starting over
-
The Illusions – Chapter 12
Jeff, who is out of state for work, texts me a photo of a rental Jeep Wrangler, the kind with the roof panels popped out so the sky and wind rush in. A fun car, he calls it, grinning behind… Continue reading
-
The Illusions – Chapter 11
The days blur together. Somewhere between the text threads and the nightly FaceTime calls, Jeff has become a rhythm I don’t question, especially the prayers. I wait for them now, expect them, the way I expect sunrise. Each one layers… Continue reading
-
The Illusions – Chapter 10
…constant liars…constantly stir up trouble… broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.…a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong…a person who sows discord in a family…obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction…It… Continue reading
-
The Illusions – Chapter 8
My phone buzzes with a selfie from Jeff, lounging at the airport gate. He’s wearing that same athletic-style top, the one he had on Friday evening, and I can’t resist teasing him about it. How he always gravitates toward the… Continue reading
-
The Illusions – Chapter 7
Words from Jeff lit up my screen before sunrise, a message sent at 11:20 p.m. while I was already asleep: “Fun. Authentic. Honest. Supportive. Safe. Comforting. What a fun night. Thank you. Sleep tight. I just prayed for you and… Continue reading
-
The Illusions – Chapter 6
Jeff texts a photo of our new yoga mats, a bright splash of color against his desk. His message radiates eagerness for this evening, and a corresponding ripple of excitement moves through me. I imagine us practicing in the park,… Continue reading
-
The Illusions – Chapter 4 – Lizzie
The slam of a door startles me awake, slicing through the foggy residue of another fractured night. My head is heavy, my limbs still sunk in the mattress, but somewhere between sleep and waking the word run flashes through my… Continue reading
-
The Illusions – Chapter 3
As the days blend together, Jeff and I fall into a steady pattern—calls and texts threading through the quiet stretches of my routine. He’s candid about his past. The women on some dating app, the halfhearted connections that never reached… Continue reading
-
The Illusions – Chapter 1
The weather is perfect — warm sun, light breeze — the kind that tricks you into believing things could be easy, that life might be simple. Yet it’s another busy day at work. I come back to the office after… Continue reading
-
The Detour – Chapter 6
Weeks ago ~ It’s another Saturday afternoon, and we’re on our second video call before my trip to Ithaca. Jeff starts the call with Lesley and me, but immediately blacks out his camera. Lesley and I exchange shrugs as we… Continue reading
