The Pink-Eyed Wonder

“One of my eyes is actually a pale pink”

My step-sister, Kayden, stared at me with a quizzical expression and I instantly knew she was having a hard time trying to process what I just said.

"You said you wanted us to be closer as siblings so I decided to tell you my secret" I explained.

She sat up from her current position on the living room couch and gave me her full attention. We were still getting used to each other, even one year after my father married her mom, and she wanted us to be closer. I didn't really like the idea of having another sibling and I couldn't even think of the first thing that would make us become friends. My father had suggested sharing a secret with her could help. Girls like to share that kind of stuff, He had said with an unconvincing smile.

Though he didn't mean that I should have told her this, it was the only thing I could come up with. Kayden rolled her eyes and gestured with a hand for me to keep going.

"So...that's it," I said.

"That's it?" She mocked. "How's that supposed to make us closer? Aren't you at least going to show it to me?"

I hadn't thought about that part actually. I rounded the coffee table and took a seat next to her on the couch. The thing was, I'd never shown this to anyone besides my dad, and I wasn't sure how'd she react. When I had been born, the doctors noticed this anomaly straight away and I went through several stages of testing throughout my childhood. Even at fourteen, I still made a yearly trip to the ophthalmologist just in case any infections got in. 

I carefully removed the brown contact lens that I had been wearing all morning and blinked twice to refresh the nerves. It made more sense to come clean about this so I didn't have to keep the act up at home. I then looked at Kayden with all the confidence I could muster and watched as a myriad of emotions crossed her face. Was that jealousy I just saw? She regained her composure and gave me a straight face.

"Wow," she breathed. "I didn't know you had something like that Emma. How long have you had this?"

"Well, " I started, "According to my dad, I've had this since I was a baby. The doctor that gave birth noticed one of my eyes were slightly discolored so he made an appointment to see me again when I got older. By then, the discoloration turned to pink and he prescribed me to a well-known ophthalmologist."

She nodded along as I spoke and I could see her genuine interest in what I was saying.

"The doctor said it's called Heterochromia. Variations in the concentration and distribution of melanin, the pigment that gives color to the skin, hair and eyes"

Once I was done talking, she took another look at me, turning my face toward the light and away from it. I'd never met anyone who was fascinated by my peculiar looks.

"I guess that makes sense but...pink?" She teased.

I wasn't exactly a girly girl so I knew what she meant. If it was blue or something else, I could have accepted it.

"There's no explanation why it's pink," I frowned. "But my doctor did say it's one of the rarest he's seen."

Kayden smiled at me then and threw an arm around my shoulder, pulling me closer to her side. This is new. I was still struggling to understand if I had done the right thing in sharing but I waited to hear her take.

"So, my step-sister, has the rarest eyes in the world,” She said with a smirk.

“Is that a good thing?” I asked.

“Obviously Em, you're not like anyone else!”

Em? I had a nickname now. Somehow that warmed my heart and I couldn’t stop the smile that blossomed on my lips. It seemed my plan worked after all and she didn’t find it as weird as everyone else did. I had had too many people shunning me because of it so I had made sure to have my doctor deliver new lenses every six months. Having her accept me was...amazing.

“So your other eye is just plain ol’ brown, huh?” Kayden asked while looking at my right eye.

I nodded. One brown and one pale pink.

“Well, thanks for letting me in on your secret,” She remarked with a silly expression.

“When I said let’s be closer though, I meant for us to start hanging out and spending time together”

Oh...

“I know I’m older by three years but we still have a lot in common. Maybe we could start by having a movie night every other weekend?”

“Yeah,” I quickly replied, “I’d like that very much”

We shared a laugh and she released my shoulder. I need to tell Dad the good news once he gets here! He’d be so proud of me. The thought also made me consider telling my new step-mom as well. It wouldn’t make sense to leave her out of the queue if we were all to be a tight knit family.

“And don’t worry,” Kayden added, “I’ll keep this a secret from mom until you decide to tell her too”

I swore I gave her the largest smile I had ever given anyone in my entire life. I hadn’t taken the time in getting to know Kayden before but now I’m glad I realized she was the biggest sweetheart in the world. I gave her one last hug before running up to my room and putting my contact lens away.

I stepped in front of the mirror and looked at myself. Both eyes stood out in obvious contrast from the next and for the first time I smiled at my imperfection. As much as my dad loved me, he had never made comments about my abnormality. He didn’t make me feel as if it was a gift or a curse but Kayden did. In just one moment she had made me appreciate myself for what everyone else didn’t.

I didn’t feel imperfect or undesired. I felt powerful and special. I guess that’s what big sisters are for.

“Emma!” Kayden’s voice wafted upstairs. “Mom and Dad are home”

I reflexively reached for my contact but stopped myself in time. I’d show my bare self at the dinner table and not apologize for it. I soothed my hair away from my face and gave myself a metaphorical pat on the back.

Here I come.

I left the mirror and ran downstairs.