My Mother Locked the Gate on Me

the little desk beside my uniform.

My dress blues still hung in the open closet, brushed and ready for Monday.

Maribel saw them.

She touched one sleeve with two fingers.

“You look scary in that.”

“Good.”

She gave a tiny laugh and wiped under one eye with her thumb.

Then she hugged me again.

This time, I hugged her first.

Later that day, I drove back to the continue reading …