My Mother Locked the Gate on Me

mother leaned toward the camera.

Celeste Vale frowned politely.

The expression she usually reserved for unexpected salespeople.

“Yes?”

“Hi, Mom.”

She studied my uniform.

Then my face.

Then the duffel beside my feet.

Finally she asked,

“Are you from some federal agency?”

For a second, I honestly believed I had misunderstood.

“What?”

“We’ve already donated this continue reading …