I Gave Away the Birthday Chocolates, Then the Screaming Started

asked if we had to go to the funeral.

“We do not have to do anything,” I told him.

We did not go.

Evelyn stayed in prison. Melissa earned early release after years and disappeared into a nowhere town. I never opened their letters. I never accepted a collect call.

One night during Brandon’s senior year, he leaned against my kitchen doorway twisting his continue reading …