I have a vivid memory of New Year 1990. It takes place on the top floor of a suburban home in Fleetwood. My younger sister passed out hours before and had been laid to rest in some distant bedroom. Me… Continue Reading
Tommy bolted out of the parking garage elevator as soon as the door opened. A man waiting outside the elevator stood with mouth agape as he watched the toddler fly past him. I dashed after my son. Clad in a… Continue Reading
Damian lowers the kickstand of his red Schwinn in front of the Italian Club on the corner of Sixth and Cavitt. “You look like one of the Delfeany boys. Your old man’s in the club.” Mr. Lenski pats Damian on… Continue Reading
We set out early, walking through snow and ice from Eugene’s weekend house. The night before we’d gathered around the map as he’d shown us the circular route. Evka had been at his elbow and any doubts about who she’d… Continue Reading
Jim Cooper braced himself for another show of Christmas cheer. “How ya doin’? Getting together with the family? We’ve got Christmas Eve supper, breakfast with Santa, brunch at the Club, dinner with the clan, caroling, open house, a tree trimming… Continue Reading
The winter air ached in her throat. She pulled her scarf tighter and wished for more functional gloves. He had said these ones were delicate just like her. Leather with long barely-lined fingers. She bent them at the knuckle. “Are… Continue Reading
We’d already had the sign out for three days, and no real prospects. You’d think with the plant closed and the holidays so close, we’d have got a few bites, at least. But only Ron came in, and that was… Continue Reading
Sharon thumped down the carpeted stairs, each step weighted so that she wouldn’t appear to be sneaking up on Margaret. “No need to tiptoe,” her wife had admonished more than once, but these days Sharon couldn’t tell if Margaret were… Continue Reading
I gasp at the sound of my brother’s voice. Everything changed after he went missing. Dad died from grief and Mom shriveled into herself. Tommy went to law school and stayed gone, Kate ran wild with men and drugs, and… Continue Reading
The priest stood knee-deep in the shallow water of the bay, watching his town burn. He’d been awakened by the guns at dawn, forced to flee soon after. It was late afternoon but still they blazed on, though the siege… Continue Reading