When dreams whisper names from the past

went back to school part-time. My bookstore boss let me adjust my hours. My life didn’t get easier, but it got fuller in a way that made the chaos feel meaningful.

On her seventh birthday, Clara asked if she could change her name.

“To what?” I asked, already sensing something before she said it.

She smiled. “Maria.”

I couldn’t speak for a long moment.continue reading …