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6. Cliff-Diving
Where to go next. How honest to be. When I stare at my face in a mirror, it seems stiff. Frozen where it is usually at ease. It’s been six months of controlling the message. Keep it silent. Keep it secret. Until finally, I let every word spill from my lips. Adam is stone and…
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5. Three Birds
May 2021 Beth rests against my shoulder. I walk to the lake, swaying a gentle dance through the grass. Her blue eyes are almost closed. I see my grandfather in her eyes and my grandmother in her smile. Both girls have Adam’s ears and my large round eyes, though mine are brown. Beth’s hair is…
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4. Apples in the Sun
August 1999 The heat of the day has caught up to us. Beads of sweat make their home between my shoulder blades, and the thin blades of grass tickle my arms. The seven of us girls are a wave of smiles and voices rushing in and out, crashing into each other as we hurry to…
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3. Clay Pots
May 2021 Caroline, Adam, Jane, Beth, Atticus — a family. No, I tell myself. We are a family. The set is complete. Leave it be. Not now. Henry’s hands stay on my mind. They torture me as I cut and pack apples and carrots and throw goldfish and a peanut butter sandwich into a box…
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2. Flowers On A Tree
May 2021 I wonder when or how he will appear. In what form. Perhaps as a casual text: “How are you?” A conversation on the sidewalk. A run-in at the grocery store? No, it will be a private message. As always. “Just checking in on life and kids” which will lead to “By the way…
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1. Henry Dreams
May 2021 Henry is kissing my back as I lay on my stomach. We are lost in the dark, whispering and laughing. The bed sheets are cool and smooth against my skin, and dark blue midnight slips away as he pulls it down to my feet. He runs a finger along the arch of my…
Got any book recommendations?
A Story For Us To Remember When We Are Old. © Laura Coughlin 2023 