Lolo’s presence in our lives, both before and after he emerged that fateful day, became like a curse on our family. To this day, I don’t know if anyone else could see him, feel him – I never built up the courage to ask – but to me his presence was like that of mga … More family curse
One quiet morning, Mami and I were rubbing butter between our fingers to make biscuits. Breaking the silence she told me – “Don’t ever let your children do something that makes you hate them.” I looked up at her form my wobbly stool, floured fingers still. She looked back at me and I felt a … More retrospect
“people are too loose with that phrase.” was the first thought. Followed by “fucking irresponsible.” And then, from the hard place deep beneath my sternum – “why do we always write about romantic heartbreak, as if it feels any different.” … Ten years ago, it would have been a stretch to say that we were … More Chosen Family
“Should I tell him?” she asked Mugwort? From over her shoulder she heard mama sigh. Leaning deeper into the fragrant leaves, she felt her belly shift, like water coming to rest at the bottom of a bowl. The leaves clattered in the towering cottonwood and the sharp smell of Mugwort rose into the air, swaddling … More Online Community
He tells me that I’m edgy. The sound of the waves dies in the force of the wind. His fingers trail down the back of my arm and I shiver. A gust of wind swallows us whole and in the vacuum, I wonder what it would be like to jump. — There were some things … More Masks Optional
“What’s up?” he asks, scanning the QR code with his phone and pulling up the menu. “Nothing.” she says, pinching the corner of her eyes between two fingers. The sound of his thumb tapping the phone fills the space between them. Eyes closed, she tilts her head back, shivering as the sun sinks into her … More QR Code Menus
The moon is high in the clear sky but she can’t see it through the closed drapes. In the kitchen, she sits, working in her pajamas. Marcus in bed upstairs, felt her weight shift, and rise. The leaves flutter in the wind as his body curls around the heat she left behind. In the kitchen, … More Working in Pajamas
Two children wait anxiously every morning for the newspaper to arrive. When it does, their hearts stop, simultaneously, before battering their ribs as two sets of fingers desperately rifle the pages. In the cool dry of a cluttered garage, hidden from view, their eyes move back and forth across the police blotter. At the bottom … More Summer Sun
The stillness of the morning gently cradled her into consciousness. His room, facing east, meant the sun clung heavily to their resting figures. Unwilling to move, and to disturb the precarious balance of their bodies, she clenched her eyelids and sighed deeply. His subtle snores tickled the curve where neck meets shoulder and she suppressed … More Expectations
“Always look up … to the sky” he said“But why?”“Why not … … Because no one else does”I was 25 when I learned my dad was from the sky. Of the sky.I used to think of him as grounded, rooted in the everyday, supporting us, like agood family man. But at 25, I hung upside down, … More Origins
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