Chapter 1

Gwen Clayton lay curled up on the sofa, wrapped only in a terry robe and nursing a third glass of wine trying unsuccessfully to hold back the tears. The thirty-nine year old was devastated and it seemed life simply no longer held anything for her. She glanced into the mirror hanging over a table in the hallway and the tears came anew. She had just been told only hours ago her twenty year marriage was ended, a consequence completely unexpected although looking back now she realized there had been signs.

Another glance at the mirror. Did it really make a difference, after all this time? You see, Gwen Clayton was small, very small. Standing only 4’2”, many at first took her for a dwarf, but another look and the observer would see she possessed none of the characteristics of dwarfism. She was simply small - very small. Failing to develop normally from birth, she was taken to a number of doctors and specialists who had tried an array of drugs, hormones and physical treatments, none of which had helped and over the years Gwen Clayton had grown into a lovely, but extremely small woman.

She, of course, suffered the barbs and jokes at the hands of schoolmates. Girls ignored her and none of the boys, who quickly grew to tower over her, even knew how to approach her, let alone ask her out. And so, she had lived a solitary existence until her sophomore year in college when Howard had struck up a conversation one day after class and the two had hit it off immediately. He stood a “normal” 5’11” which posed some problems, especially at first, but the two worked them out and the relationship grew. A year later he asked her to marry him and she quickly accepted. Both finished school although within a year they were parents. Gwen was afraid her condition might be genetic and watched David carefully, but he grew normally and by the time he was halfway through elementary school he was already taller than his mother. Currently at seventeen he stood a strapping six feet-two and played midfielder for the high school soccer team.

What would they do? she thought. Yes, Howard was leaving her the house, had agreed to child care payments, but she had never worked outside the home and how would she take care of David? Howard had told her he was leaving the state and simply could not take the boy with him. No wonder, she thought, Howard would have lots else on his mind, namely Sherry Miller, who worked at the supermarket and who, until hours ago, Gwen had considered a friend.

Another sip and the tears began again. She wasn’t sure if the doorbell was a welcome diversion or the bringer of yet more bad news.

When she opened the door, however, her face showed the closest thing to a smile since she and Howard had talked earlier today.

“David! Oh honey...”

She fell into the arms of her son.

“It’s going to be okay, Mom,” he responded as he held her tightly to him. “Dad came by the school and told me that he was leaving you. He asked me to forgive him. I told him to shove it, the bastard!”

“David, I ... I just don’t know what we’re going to do.”

We’re going to be fine, Mom. I told coach Allen I was quitting the team.”

“You what? David, you love soccer”

“Some things are more important than playing sports, Mom. You’ve often said I was becoming a man. Well, now I’m going to be a man ... your man. I talked to Mr. Singleton after school today. He says he’ll give me a job at his sporting goods store. I can work after school and on weekends. I know it’s not enough but...”

They walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Gwen poured herself another glass of wine.

“Honey, I can’t ask you to...”

“You don’t have to ask. I’ve been thinking about this ever since Dad told me the news. I’m sure you’ll find a job and together, we can make it. It may be tight but...”

Gwen burst into tears.

“Oh, David, how could I have not seen this?”

“It was as big a surprise for me as it was for you. I had no idea.”

Gwen drained the glass, her third. For someone as small as she the effects were potent. She was already beginning to slur her words a bit and her emotions were pouring out unrestrained.

“He ... he said I wasn’t woman enough for him!” she sobbed looking down at her diminutive figure. “Oh God, David, maybe he’s right! Maybe all these years he’s just been putting cup with someone who can’t satisfy him.”