My dad and I both work at the same hospital

calm, but the words land heavily in the room.

Denise exhales slowly.

“This explains a lot,” she says.

But the tension hasn’t fully dissolved yet.

Because the rumor has already spread.

I have seen the looks in the hallways. The quiet whispers when people think I can’t hear them. The sudden silence when I walk into a break room.

My dad leans forward slightly.continue reading …