The Bracelet by Mary Jane Clark Read Free Book Online Page B

acid attack was sensational enough on its own, but the fact that the disfigured cleaning woman worked for the daughter of the wealthy Abernathy family, owners of the famed Elysium, temple to beauty, added irony and extra fascination to the news coverage. Jillian had lived in a constant state of tension, never knowing when a reporter was going to accost her or a camera crew was going to be staked outside her house. Many nights she stayed in a cottage at Elysium, where she could have more privacy and feel more protected.
    It hadn’t been until Christmas Day, as her gift to Ben, that Jillian finally agreed to go ahead with the wedding, as long as it could be done quickly and on a much smaller scale than the celebration they’d originally planned. The guest list was being cut dramatically. Instead of a cathedral wedding ceremony and a reception at the opulent Beverly Hills Hotel, Jillian wanted all of it to happen on the grounds of Elysium, where everything could be controlled by their own trusted staff.
    As she approached the front door of the terra-cotta-roofed cottage, Jillian could hear the television playing inside. A gauzy curtain fluttered through a slightly open window. She peeked in and saw Esperanza engrossed in the show on the screen, sitting with her back to the window. Esperanza’s shoulders moved jerkily up and down, and Jillian realized she was actually laughing, or her version of it. Laughing silently, not moving her mouth or her facial muscles.
    Jillian stepped away from the window and knocked on the cottage door.
    â€œWho is it?” called Esperanza from inside. The words were not distinctly pronounced.
    â€œIt’s me. Jillian.” She arranged her face in a smile and girded herself for what she would see. The door opened.
    â€œHello, miss.”
    Esperanza was wearing a peach-colored smock. Her hair was long and dark, with only the last vestige of yellow at the ends. The bottom of her face was covered with a clear plastic mask, modeled expressly for her and fitting directly against her ravaged skin. The mask applied direct pressure over the wounds to help prevent the buildup of collagen fibers that could scar and to protect the skin from any forces that could impair the healing process. Jillian knew that the face covering provided a barrier from germs and irritants and allowed visual inspection without having to be removed. So, all in all, the mask was a very good thing. Still, it always reminded Jillian of something a thief or a rapist or a home invader might wear to grotesquely distort his facial features. She shivered every time she saw it.
    â€œHow are you feeling today, Esperanza?” asked Jillian as she walked inside the cottage.
    Esperanza picked up the remote, pointed it at the television, and turned down the sound. She gestured to her face as she settled into her chair. “I felt pretty good this morning, but now it’s hurting again.”
    Jillian nodded as she took a seat on the sofa. “In the morning you’re rested and have more energy. Later in the day, your body is tired and things bother you more. Do you want me to call and have them bring you something for the pain?”
    Esperanza gently shook her head. “No thank you, miss. I’ll wait until it’s time for my sleeping medicine.”
    â€œGood for you,” said Jillian. She leaned forward and patted the woman’s knee. “I know you don’t want to get too dependent on the pain medication, Esperanza. I admire you for that, but drugs are there to help. You don’t have to worry. Our doctor is very careful about monitoring how much is available to you.”
    Jillian noticed that Esperanza was wearing the gold bangle bracelet Jillian had given her for Christmas. She also noticed that Esperanza’s nails were freshly manicured and painted with cheerful red polish—the hands of a woman who no longer did housework for a living. Esperanza looked down and fiddled with the