Nine Years Gone

years. I ran a hand over the freshly sanded oak cabinet, the grain smooth u

l. The sellers accepted

' s law books on a proper shelf, not stacked in milk cr

ystem with nothing but a toolbox and a hundred bucks. I found her huddled in a door

u' re my family now. That

nights building custom furniture. All of it went to her. Community college, then the Univer

e. The down payment had taken

with excitement. I walked in and found her standing

was the simple silver ring I' d g

n' t,

ice wa

n? The house... w

she said, her eyes avoiding

at are you talking ab

in survival. That' s all it ever was. My life is starting now. I' m going