Esther stared at her reflection in the large mirror inside Nelsy’s bedroom. It hadn’t taken long for her to feel close to the pretty girl; somehow, Nelsy’s energy was disarming. And now, here she was inside Nelsy’s house, her hair and makeup done entirely by her. Yet, could she truly bring herself to use that unfamiliar word to describe what she saw in the mirror? Beautiful.

Her silvery hair, usually straight, now fell in soft waves toward the ends. The change felt strange, but it ...