What I Love About You...

24

"I'm okay...just waiting for my parents. They're with the doctor," she informed, punctuating her words with a quick nod of her head.

Seeking to know more about her, I asked, "What's your name?"

"Ella." She confirmed, bobbing her head once again.

A tender grin spread across my face, "Well, Ella, I have a little something here for you." My hands carefully grabbed a gift swathed in vibrant purple paper, symbolic of the special present it concealed for her.

The light in her eyes danced in sheer delight as she was surprised at the surprise.

"Wow." The word escaped her lips in a barely audible whisper as her hands gently tugged at the wrapping paper.

It was a makeup set.

"I can finally feel pretty now...at least a bit," She murmured under her breath, her eyes glossing over her present.

I looked at her with my eyebrows furrowing.

The comment threw me off-guard, compelling me to speak my heart, "You radiate beauty from within and it shines throughout. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise."

Her arms snaked around me, drawing me into a warm embrace, her gratitude apparent.

As we broke away, her features softened, though a lingering sadness clung onto her.

"But...boys at school often tell me I'm ugly." Her voice was hushed, the glow in her eyes beginning to fade.

Knowing all too well the cruelty young children could be subjected to, I found the words of reassurance she so desperately needed, "Ella, believe me, the right person will come along, one who will love you for exactly who you are, with or without hair. These immature boys and their taunts do not define you. All that matters right now is focusing on getting better." I ended on a hopeful note, my eyes reflecting her innate strength and resilience.

Christian

Positioned at the doorway with my arms folded, I observed Madison, taking in every variation of her voice and actions.

The sheer kindness and generosity of her soul never ceased to amaze me.

I don't fucking deserve her.

The bitter truth was that I was nowhere close to deserving her.

Madison was having a discussion with Ella about the ways of dealing with boys. After a while, she excused herself to catch up with her aunt.

"I'll be right back." She looked at both of us and then walked out.

However, I could still glimpse her from my vantage point at the door.

"Your girlfriend is so cool and pretty," Ella stated, glancing between Madison's retreating figure and me with an admiring smile.

"She is, isn't she." I concurred in a low murmur, unable to tear my eyes away from Madison.

With a change of topic, I turned to Ella, curious about the makeup set she'd received, "Do you know much about this?" I asked, motioning to her present.

She modestly responded, "Not excessively, but I know the basics. I dream of becoming a makeup artist one day. I want to work with people battling cancer like myself." Her eyes lit up at the thought.

"Sounds like an incredible plan," I replied, nodding approvingly.

Ella chuckled at my response and turned her attention back to her gift.

She gently unwrapped it to reveal a variety of brushes and palettes, holding a brush up as if it were a prized possession, "This one's for applying powder." she began educating me on their different purposes.