The Birthmark: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Georgiana went home after the discussion about the removal of her mark. She decided to go outside and finish reading her book. Across from her there was a handsome man named Ambrose. Ambrose was a botanist, he had studied plants since he was a young boy. While he was watering his red roses, across from him he noticed Georgiana reading a book. She had finally put the book down, and instead of being disgusted by her hand-shaped mark, Ambrose without thinking, walked towards her. “Please, do not be alarmed, I just wanted to ask how you got that.” He pointed at the birthmark.

“It is a part of me; does my mark offend you?” Georgiana was staring at Ambrose.

“Not at all! Your mark, it is very rare.” Ambrose was tracing his fingers along the birthmark. “Sometimes rare is beautiful. Georgiana’s cheeks turned into light red roses when Ambrose said this to her.

“You are one of the few that admires my mark, there are many others, including my husband that wished my mark would disappear forever.” Georgiana’s face became like clouds wanting to cry but instead holding the tears. “Forgive me, I have not told you my name, I am Georgiana.”

“It seems that we are neighbors, I just moved to that house over there a couple days ago, my name is Ambrose. May I ask about the book you are reading?”

“It is not very interesting, to be honest with you. It has to do with adultery, but I was reading because it helps me to forget a bit about how the man I love desperately wants to get rid of this mark.”

“Your husband is blind then. If he loves you like you said he does, then he does not love all of you. He should not have even asked you to be his wife if he was going to be obsessed with your birthmark. If he cannot accept a rose’s thorns then he should not have asked to be with one, I would not even worry about your mark because it does not define your heart.

Over the next few days, while Aylmer was too focused on figuring out how to get rid of Georgiana’s mark, Georgiana and Ambrose had been hanging out and talking about so many things. Ambrose felt that Georgiana was not only beautiful physically, but he also believed she was charming and kind. “Georgiana, please do not go along with whatever your husband wants, my darling, be with me, and I swear to you that out of my mouth you will never hear me speak about removing your beautiful mark.”

“I will not deny it, you have made me feel like I am walking over the moon, and it is only you that has made my eyes sparkle. You must understand, however, that I do not want my husband to obsess over this his whole life. If me doing this for him will make him happy then I will risk it.

“Risk it?!” Georgiana, do you really not care about the outcome, do you really not care that your husband’s experiment could lead to your death? You love him more than you love yourself, you choose him and his needs over you. Tell me, the day we met and I saw you reading that book that you said was about adultery, do you feel the need to be in the arms of someone who accepts you as you are because your husband cannot?” These past times that we have been together I can see it in your eyes that you are ashamed. You have a mark that is unique, and believe me when I tell you that your mark is meant to be there, it is a part of you. I want your true beauty, your rare beauty, I want all of you. Let me protect you from the man that only wants to please himself by accomplishing this experiment on you; have you not realized this already? You are with someone who loves science more than he loves you. You do not deserve that.”

“My decision is final, Ambrose,” Cried Georgiana. “I have been tempted to feel love from a man that values me and accepts me as I am, but to do that while I am committed to someone is simply beneath me. I thank you for making me feel like I am a princess.” Georgiana gave Ambrose a kiss on his left cheek and she let him give her a kiss on her cheek where her birthmark was placed.

It was the last time that Georgiana and Ambrose ever saw each other, and in her final moments, Georgiana’s eyes closed, remembering that she had someone who loved her through thick and thin, dying peacefully. Ambrose had gone to the cemetery, and placed on the gravestone a small glass box that contained a tiny piece of rose petals in the shape of a hand. “If you are in heaven, I hope that your beautiful birthmark appears on your silky cheek again; that is how I will always remember you, my beautiful Georgiana