By Ele Pawelski
She sidled up to the Self-Help section, sandwiched between Fiction and Psychology. Before, she’d only looked in the shop from outside. She pulled up her gray hoodie, chewed lace ends hanging to her chest.
Tilting her head sideways, titles assembled into advice a mother might give her daughter if the daughter had a mother. Hers had left when she was six. At first, she was angry at her mother, but when she got older, thought her courageous. Recently, they’d reunited, her mother saying she was better.
“Can I help you?” the shopkeeper asked.
“Yes.” She held out Adult Children of Alcoholics.
Ah, very moving, so well written to capture the sadness, and yet no blame came across…..it would make a tremendous longer story or even a book
Loved “…chewed lace ends hanging to her chest.”
Very poignant and, unfortunately, all too familiar for many children.
Well done. Sort of an optomistic ending, considering the main character’s background.