The week after the celebration was transformative. News of my Patterson Fellowship spread through the medical community in Detroit, and suddenly doors that had been closed to me swung open. Former professors who had given Jessica extensions but denied mine were now emailing to congratulate me. Classmates who had barely acknowledged my existence during four years of medical school suddenly claimed close friendship.
My parents, meanwhile, were attempting damage control. They’d shown up at my apartment the day after the party with gift bags and forced Smiles.
“We’ve been thinking,” my father said as he placed a small box on my coffee table. “With both of you graduating and starting your careers, we should get you girls something special. We got you this.”
Inside was a rose gold watch, identical to the one they’d given Jessica for her birthday 6 months earlier.
“It’s lovely,” I said without reaching for it, “though a bit late.”
My mother flinched. “Audrey, we know you must feel overlooked sometimes, but everything we did was because we knew you could handle challenges on your own. Jessica needed more support.”