The Curves Ahead - Wattpad Award Winner

Chapter 13

"Hmm... How about, you just answer the same things you asked me already?"

"Oo, I like it."

"Evi..." Heather called out again.

"I'm coming!" I lowered my voice, husky in emotion. "Thanks for answering. And for still being my friend."

He sounded just as intense as he said, "I am here for you, Evi, no matter what. Talk soon, okay?"

"'Kay." I hung up and skipped through to the outdoor dining table, where Heather was scooping food onto plates.

"I take it that went well, then?"

"It did! Why did you yell at me to get off if you knew we were doing okay?"

She laughed, the afternoon sun catching in her hair and burning it gold. "Because, my gorgeous friend, I know you. If you stayed on, you'd end up saying something silly out of excitement."

"The woman knows me," I admitted. "What's for dinner?"

"I found this amazing place that makes twenty different kinds of salad!"

I knew better than to ridicule any of Heather's ideas by that stage; she'd proven me wrong every time I had. Instead, I said, "Yum!" and sat down to feast on quinoa and pumpkin and kale and cranberries and chicken breast and feta and about a hundred other items in six spectacular salads.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you before," said Heather as she ran a finger over the caramelised balsamic vinegar left on her plate and tucked it in her mouth. "I was out of line."

"Don't be sorry. You were right. I worry about being judged, and all I do is judge other people all day long. Those people today coming in for surgery, the models at fashion week, Taylor for being skinny... Even you."

"For the boobs?"

"For the boobs. I just don't know how to get rid of all this judginess."

"Well, tomorrow is another day."

***

I spent Tuesday following the aromatherapist around. I wasn't sure if I believed in the healing powers of scent, but I had to admit, I felt olfactory ecstasy for the rest of the day.

Heather and I went for another swim after work. My arms and legs a little sore from the day before, but the peacefulness that the ocean water had brought me made up for any discomfort. It was easier throwing away my cover-up the second time, and I stroked more powerfully through the waves, loving the way the sea could make me feel both infinitesimal and a part of something universal.

I worked on Matt's email for a few hours that night, but it wasn't ready to send. Suddenly, I had so much to say, so much I wanted to share with him. Eventually, the words on my laptop blurred into each other and I drifted off to sleep.

Wednesday started a little earlier. At eight o'clock, I found myself waiting in a hall at Radiance, playing with the hem of my scrubs as the OR was prepared.

Grace wafted in. "Evi? Can I beg a favour of you? I need to see to another patient and all the nurses are busy. Would you please go into pre-op and chat with Haley?"

The young girl was curled into a tiny ball on the wheelie bed, hugging her arms around her bloated breast. Empathy rushed out from me as I approached her. "Haley? How are you feeling?"

Her bloodshot stressed-out eyes told the story before she even opened her lips. "Not great. I just keep thinking about when I was waiting to get them done the last time, and I was so excited and happy, and now I'm like, what the hell was I thinking?"