I had started planning my clothes around whether we would see her.
That morning, I promised myself I wouldn’t let her ruin Halloween.
Ava was placing little pumpkins along the mantel when I picked up the dress and makeup bag I’d brought for later.
Sharon noticed.
“You’re not wearing that again, are you?”
“I was going to try it upstairs.”
“Buy yourself a pumpkin costume to hide all those extra rolls.”
Mark’s aunt Denise was arranging napkins nearby. One of Sharon’s friends stood beside her.
Ava stopped beside the staircase, clutching her candy bucket.
“Oh, sweetheart. Don’t even try on last year’s dress. Buy yourself a pumpkin costume to hide all those extra rolls.”
Sharon’s friend looked away.
Denise put down the napkins.
“Sharon, that was uncalled for.”
“Good grief. I’m trying to help you avoid embarrassment.”
“Sharon,” I said, “that’s enough. I’ve asked you not to talk about my body.”
“Good grief. I’m trying to help you avoid embarrassment.”
“Mom looks pretty in her witch dress,” Ava said quietly.
Sharon smiled at her.
“Of course she does, darling. We just want her to be comfortable.”
I took Ava upstairs before I said something I couldn’t take back.
I tried again, then sat on the bed.
In the guest bedroom, I stepped into the dress and pulled the zipper.
It stopped.
I tried again, then sat on the bed.
Ava appeared in the doorway.
“Did Grandma make you sad?”
“A little,” I admitted.
“We promised to help.”
“Then why are we here?”
Because I had spent years convincing myself that keeping the peace was better than having an argument.
Instead, I said, “Because we promised to help.”
“Promises count even when people are mean?”
I looked at her.
“Not every promise, sweetheart.”
“But I wanted to see my cousins.”
“Then we can go home?”
“If you want to.”
She hesitated.
“But I wanted to see my cousins.”
“Then we’ll stay for a while. We can leave when you’re ready.”
She nodded and helped me find a safety pin in my bag.
For the first time all morning, I smiled.
Ten minutes later, the safety pin held the zipper as far as it would go. My cape covered the gap. I finished Ava’s makeup and settled my witch hat on my head.
Ava gasped.
“You’re back!”
For the first time all morning, I smiled.
Downstairs, guests were arriving. Mark was still outside, moving folding chairs from the garage to the backyard.
“I’m just impressed you squeezed into it.”
Sharon greeted me near the snack table.
“Well, look who decided to be brave!”
A few people turned.
I set down a tray.
“It’s a costume, Sharon.”
I’d spent years letting her make these comments.
“I’m just impressed you squeezed into it.”
Ava lowered her eyes.
Sharon smiled and walked across the room toward a group of guests, apparently satisfied she’d had the last word.
I watched her go.
I’d spent years letting her make these comments, then complaining to Mark afterward. But Ava had heard enough of them to know when to look away.
“I need you to stop commenting on my body.”
I crossed the room and stopped in front of Sharon.
“I need you to stop commenting on my body,” I said, loud enough for the people around her to hear. “And if you do it again in front of my children, we’re leaving.”
