"I Waited," by Elizabeth Wheeler

I stalled to tell you the thing I really needed to tell you because I couldn't quite admit it to myself. I stood at the top of the hill, my hair blowing in the wind, my breath catching in my throat with anticipation with what you might think of me. My makeup wasn't quite right, my shoes didn't match my outfit, my coat had a hole under the arm. I had lost the pin you had given me to close my scarf but I knew you wanted me to get it right this time. To be straight about things. To be fair to the world around us. So, I waited. In all my glory, I waited. And here I am. Not pretty, not polished, just me. Today, I waited.