Member-only story
Bird
A Short Story
Lily was the best thing each of them had ever done. She was a shining light in their perceived misery. The only thing holding this tattered mess together.
Her eyes lit up both of their lives. Separately. Because they didn’t know how to do it together. They couldn’t even appreciate their own daughter together. They couldn’t do anything together. And Lily sensed that. Instinctually.
So Lily constantly played peacemaker. At five years old. For her parents. So they could survive another night. So she could feel the bond of family. Even if she was the glue.
A five-year-old. Full of love. The glue.
Her little eyes opened to an empty bed. She liked it like this. Because she didn’t have to see one of their sad faces, pretending to be happy. For her.
She knew what they were doing. With their over-the-top morning greetings. And their fake gestures to one another. She knew.
They were trying to put on a brave face. For her. But she knew them all too well. Better than they knew themselves. Because they allowed themselves to get lost.
This little girl hoped she could be the one to show them that. That they were lost. Not hateful. Or resentful. But lost in a life that started too early. They were too young to embark on this familial directive. But…
