mistic.”
“Why not? What she did was out-and-out fraud.”
Audra shook her head. “I don’t think so. And be-
sides, we all signed the releases. That allows them to
use what we said to each other pretty much any way
they want.”
352
Karyn Langhorne
Edith frowned. “I’m not buying that until every
lawyer in Manhattan says it,” she declared. “And
you’re certainly not going back out there.”
“I may have to,” Audra muttered, staring at her
perfect caramel arms, one folded against the other
on her chest. Although she had stopped using the
cream months ago, the color remained smooth and
even, since she’d taken Dr. Jamison’s advice and re-
mained vigilant about the sun. “Just like I’m going
to have to do these interviews—”
“But Audra, why? They just going to make a fool
of you again!” Edith said. “These TV people. All
they care about is themselves and their ratings and
making money. They don’t care who they hurt or
what happens to them after the cameras stop
rolling. It’s all about the—what was the word that
girl used? The concept. It’s all about the concept.”
Audra frowned, the beginnings of an idea tick-
ling the back of her brain. Her mother stopped
short, peering closely at Audra’s face.
“Why do you look like that all of the sudden?” she
asked. “What—”
“Ma, do you think you can get this hair weave out?”
“I’m sure I can!” Edith sounded indignant. “You
think that Ishti’s that much better than me? It’s just a
matter of what the clientele can afford—”
But Audra wasn’t listening, she was too busy dig-
ging into the pantry.
“What are you—”
“The Yellow Pages,” Audra said quickly. “Here
they are. I need to find out where the nearest tan-
ning booth is—” She looked up quickly. “Art, I need
you to do something for me.”
DIARY OF AN UGLY DUCKLING
353
“Anything.”
“Oreos, please . . . and some soda—”
“But Audra, your diet!” Penny interrupted.
“You’ll wreck it!”
“Exactly,” Audra said, grinning into their puzzled
faces. “Exactly.”
It took a while . . . but little by little, understand-
ing dawned on each of their faces. Art’s booming
laughter filled the kitchen.
“You’re a piece of work, Audra Marks . . . a piece
of work!”
“Well . . .” Audra said slyly. “I was just thinking . . .
This whole concept thing . . . it could cut both ways.
And as long as they get their ratings, I can’t see what
difference it should make to the Ugly Duckling peo-
ple. And I’m in the mood to fight fire with fire. But”—
she cautioned them with a finger—“we’ll have to be
careful. It can’t be obvious what I’m doing. And we
don’t want it to be. Not until the Reveal.”
Edith blinked at her, then a slow grin spread
across her lined face. “Oh, I like the sound of this!
You’re gonna undo it, aren’t you! That’s a great
idea.”
Audra shook her head. “No, Ma. I can’t undo it. I
can’t undo the surgery . . . and I can’t get my old col-
oring back. My skin . . . it might be pretty messed
up. In fact, I may even look worse than I did before.
But I’d rather be that than a slave to someone else’s
vision.”
“You—you’re gonna go back? You’re going to go
out in front of millions of people looking worse than
you used to look?” Penny asked, staring at Audra,
her mouth slack with surprise.
354
Karyn Langhorne
Audra fixed the girl with a calm stare. “That’s
right.” She stretched her hand toward the girl. “But I
hope we’ll still be friends, Penny. I’d like to think
you could like me . . . even if I’m not pretty any-
more.”
Penny stared at Audra, her brow crinkled as she
weighed the question. Then a slow smile spread
across her face. “You’re brave, Audra. You’re the
bravest woman I know. I think I know why Dad
likes you so much.” She crossed the room and
hugged Audra tightly. “And I hope I’m just like you
when I’m old.”
Audra laughed. “Thanks, I think.”
“How long do we have?” Art asked.
“About three weeks. The live show is November
thirteenth—”
“Sweeps,” Penny muttered like some old-hand in-
dustry rep. “Shows that get the most viewers during
sweeps ratings period can command higher adver-
tising fees,” she explained at Audra’s questioning
look.
“So it’s really just about the money,” Art offered.
“That explains why they’ve scheduled all this media
attention. To keep the controversy alive.”
“But are you sure you want to go out there like
that?” Edith asked. “I can pull out that weave, but
you’ve barely got any hair under that. And depend-
ing on what happens with your skin”—she shook
her head—“Penny’s right. Are you sure you want to
do that in front of the whole world?”
Audra considered their concerned faces for a long
moment, and then smiled.
“In the words of Norma Desmond, from that
DIARY OF AN UGLY DUCKLING
355
great Hollywood classic, Sunset Boulevard . . .” She
struck a dramatic film star pose of batted eyelashes
and pouty lips. “Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my
closeup.”
Chapter 29
November 13
Dear Petra,
It hasn’t gone exactly as I planned . . . but then I
knew that. The good news is, the live Duckling starts
in a few hours. It’s been really hard, but it’s almost
over. There’s probably going to be some media—and
some backlash—but unless I win, the lawyer we hired
says I’m a “private citizen” again right after the show
ends.
I hope like crazy I don’t win.
I’ve decided to resign from the prison. I might go
back, I don’t know. But for now, it’s not where I want to
be. I have too much to learn about myself. Too much
to figure out. Laine invited me to join her in the Islands
for Thanksgiving—to meet the other side of my
family—and I’m going. I’ll meet my father’s brothers
and sister and their families. I’m also going to meet my
DIARY OF AN UGLY DUCKLING
357
grandmother. My grandmother! Laine says she’s going
to love me. I hope she’s right.
Art has asked me to move in with him and Penny.
