January 23, 1919

“Wake up funny-bones,” Alice said as she shook her sister awake. “It’s your birthday!” Laughing, Cynthia threw off the covers and sat up. Alice sat down next to her and handed her a small box.

“It’s from Henry,” Alice said slyly. “He couldn’t make it to the party, but he told me to make sure it was the first present you opened!”

Cynthia opened the box slowly and what she saw made her heart stop. A ring perched just so atop a hill of velvet, sparkled in the new morning light coming from the window Alice had just opened. It was quite possibly the most beautiful thing she had ever set eyes on.

Alice, as always, was ten steps ahead of her throwing gown after gown on her sister’s bed, trying to decide which she’d force Cynthia to wear to the party tonight.

“I like the blue one,” Cynthia offered.

“Yes, but the red one flatters you more. Plus, it was the dress you wore when you met Henry!” Alice countered and Cynthia had to admit that she was right. Henry had complimented that dress many times and always asked why she never wore it. The truth was, the night that she met Henry, Alice had had one of her worse episodes, throwing a fit and telling everyone that she was going to die soon. That had scared Cynthia more than anything, but a year had passed since and Alice hadn’t had even one episode. Still, the memory sent her worrying.

They arrived at the party fifteen minutes late. Alice said it was always best to be fashionably late, and well, Alice was usually right about those things. She looked absolutely dazzling tonight, Cynthia felt homelier than ever standing next to her. Alice’s short curls, as was the style now, were pinned back behind her ear on one side and the rest of her hair flowed down her other shoulder in a smooth wave. Cynthia’s was done up the same way, but it never seemed to look quite right when Alice was standing next to her.

Cynthia was wearing the red dress that Alice had insisted on and she had to admit that it truly was flattering, but the deep purple dress with the low back that Alice was wearing put Cynthia’s sparkling ensemble to shame. And Cynthia was just too tall. Alice was petite and willowy, while Cynthia was tall and lanky. No matter how hard she tried to be like her, Cynthia couldn’t live up to Alice’s beauty. But that didn’t bother her in the least.