Chapter 1: The Curated Exile I found out about my sister Lily’s wedding the same way I learned about most of the tectonic shifts in my family—through…

I was standing in line at the checkout of our local grocery store, clutching my worn-out tote bag to my chest like a shield. Outside the frosted…

My name is Bridget, and at thirty-four years old, the word “widow” still felt like a costume that didn’t fit. It was a heavy, suffocating garment I…

The ambulance ride was a blur of sirens and bright lights. The paramedic, a kind man with gentle hands, asked for her emergency contact. “My husband,” Chloe…

Chapter 1: The Cold Dinner The kitchen of the sprawling, two-story colonial house felt less like a room and more like a blast furnace. For fourteen unbroken…

Chapter 1: The Note at the Altar The afternoon sun poured over the sprawling manicured lawns of the botanical gardens, casting a golden, ethereal glow over what…