“Sophie, honey, see how pretty you are in your new dress.” The daughter studies her reflection in the mirror. Her mother is smiling but she just stands there, thinking. “Isn’t it pretty? It makes you look like a princess —… Continue Reading
She keeps the sun inside her pocket, front right, just underneath the Moon and Mars. If you ask to see it, she’ll smile and tell you to be careful and hold out her palm. They won’t look that big, really,… Continue Reading
“Will I tell you yesterday?” The child mumbled against encroaching sleep. “You will.” His mother stroked his sweaty forehead. “I don’t want to forget.” He rolled away and shivered. “You won’t.” The mother pressed her eyes shut. She refused to… Continue Reading
You were a very little girl, barely three. Your mother was traveling, far away in Sinkiang, and our routine had adjusted. I began my day before dawn at the shrine, preparing myself for the spiritual strain of the work ahead… Continue Reading
Adele wept. She was re-reading Peach’s email: “Dear Mother, I REFUSE to enable you any longer to believe that my childhood was HAPPY!!!!” In the long, long paragraph that followed, Peach recounted Adele’s many failings; explained that with the help… Continue Reading
“I don’t understand why you’re worried, Meg. She’s eating okay.” “Yes, but it’s the effort. I can’t keep up. Last week it was squiggly foods. That wasn’t so bad. I got curly fries and spaghetti and I made squiggly-looking sausage… Continue Reading
The world would end at 6:09 p.m., but Meg’s final batch of chocolate chip cookies would be done in three minutes. She had kept the dough in the fridge all night, chilling it to perfection, and began to bake before… Continue Reading
The time traveler’s arrival was underwhelming. He did not materialize out of thin air, or even ride in on a jet pack. Instead he knocked gently twice on Bobby’s door and walked in without waiting for an invitation. “Greetings from… Continue Reading
Alan winced each time a kink surfaced in Jerry’s fifth birthday party, fearing he’d catch the heat of Maggie’s ire. He was innocent of the first problem; the rain ruined their scheduled activities at the new park, a square block… Continue Reading
“Mommy, I don’t want to go to Mrs. Winter’s.” “But you love Mrs. Winter.” “Mr. Winter scares me.” “Why?” “At nap time Mr. Winter says if we don’t be good and take long naps he’s gonna eat us. Then he… Continue Reading