Three Baby Cribs and a Missing Set of Car Keys

Sarah set the box down on the hood of her truck. Inside were three rolls of painter’s tape and two cans of interior latex paint, the labels marked with a soft beige color. “We can start on the living room tomorrow morning,” she said. “Tomorrow is fine,” I said. My father walked out from the…

Tilly reached into her sleeve for her handkerchief, her fingers pulling the linen fabric halfway out before she let her hand drop back to her side. She looked at the baby, then back at me, her eyes softening. “It is a strong name,” Tilly said, her voice softer than usual. “Our futures will not depend…

The kitchen was cold when I let myself in through the back door. I did not turn on the stove or the overhead lights, choosing instead to sit at the wooden table while the twilight began to fill the corners of the room. I took off my mother’s silver watch and laid it flat on…

I leaned forward, the plastic of the chewed blue pen fitting into my fingers. My hand was steady as I wrote my name, the blue ink flowing smoothly across the white paper. The signature was clear and sharp on the page. The kitchen table was covered in manila folders by the time the first Tuesday…

“He’s got his mother’s eyes,” Elena said, leaning against the wooden stall door. “And his grandfather’s reach.” The colt stopped, his ears twitching forward as he looked at us. He let out a tiny, soft breath, his nose dipping toward the straw before he lifted his head high. “He needs a name, Lily,” Elena said….

At the bottom of the fourth box, hidden beneath three wool blankets that smelled of cedar, was a small cardboard box wrapped in green tissue paper. I had bought it at the small pharmacy near the courthouse on Thursday afternoon, while Karen Gable was filing the final custody decree in the probate clerk office. I…