During a Family Livestream, My Niece Snapped the Bracelet Off My Wrist

hands on the wheel, obeying every traffic law with the attention of someone carrying something fragile in the passenger seat beside them. The silence inside the car felt thick and purposeful. Not emptiness. Something more like the end of a long contract.

My apartment welcomed me with cool air and the smell of old books and lemon polish. I set my keys continue reading …