My Mother Locked the Gate on Me

around her mouth.

Corsage dying on her dress.

“I didn’t know,” she said.

But she said it too fast.

Maribel stood.

“Did Dad send it back?”

Silence.

The vending machine hummed.

Somewhere down the hall, a man laughed at something on his phone and then stopped like he remembered where he was.

“Mom.”

Celeste’s hand dropped from her mouth.

“He said it would be easier.continue reading …