On My Birthday I Stood In Front Of Everyone With A Black Eye

a hollow ache behind.

“I will be,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “Thank you, James. For everything.”

He reached across the table and took my hand. His was warm and steady. “Brothers are supposed to look out for their sisters. I’m just sorry it took me so long to see how bad things were.”

The coffee arrived. I wrapped my cold hands around the warm continue reading …