The ringing of the church’s campana let them know that the ceremony was about to start. She held her Mami’s hand as tight as she could. She never wanted to do her first communion in the first place. Papi made… Continue Reading
For the first weeks after Nicholas ran away, I’d run for the front door in the morning. Ma would find me staring at the steps. At first she said things like “Maybe tomorrow,” and then after a while she’d go… Continue Reading
78 days ago. That morning, I had burned my tongue on my coffee which already had too much cream in it. I remember this because the pain was something that I could focus on. Something besides his leaving. Usually, when… Continue Reading
I brought my father’s picture with me so I’d recognize him. The photo showed him with both arms draped around my mom’s shoulders as if he were protecting her from some unseen foe. I guess that’s what my high school… Continue Reading
The deputy said the snow where Uncle Jake had broken his neck is interesting. Over by Harper’s cabin a jay is harping and there are flashing red and blue LED lights on top of all of the sheriff cars and… Continue Reading
It’s the house I was raised in, and nothing has changed. The grass around the flowerbed is cut short and neatly edged like me. My father’s ’67 Camaro is in the driveway, plum-crazy-purple, recently waxed. He leaves the cover off… Continue Reading
It started with a dead crow left on the doorstep outside the kitchen. Its wings were folded tight to its body, eyes mercifully closed, feet curled up to its body. There was no sign of how it had died or… Continue Reading
She paused on the street, suitcase at her feet, crying under her dark glasses. She had spent an unpleasant morning packing a few rumpled clothes, old photos and a few faded letters, leaving it till almost the last minute, an hour… Continue Reading
A mild breeze pushes at my back as I walk across my yard to Stephanie’s. She crouches in front of the wilted rose bush, studying its leaves. “How goes the gardening?” I ask, even though I can see for myself… Continue Reading
“Thanks for taking the job, Jake. Holidays and all. And more rain coming.” Handing him the keys to the empty house in the rear, before walking off. “Gonna be another wet Christmas.” Wet Christmases. He knew all about those. If… Continue Reading