Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes

The next morning, beer and I mutually decided our relationship wasn’t going to work out.

I sighed, a deep and heavy sigh. If only sighs could carry all my troubles away.

I wondered if somehow, without my knowing it, I had been cast in a Lifetime channel movie.

...with the company of just myself, my thoughts presented themselves like unwelcome houseguests.

Why I waited until the last days of my life to feel pampered and beautiful. People tell themselves there’s plenty of time to do it all, but most of the time they never see death coming.

Most of the time I paid it no mind. I kept to myself and everyone in my town of Henryetta liked it that way. While my grandma saw helpful information such as droughts and locust infestations, I was cursed with seeing useless and mundane things like Mrs. White’s toilet overflow or the ear infection in Jenny Baxter’s baby. None of that would be so bad if I kept what I saw to myself, but my visions didn't work that way. Without any volition of my own, whatever I saw just blurted right out of my mouth. Most of the people who knew me thought I was a snoop or a gossip, the only rational explanation to reason away my knowledge. But Momma had another opinion. She declared me demon-possessed.

I was paving the highway to hell in beet bottles and kisses.

Trust was a tricky thing. Usually the perosn asking for the trust had to prove they were worthy to receive it.

I find myself thinking about her all the time. But I hurt her. I didn’t mean to hurt her. I’d do anything to take back the pain I caused, but I don’t think she’ll listen to me. So the only thing I know to do is start over, then maybe she’ll give me another chance.

he wasn’t who I thought he was.

It all started when I saw myself dead.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Are you talking about Agnes Gardner?" I had a sneaking suspicion she was at the wrong visitation.

But misery is misery, no matter what its cause and we were both drowning in it. I

The next morning, beer and I mutually decided our relationship wasn’t going to work out. I wondered why it decided to turn on me as I clung to the toilet, waiting to puke my guts out. Everything had been going so well the night before.

The dam of tears broke again and I cried softly, grateful for the love I didn’t deserve because the gift of me didn’t seem to be enough.

what’s wrong with being different? Sometimes it’s good to stand apart from everyone else.

What that woman said, it wasn't right. Just remember that she doesn’t know you. You can’t change the opinions of small-minded people.

I fell asleep, lying against his chest listening to the soft beat of his heart in my ear, my own full of joy.

The next morning, beer and I mutually decided our relationship wasn´t going to work out.

Gossip in Henryetta spread faster than a smallpox plague in an internment camp.

I didn't know how many police cars the city of Henryetta owned, but I was willing to bet money all of them were currently parked in front of my house.

My smile rivaled the width of the Grand Canyon.

my computer screen. A scruffy man in his mid-thirties

the wall in the hallway, watching Violet and her family

As the evening went on, I discovered that visitations are all about lying. Momma never looked so good, both physically and in personality, as she did dead. We heard how wonderful, kind, clever, and generous she was, adjectives no one in their right mind would have used a week ago.

huff. “I need to renew my plates,” he said. Irritation

We walked to the car, side by side, but a million miles apart.