Scales of Life_When I Was Yours_Mother's Instinct_Distractions
Catalog Guide:
Scales of Life
We sat in a circle of chairs so everyone was exposed to one another. I could feel their eyes staring a hole into the top of my head as I focused on the floor tiles. There’s always imperfections in their alignment, focusing on the flaws allows my mind to lose track of time. These meetings seem to get longer each time; I’m not sure why I still show up.“John would you like to share today,” she asked from across the group.The circle is supposed to signify there wasn’t a leader, but the world is filled with lies. Janet was in charge of our sessions, whether by appointment or volunteering I wasn’t s...
When I Was Yours
For six hours a day, over six months, for the earliest days of your life, you were mine, my little Zaya, and I loved you. Maybe that sounds crazy, because after all, I was just your nineteen-year-old daycare worker, but I swear it is true. I know my skin is ghost pale and yours is coffee with a splash of cream, and I know I am tall with hair cropped short, looking nothing like your parents or other people who loved you, but what did you know about that? You were barely three months old, with lots of straight black hair, and you cried all day when your parents finally left for work. I watched y...
Mother's Instinct
The phone call comewww.onedoor.ccs just after I put the cake in the oven. My heart beats in tandem with the buzzing, hard and demanding. I know the ring tone playing- a silly song Ruby chose, smirking. "This way you'll always know it's me."I put the phone to my ears, wishing it wasn't her. Her calls always mean one thing- danger. Not mine. Hers."Hey ma." My daughter's voice comes in, panting. She just breathes into the mic for a while, catching her breath from what I know is probably chasing her. "Prophecy stuff. I'll be a bit... late for lunch. Maybe dinner." I can hear screams in the distance, as well as ...
Distractions
Traffic this morning was particularly bad. The moment Ollie hit the interstate, she could tell there must be some sort of sporting event or conference happening in the city this week. Her normally clear drive to work was instead clustered with cars, vans, busses, and ever present road workers. She took her car out of cruise control and slowed the vehicle, falling into pace behind a beat up white pick-up truck. The morning radio show featured three personalities that helped distract her mind on the way to work every morning, and she turned up the volume this morning, enjoying the opportunity t...