On Christmas

in an emergency room across town.

And my eight-year-old had carried her baby sister nearly two miles through freezing Christmas air.

“Is Emma alive?” I asked.

The nurse’s voice softened even more.

“She is alive.”

I covered my mouth, but the sound still escaped me.

A broken, animal sound.

“And Lily?”

“She is awake. Very cold, exhausted, and frightened. She continue reading …