Daniel shrugged.
“I’m being honest.”
“No,” I said. “You’re being cruel.”
He looked at me.
“You don’t look attractive in that swimsuit, okay?”
The entire table went silent.
Then Kenneth spoke.
“Daniel.”
My father-in-law had been standing nearby.
He looked at the photographer.
“Can I see that last picture of Mona and the girls?”
The photographer brought over his tablet.
Kenneth looked at the screen.
There I was, laughing with my daughters.
My hair was messy.
My body wasn’t perfect.
But I looked happy.
Kenneth smiled.
“That’s beautiful.”
Daniel rolled his eyes.
“Dad.”
Kenneth looked at him.
“I see a mother laughing with her children. I don’t see anything that needs covering.”
Celeste put her hand on my shoulder.
Then the photographer accidentally swiped to the next photograph.
Everyone became quiet.
It had been taken only seconds later.
Daniel was standing beside me holding the towel.
My smile had disappeared.
My shoulders were hunched.
I looked embarrassed and small.
Kenneth stared at the two photographs.
“Same woman,” he said quietly. “Same swimsuit. Same body.”
He looked directly at his son.
“Do you see what changed?”
