We stood in the kitchen. My daughter excitedly told me about her school day, which happened to be abnormally interesting, as she claimed every day to be. I watched her attentively, bracing myself for what I was to tell her.

I didn’t want to say it.

I had debated whether or not to tell my children since my hospital visit this morning.

Unbeknownst to them, I had spent my morning in those hospital wa...

_Hey dad, are you busy? Give me a call tomorrow!_

The text from my daughter came through as I changed from my basketball shoes to my street shoes. I picked up my phone to see I have a missed call from her, too. I click the notification to call her back, hoping she hasn’t retired her phone for the night.

“Hi dad!”

“Hey, sorry I missed your call,” I say, not thinking much of the reason for it, “I wa...

We got it. We actually got it. Signing our names was one of the longest moments of my life. I could see the tears building in his eyes as we pulled into the driveway. He’s had such a hard life, the joy made each room brighter than the one before it as we made our way slowly through the unfamiliar house. He caressed every light switch, opened every cabinet, claimed every closet, and ran his finger ...

she was changed just now..

she shut the door on his ego

she had been full of mischief

now she’s hit with his loss

no more sweet smiles

secret winks

slow deep hugs

again she vanished

as if she had aged in the last week so much

it’s almost unbearable to witness her grief

but I tell her it’s ok

she will heal

she will dance

she will somehow feel flirty again

now all she can do is withdraw

and miss...

Aurora sat there in silence. I watched her closely as she stared at me, waiting for me to say something about the bomb she just dropped.

“Carlie, did you hear me? Sam left and we are getting a divorce.”

I looked at her cautiously, trying to gauge my response. “I just can’t believe it. I am so sorry, Aurora.”

As her best friend of seven years, I felt many emotions, predominantly hurt and angry w...

She stared at the white styrofoam cup. I knew that expression; stubborn, pouting, and selfish as usual. “Drink it” I snapped. “You have to drink it or they will pump your stomach” I pushed the cup towards her. She looked at me blankly, then stared down at the inky black liquid in the cup.

“I’m sorry” She whispered, eyes filling with tears.

“I don’t care, you should have thought about that before ...

To have an older sister

It’s like a curse

My first bully, and my best friend

She’s mean to me,she says things she knows hurt

Shouts at me like she’s my mother

And sometimes i wish i could tell her to stop

She cannot be all those things

You must be tired

You looks so tired

She’s meaner to herself ,completely independent

Raised me as her own

She’s tired

She’s the only person who noticed...

I wonder how Charlie feels about the changes over the last year. She hasn’t said much about being in high school. I bet she feels relieved that our new school has a cheer team. It’s not like they have the highest bar to make the team, though. All my fellow nerds at this school seem like they would rather continue reading than go to a pep rally.

I wonder if that makes Charlie feel bad. She’s on th...

The morning light cut through the windows like a precision laser, illuminating the living room, where rain pattered lightly on the glass. The air was a carefully calibrated mix of coffee, baby powder, and cereal—a perfect setting for today’s critical operation: “Operation Vertical Mobility”. In Playpen-Alpha, a plastic stronghold with strategic cutouts, the Little One was preparing for his mission...

Her glossy tears and the unsettling smile was all in her face. Shades of pink and red surrounded her cheeks, showing her grief. She cried, the abandonment, the sorrow and in that moment I saw myself. I saw the younger me in that same position. If only she know that these tears only last temporarily. Her eyes emotionless and empty. Longing for something more, more than the black sheep we will forev...