The Wedding Portrait

        She was slow to smile. Though she was not slow to happiness, the physical expression, the smile, was slow to manifest. She was cautious with smiles. She had to make sure that it was alright to smile, if it were permitted, if others were smiling, too. It started with a half-frown, the tips of her lips pressed down, and the center raised as if her cupid’s bow had to lift them. It took a moment for her to feel comfortable and then her smile radiated like sunlight from behind a dark cloud. This was what photographers didn’t know and was the reason she grimaced on her wedding day, the happiest day of her life.

Author's Note

This is my first experiment with Flash Fiction. It runs a bit long, it's 117 words, but I can't see how to cut any more.

Reviews

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[Athena Ramos]

this left me thinking.
what was it that made her sad?
"She had to make sure that it was alright to smile, if it were permitted"
did something happen and they were not allowed to be happy?
was there an accident on the wedding?

very nice :D i like it when i wonder about a story :)

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

Smile, it was great!