“Hush, love. Don’t carry on so. He’ll be back soon to play marbles with you,” she whispered with a gentle rub to his back. He nodded and pushed out of her arms.“I’ll play on my own, all right, Mama?” he asked.“Fine, Nicholas,” she said. She picked up her spoon to finish eating the stew. “Your Cla...
A.J., DO YOU THINK the depository will close early today?” I wiped away at dust on the tabletops, moving with restless energy from table to table. The puce curtains were pulled back, and the windows were open, letting in a gentle breeze. A week and a half had passed since the disastrous anniversa...
From Rissa’s recent letters, he knew Colin visited his friend Ronan most evenings before heading home. Patrick had arrived after the smithy had closed and decided to pass by Ronan’s house on the way to Colin’s across the river. With his hand still hovering in front of the door, he glanced up and ...
She glanced at her watch and opened the oven, covering her hand with a cloth. She shook the cake, and it didn’t wiggle. The top was a light bronze color, and she knew it was time to remove it from the oven. After lifting it carefully out, she placed it on a rack by the side of the stove. &n...
I SAID two days later, twitching nervously, delaying my departure from school for a few moments, “won’t you come with me this afternoon?”Florence glanced up from correcting ledgers, her black curly hair falling out of its pins, her dress sleeves pushed up around her elbows, her hands chalk and in...
“Gabe?” Richard rasped as he rolled over and banged his head into Gabriel’s. “Ouch.” He rubbed at his head as he sat up on one elbow, looking around the cramped front room. “Where are we?” “Mrs. McClowski’s. She took us in last night,” Gabriel said, his voice still a few o...