ana

y eyes, a dull, rhythmic th

dismissed

osphere of this house, the w

came th

; it felt like lead had

tion of thirty-hour shifts and the

as dif

ology. This f

down into the porcelain cup m

l G

avor

ing from it carri

all

tt

unobserved, I poured

d sink into the thirsty

woman named Maria, who had

t the empty c

den; they filled with a

ly, her head bowing l

s she

hat I was suppose

back to

anct

I th

hen a flash of movement c

lint of light benea

elt

inst cool plastic. It

ening

nst my ribs, a frantic

t a gue

a pr

s being

, forcing my brea

to remain neutral

ing, I couldn't le

ging and walked

ded a

xactly where

basement, secured behin

knew t

f habit and arrogance. He

s the date h

the house settl

ng of my father echoed from the master s

stairs, my bare feet s

ad beepe

r click

nd dust hit me, thick wi

g cabinets li

the famil

lood

re about the si

about th

e financial

iles for the l

iberately tangled web of shell

anomalies in human anatomy, s

re being transferred

herit

d into a company lis

was

fingers flying th

nnel file in a

as t

the tab was

ened

ground check. A

on the

sult

a photo sl

taken from a distance

holding

was la

fr

left m

w tha

n the mirror every day

shar

ooded

set of t

a miniature re

room

e shelf to steady myself

&

a an

t just a

a secon

had a

nts... they

ature was on the

istress while selling his

physical blow, shar

t just b

ete erasure of

noise in t

tst

nto my waistband, hiding them und

ed the

shadows behind a stack o

oor o

the room, cutting th

as J

's oldest

e how to ride a bike whe

o the room, h

he whispered,

eppe

James," I

un, but his grip

liana,"

worry, deep grooves et

t be here. It

ow,"

d out t

ed it

know?"

oked at

face, and I saw the recog

oked

n't meet

s what is necessar

hat this i

cturing under the w

ning me n

who has a child with a

ed as if I h

about th

he

again, at the undenia

d into hi

a small, tarni

he Donov

was the

e my fathe

ore than just a word

is," he

and, his calloused palm

ome of us who reme

t just silen

loya

lty goes

ck, holsterin

k to yo

n't se

ra

ngs burning, my heart poun

room and loc

psed on

the photo

t Kiera's

at the in

ked at myself

in wa

th exhaustion and th

atigue, something

going to

ng to let th

my face, smearing them

nted a

ed a comp

going to