My dad has aged a lot in the past few years. It was probably as gradual as the rest of us but I'm noticing it more now. His walk has become more of a shuffle but he's strong enough or perhaps willful enough that he doesn't want any help. That's fine. It w…

When his cell dinged as an alarm, a single note strong and pure as a minister's daughter, Lamar didn't even break stride to check it. He knew what it was. Every day the same alarm reminded him to be home for dinner. He had an hour to get there and be a da…

Rain pelted the windshield of our station wagon and the wipers carried the water away in wide flat arcs. The radio was turned way down low until it was little more than a generic hum. Dad's fingers tapped the steering wheel as if he could still hear it. D…

I hung up the phone, tears on my cheeks. Sniffling to get control of them, I knew who I had to call next.

"Miss Ann? This is Marie, Elizabeth's sister."

"Do you want me to get her for you?"

"No, Miss Ann, she's going to need some time off. I'm coming t…

“Your dad doesn't want you hanging around here.” Me, I added silently.

A woman leaned over a white rail, pointing at choppy waves and shouted Shark.

Margot placed her palms on my kitchen counter and danced back and forth. “Yeah, I know. I don't see wh…

Dinner was terse.

Another Tuesday night, another dinner hosted by my parents. Generally, I looked forward to our Tuesday nights. My parents were both good cooks. I loved both of them, though it took me a long time to grow up and appreciate them.

Financi…