My Mother Locked the Gate on Me

eyes.

The monitor kept beeping.

My mother made a broken little noise, but she didn’t defend him.

That was new.

I walked out before anyone could ask me to be better than I was.

The Gate Opened This Time

The next morning, Maribel came to my hotel.

She knocked at 8:03 with two coffees and her hair in a knot.

No makeup.

No bride sweater.

“Wedding’s postponed,” she continue reading …