By Jon M. Gluckman
Gripping the antique pull, Phillip opens the kitchen drawer. He removes keys, appliance manuals, dead double-As, before unearthing a creased adoption card: Kalawati, her smile now obscured by smudges. At a meeting, years ago, Father O’Connor solemnly fanned out his stack of adoptees. Everybody took one—too ashamed not to. Phillip chose Kalawati; something in her eyes unhinged him.
Above her abraded face, the photo’s corners have released. He smooths them with his forefinger, then closes the drawer, still seeing the ‘Waiting 381 Days’ glittering in gold-embossed letters—like his wedding invitation.
He sighs.
He’d closed the drawer on that one, too.
Solid piece of writing. “something in her eyes unhinged him.” is a marvelous line.
Intriguing. And the messy drawer with ‘dead double As’ … very relatable.
This is a wonderfully sad little story. I could really feel all the emotions. Hope you expand this!