My Grandfather Left Me Something They Never Wanted Me to See

My grandfather used to tap it twice against his knee before opening it. Dumb habit. Permanent.

Whitmore didn’t rush me.

“He gave me that three days ago,” he said. “At Walter Reed.”

I took the lighter, careful for no reason. My gloves almost slipped from under my arm and fell onto the wet stone. I caught them against my hip like an idiot.

“He was at Walter continue reading …