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

the mug, a slow pour of honey, the steam rising. Then I carried it to my desk and opened my laptop.

I opened a spreadsheet and titled it: LEDGER OF GHOSTS.

My fingers did not hesitate. I had been keeping these numbers somewhere in my head for years without ever writing them down, because writing them down would have required acknowledging what they meant.continue reading …