I ride with my sister to your house on a day in late September. It isn’t the house from my childhood, but I’m still sad…
Snow Day
My bedroom is gray and full of shadows. I glance at my phone. No school. I turn off my alarm and go back to sleep.…
Late December
We are visiting my in laws’ lake house. It is a mild day in late December but the breeze is still chilly enough for me…
The Water Hole, Part Two
“Hi,” Carolyn said awkwardly, slipping her coat on over her sweater but not zipping it. Mira didn’t think she could zip it if she tried.…
The Water Hole, Part One
Mira got the text two days before Christmas. She was outside doing some last minute shopping at the local plaza, the sound of Christmas music…
Frost
There is a light frost on the last Saturday of October. At first the dahlias look okay, but as the day wears on the blooms…
The House
We pull up next to AZ, my grandparents’ old farm store. The windows are broken, the first floor mostly hidden by overgrown bushes. I can…
Autumn
Dark mornings, the early light weakened and muffled by clouds. My son says his fourth name is Autumn. Packing lunches and backpacks, jackets and early…
Loss
The thunder wakes me on the day of your funeral. It is the kind of thunder that shakes the house, the kind of lightning you…
Early Night
In order to see my husband—to really spend time with him, I have to stay up past my bedtime. I have always put my daughter…