she explains. The judge agreed. All
charges against her were dropped.
Kristina talks her way out of another
predicament. Christmas drama to come.
Autumn
LONELINESS AND LIQUOR
Are best friends. Too bad I haven’t
had any liquor since the wedding.
Loneliness is eating me alive.
No more Aunt Cora. No word from Bryce.
Grandfather in bed with some ailment.
Much too much time on my hands.
If there were any alcohol in the place,
I’d be dropped-on-my-knees drunk.
Instead I keep cleaning. Organizing.
There isn’t a speck of dirt anywhere.
Except, no doubt, in Grandfather’s room.
I avoid going in there. It stinks.
Stinks like old man. Stinks like a feeble
old man, flat on his back for three days.
Farts and sweat and medicine.
I only go in to take him soup. Hot tea.
Water. More water. But not much me.
WHEN I CALLED BRYCE
To apologize, he was Arctic cool.
I don’t understand. Why did you
tell me your parents were dead?
“I’m so sorry,” I said. “It’s just …
well, there are things about them
I’m not proud of. I was afraid….”