The Man I Loved Left Me After Asking Me To End My Pregnancy

enough that I thought perhaps the call had dropped.

Then she said, “Oh, Claire.”

My mother’s name in her mouth, said with that particular softness, broke something open. Lena had known my mother. Had sat at our kitchen table drinking the tea my mother made too strong. Had helped carry boxes when we moved apartments the third time. Had held my mother’s continue reading …