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House-sitting

March 21, 2024
Zoe can feel the German Shepherds watching her. Cooper and Bear. Ears perked in the pointed shadow of the extended, green patio awning. She has bent to examine the hole with the pool filter. A white cylindrical basket floats inside, clicking against the edges. She takes the basket out, sets it next to the plastic...

The Caregiver

February 22, 2024
The bell rang, and Billy opened the apartment door to Cheryl, the new babysitter. She was straight-backed and broad-shouldered, taller than Billy, and about two decades older than his thirty-five. She wore a mauve cardigan and white turtleneck, her hair, light brown and gray, pulled back in a tidy bun. “And here we have the...

It Ain't Just 

February 22, 2024
It’s May 1st, which means soft-shell crab season has finally arrived. A little after noon, my mom texts to ask if I’d had any yet.   Crab rolls last night, she writes and attaches a picture of a gorgeous fried crab sandwich with two claws hanging out. $7 per pound! Dad made Dijon aioli (mayo). U? ...

As Beauty Does

January 25, 2024
During her sophomore year in college, Shelby roomed with a girl named Felicity who was so beautiful that people stopped what they were doing just to stare at her— men, of course, that goes without saying, but also the elderly woman in the purple hairnet who tonged out whatever meat the dorm cafeteria was serving...

The Other Son

January 25, 2024
Martin Malquist worked as a chemistry teacher in a Victorville high school for 30 years. He thought of his career in this way—as work, rather than teaching—because very few of his students ever seemed to learn anything. They’d trudge through the material in the book, purchase the safety goggles and play-act experiments. Usually, the brightest...

The Smokejumper

January 18, 2024
It’s been an hour since they stripped Katherine of her surgical privileges at work, and she arrives at the soccer team pool party with her low back cinching corset tight. Her daughter, Mae, gallops to the pool while Katherine silences her dinging phone—it’s her attorney, but she will not ruin this afternoon for Mae. Someone...

The Grief of Christmas and Ymir

January 18, 2024
Walks never eased her mind, but they relaxed her body. Ymir focused on the dirt beneath her feet, weeds brushing past her legs. The soft crunch of dry dirt against her toes and the sound of dogs barking in the distance. One of the smaller dogs liked to follow her. Its creamy coat tailed at...

A Game With Leaves

November 7, 2023
N. Supriya from class six had been absent all week, no explanation given, and the mother wasn’t picking up her phone. Supriya was a shy, eager girl who liked school and had never missed a single day. By Saturday, Anjali decided it was high time someone checked in on her.   She picked up her cloth...

Above and Beyond

October 24, 2023
At the job I’ve redacted from my resume, call center was considered a derogatory term, so the office was referred to by employees and management as Customer Experience Headquarters. I suppose the term “headquarters” was meant to make those of us in lowly customer-facing roles feel important, but the place was what it was. Rows...

Stage Mom

October 10, 2023
The night of the invitation, Maddie was on the couch, Lulu nearby in her donut. Maddie struggled not to adjust her, imagining Lulu’s soft head smacking the coffee table corner. Her breasts leaked through her old Northwestern t-shirt, wetting the crusted circles from that morning. When her husband answered his phone, he sounded so thrilled...

Safe and Warm

October 10, 2023
At a quarter to nine Paul put on a jacket and went over to Jay’s house across the street. “Charlotte isn’t home,” he said. Jay let him inside. “Give me a minute, will you?” In the den the television was on and Paul watched it while he waited for Jay. Nothing anybody said was very...

Teen Mom

September 26, 2023
The peg leg falls off, so she has to find glue. It’s not just any glue—she needs a special one that can hold body parts together. Only a few stores carry this kind. She goes to the first one, but they are out. The second store has some, but the can is dented so she...