Washington, DC 2018
It was an orange dusk in DC. In the old house, the right side of a 19th century row house. A duplex. Stone steps. The plan -the dream- was to purchase both flats and convert. Once the old couple moved out. We could still do that back then. That was the bigger picture. And the couple did move and it was sooner than expected. They'd relocated to Florida before even closed on the property—and that changed everything.
Maddy's little arms were around my neck. Her lips pressed against my cheek. That wet baby kiss, mouth open, the sweet smelling little baby skin so close. She was kissing me, trying to make me happy. Alexander slept, quiet in my arms. His baby respiration, a gurgling inhalation followed by wet exhale. Over and over, in a calming baby rhythm. In that orange light, the way the warm rays fell quickly outside of the window and on cue, the fireflies emerged. First here and then there outside in the yard. Maddy was too tired to notice. She was relentlessly trying to comfort me in her two year old way. I turned my head, it was awkward, but I tried to kiss her back. I whispered in her ear "are you ready for bed?"
"No!" She pulled her arms tighter around my neck. A new habit of hers, trying out her power. Seeing if she could hurt me.
You watched but I couldn't look at you.
You were back but I couldn't look at you.
YOU ARE READING
Edward
General FictionAnnie's fate becomes entwied with the wealthy Clark family's abusive history. Her first love is inturrupted at the end of a New England sumer when her handsome, sweet boyfriend's family falls apart and she is the target of destruction. She is drawn...
