Leonard Larkin stared at his mother’s puffy face as she asked, “What do want for your birthday, Leonard?” “Not to be fat.” His mother hugged him tightly with her heavy arms, “Why, you’re not fat. Just big boned.” She squeezed him hard. He could smell the bakery oozing from her pores. “I brought home lemon
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Reaching over and slapping her alarm clock, Joy groaned loudly before burying her head under her pillow. Maybe if she stayed in bed today everyone would leave her alone. Maybe if she didn’t acknowledge the sun had come up it would go away and she could go back to sleep. After all tomorrow was another
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The pale glow of candlelight illuminated the room just enough for the couple to see one another comfortably across the small, round table. Each gazed into the other’s eyes, lost in a combination of alcohol and the moment, both amazed that they had made it this far. “Two years,” Janie said as she moved her
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“Well,” I said, “I think that’s it! David, I hope you had a happy birth—” “No, no!” Gerald interrupted. “There’s one more! I almost forgot it in all the excitement! Hang on, I’ll go get it, okay? You just sit tight, champ.” He got up from the table, ruffling David’s silky hair as he passed
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A glance at the clock tells me it’s 3:00 A.M., my usual time to get up. After putting on some coffee, I use the john and poke my nose outside. A nice cool morning, typical for this time of the year: so refreshing, and a definite mind clearer greets me. Cup of joe in hand,
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Steam rose from the boiling water. She glanced at the old clock on the wall, its small pendulum moving like a judgment. “Fifteen minutes till twelve,” she said loudly. Her daughter came into the kitchen, leaving the wails of a birthing mother behind. The old woman poured hot water into a glass tumbler. She then
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Groaning, Selma rose from her rocking chair, her knees protesting sharply. Careful to stop the chairs rocking motion, lest an evil spirit decides to sit in it, she headed to the front door to see who it was that had intruded on her evening. Looking through the small peephole, she crossed herself. It was Xavier,
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“Time!” Sam knew she had heard the toilet flush and she now expected to hear him washing his hands. Skip that step, he knew, and he’d be in for discipline. He always tried to avoid Mother’s discipline; tried as hard as he could. He flipped both taps on, the water rushing into the ancient metal
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