Lost in Heat: A Mother's Desperation

band left our daughter locked alone

iately called the fire department

he hospital late,

I was helping Shirley pick out a weddi

so-called "

succumbed to heatstroke

he hospital, lingering at the

iend called, and

was bright but laced

tried on three wedding dresses alre

he replied. "Just stoppe

d speaking, he was alr

ghter okay?"

, not even glancing at th

. What's the harm in a kid s

s moved to the morg

zing car too long, heatstroke setting in, her

sleeping, eyes closed as if s

soft and chubby, her l

ered high, almost lik

r hand and press

d... my tears

tside the morg

ad, "The bill for the car window came in.

ed in, and Neal hurled a

ed against

ut there dead or something?

o my heart like a knife, twist

ounce of energy

e slurred, pointing a

up quick,

e room in a flash, helped hi

y, I did

up when a sleepy mumble

so loud th

opened, and a dishevel

st friend

ed in his slippers. In the morning light,

she flashed a

ou're

ast night and cras

bed is so cu

ith rage. I stormed

bed reeke

was stained with

life, tainting my marriage, and

t take it

o gave you permission

mped in

a problem

hospital, and you're here dr

m the sofa, suddenly agile, stepping in fr

ing around! Besides, you smashed my car yesterday. She even went with m

called the firefighters to break the

rce papers I'd drafted countless times fro

we're

arted dating, th

wooing me. Flowers, lo

s sick, pick me up from work,

ship, Neal took the lead, introdu

n Shirley

ce childhood, a fixture in eve

gushed, "Wow, Neal, this

er hair. "Shut it, no

dating, he

iming, "Neal, you're finally settling d

ciant, strutting in a gold mermaid gown with a

ff her heels, whining

le, grinned at her wi

an't handle heels but i

bit of her effort

heels either, that my feet ached too, a

clumsy, fragile, spoiled,

as independent, strong,

she became a testament t

because Shirley was heartbroken ov

drunk, and he didn't trust her alone, so Opal a

lained, h

ween us, why do you

tle dummy, why bo

ing, it's

ted him well and poured my soul into it, he'd eve

atures nev

hould've m

d should've been lock

ed for two

d, I was cradli

y waist this year

aby to this, now reduced

rapping her gently as if I c

warm, but my

ked in,

ck? Got some g

e rummaged around. "H

"Forget the suit, h

e owned the place, slippin

ace crumpling into a pitifu

d Neal. I lost my engagement ring, it's so precious, and th

g, lost just like

snapped, tearing through the w

oo. Gotta wear it

you signing the

over, free from thi

n't pl

eriously m

some cash, and now you want a divorce?

sion, and tried sneaking in

r, but she shrieke

mad, don'

, pushing me with full f

rashing down

ed, shards slicing my

red, but I

ting in the morning sun like

clutch my heart,

was unb

hh

could howl like

rok

at, and slammed her against t

kill

out a pier

force hit me, a slap knock

my mouth filled with

eal, of

ored Shirley

sitation, then turned to he

l apologize for he

about to get married, what if there's a

n her eyes, her voice hoarse

ng, kicked

ogize to Shirley, a

es on the floor, and he

d! Clean up this

ntly gathered Opal's as

ng into little flo

ve to get so worked up

k for my ring. Even O

Opal? You're the o

hest heaving, fightin

a kitchen knife a

ing fine, but cursing our daughter's

hings in anger... do

ars only fue

rying to burn ev

his suit or her ring, p

nd slammed the pen down. "Fine, you want a divorce? We're divorced! But th

ried his fragile best friend Shirley

cheek, bleeding arm, and

al's ashes and ever

er things

th, her first Mother's Day gi

rs, I li

everythi

nced, paintin

long with the last shred

e online and hand

cket for Shirley's weddi

with just a div