My Childhood Sweetheart Asked Me to Sign a Special Folder in Room Four Hundred Seven

of my finger. I rubbed the skin with my thumb, feeling the bareness of the joint where the heavy metal had been.

The stain was stubborn, but I knew it would wash away eventually with enough soap and hot water. It was a small price to pay for the quiet that had returned to my home.

I took a long sip of the hot coffee, letting the warmth settle in my chest continue reading …