Mrs. Ortiz had gotten to her feet when she heard the commotion in the back, and so she was standing and ready when the door flung open and her son, Anthony, appeared, clutching his mouth. His shirt was ripped at the collar and his hair was smeared with what looked to be toothpaste. A quick... Continue Reading →

KJ won’t go down. Just won’t. He squirms and flops and jumps all over me even after I read him Earl the Squirrel three freaking times. I even make up my own alternate ending where Earl sees the beach for the first time. KJ isn’t buying it. “Squirrels don’t like the beach, Jackie,” he says.... Continue Reading →

Dad and I spent the afternoon sorting out Mom’s closet. I climbed into a jungle of dresses and blouses and coats and sweaters. We joked some, to fill the silence, about how women had so much stuff. I hung Mom’s sheer scarves over the open window and Dad watched them dance in the breeze to... Continue Reading →

My father’s success can be measured by test results. It is confirmed many times over on the plaques adorning the walls of his study. It is studied by students and colleagues all over the world. My father is beloved by those in his field. His greatness is worshipped by the lab coat gods. His name... Continue Reading →

Jay gave me crap about the plan the whole way over. He parked, sat back smugly and asked if I needed help crossing the street. I shot him the finger, told him to leave it running. Nearing St. Peters Church on Seventh and Reading, I tossed my smoke and fixed my hair. I entered through... Continue Reading →

My dad tends to take things to ridiculous levels. It always has to be big, spectacular. Epic, he likes to say. Mom told me that he proposed on a skyscraper. Like, on the window of the skyscraper, dressed as Spiderman, with a note and a ring as she stood gazing out the window. On my... Continue Reading →

We were on the playground. It was chilly out and the swings were even squeakier than usual. All the were teachers huddled up near the blacktop, looking ready to call us inside when Veronica cranked up with the nonsense again. “I mean come on, he goes all the way around the world? In one night?” Paris... Continue Reading →