At The Signing Of My First House, No One Congratulated Me

behind his eyes said he understood more than his badge required him to.

“People panic when control slips,” he said quietly. “Happens more than you’d think.”

They left. I locked the deadbolt behind them and stood in the hallway for a long time, just breathing.

Sleep was stubborn that night. My brain kept circling back—counting spark plugs under fluorescent continue reading …