Time Comes and Time Goes
Henry froze, his face going stoically solid. Time ground nearly to a halt. Martin just huffed and returned his gaze to the darkness before them. “It doesn’t…
Coming of Age
“I said, let’s go!” “I said no, Mom.” Kelly pushed herself up. Tears were gluing strands of hair to her cheeks. “I love him. We are engaged.” “No you’re not!”…
Reunion
“Dan!!” A whirlwind in a hospital gown zipped around my father and pounced on me. I winced. Then I inhaled the scent of earth, campfire, and lavender shampoo…
Daddy's Hands
I can remember him always being there. Yes, he worked a lot and spent a ton of time at the fire station. But he never missed a ballgame, he never missed a…
When I Can't Dream
Hearing it such a sad thing thought and escaped, “He would have been so proud of you.” Do the words still mean the same? Coming from you? “Following your…
Dad's Hands
I remember his hands. Coming in from working outside, all the creases and lines in his hands would be filled in with black grease, oil, or soil. Charcoal…
Never Sent That Text
I want to laugh at this feeling. I really haven’t missed you all that much. “When r u going 2 come over?” “I don’t know, Dad.” That was if I replied at all…
(Day 60) We've All got Our Problems
They sat at the table for an hour without saying a word to each other. In the stony, deafening quiet he read his paper as she fiddled with her hair. Outside, a…
Caging the Abyss . . .
Lightning forked over the old Bittarly barn. My father had been a young man the day that the governer had exiled Lord Bittarly. Respect had filled his voice…
Homecoming
Andre made the long trek down the thin strip of red carpet that lead to the only piece of furniture in the room- an oversized throne. Up close, he could see…
May We Go, Father?
Pat and Wendy were invited to go to the beach. The day was perfect and there was no school tomorrow so their father wouldn’t be able to argue there. They had…
Closure
My sister and I were in a city that I didn’t recognize, but she seemed familiar with. Everything was amber from the setting sun. There were two and three story…
Father
Dad, I appreciate your absence. I’m told we are a lot alike and I am grateful that whatever magic you had could trickle down to your offspring passively. I…
Dear Father.
Dear Father, You ruined me. And you don’t care. I believed you that day, when you said you were just going to the grocery store, and that you’d be back soon…
Superlative Choice
She bit her lower lip as she watched the unstable reflection of her own uncertain expression on the surface of her tea. With a tiny squeeze of her fingers…
Quiet Sendoff
Ben stood in the terminal near Gate 13 at DFW watching the Boeing jet get slowly pushed back into the taxiway. He leaned against a wall and tried to relax as…
Polished
“I’m bleeding” he said. “I know you are. You owe me another knife.” “It’s in a safe place between my third and forth ribs. You’re the Wishbone Bandit, aren’t…
A Finally Still Heart
You decided to mix your medicine with some of your favorite Popov blue and now the ambulance is in the driveway here, again, for you. Mom shut my in my bedroom…
yeahbut
One cool autumn day; deep in the wood, a wise ol’ owl approached three rabbits. “You should thank your father,” said the owl to the littlest one, “for giving…
Decisions - 5
... My father comes crashing through; his arms flinging, the knife in his hand gleaming. Time slows; volume diminishes. I back up, and find my back at a wall…