spot on the opposite side of the bathroom. A/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"few seconds later Idina pulls back the shower curtain and takes a cautious, tired step out, wrapped/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"only in a towel. James stifles a gasp. The costumes had done a better job than he realized of/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"concealing how thin she had gotten. James' gaze is drawn from the prominent bones to the memories/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"displayed clearly on her arm. Idina catches him staring and looks down as well. The shower causes them/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"to look as red and angry as the night they had been made./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""I cover them up onstage when my sleeves don't cover them. Normally they don't show quite so bad./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"As soon as I dry off I'll cover them up again." The forced emotionlessness of her voice is broken only by/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"a hint of shame and hatred. Looking at her eyes, James sees all the emotion she tries to hide. The pure/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"hatred and shame makes his heart ache for the beautiful woman in front of him./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""No, Idina, you don't need to cover them up. Not for me." He struggles to find words for his emotions,/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"his mind still reeling from the revelation./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""Yes, I do. They're ugly, horrid, despicable. Mistakes, just like me." She meets his eyes, the pain of/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"memories hidden behind strong-willed determination daring him to disagree./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""I don't think they're ugly. I see them as a sign of strength and beauty. And you could never be a/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"mistake. Think of all the lives you've changed, the ones you're still changing." Idina looks away, closing/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"her eyes against the onset of tears, not believing a word James is saying. He cautiously takes her hand/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"and pulls it towards him, extending her arm straight. He bends forward slightly and presses a kiss to the/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"scars closest to him. Idina's head snaps around to look at him, mouth open in shock. He places another/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"one right above that, and another one, until a tender gesture of love has touched every hurt-filled/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"memory. He straightens again and looks Idina in the face. Tears stream down her face at the love and/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"care for her from the man in front of her./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""James...I don't know what to say..." Idina struggles for words but instead throws her arms around/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"her neck, crying silently into his shoulder. Taye had always hated her scars, called her weak and/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"dispicable for having them, no matter how old they were. James' pure, unadulterated love for her, the/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"acceptance and non-judgement of her scars...no one has loved her this completely, this fully, since her/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"mess began. She clings to him, never wanting to let go./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""Idina, you're absolutely incredible. Nothing you say or do, nothing you've said or done or have yet to/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"do could ever change that. These scars, they show your strength, not your weakness. You're in a battle/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"against yourself. No, you're winning a war against yourself." James speaks softly into her ear, running/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"his fingers through her still dripping wet hair. His brows furrow in concern as every time he draws his/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"hand away, more hair follows. How does she even still have hair left on her head? Idina pulls back,/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"sniffling and avoiding his eyes again./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""I need to get dressed." Managing a sentence through the tears, she draws a shaky breath before/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"bringing her head up to meet his eyes again. The pain, the innocence, the memories, the fragility, all/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"displayed so clearly in the typically guarded green orbs pull James' heart to his throat. "Please don't/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"leave me." She whispers, her eyes searching for something in his. He hopes she sees to his heart, that/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"she sees he'll never leave. He grasps her unoccupied hand and squeezes it reassuringly./p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;""I promise, I will never leave you. I'll be right here. You'll be changing in your dressing room and I'll be doing my business." James attempts a joke and cracks half a smile. The corners of Idina's mouth work/p
p style="margin: 0px 0px 17px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1.5; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;"like she's trying to smile, but nothing's happening./p