“Red balloon.” Mommy carefully tied the string around my wrist. She smelled so pretty, like flowers and sunshine, and she kissed my forehead and patted my hair. The sun was shining behind her, so I couldn’t see her face.
“Gabriel?” I looked up from where I’d fallen asleep in front of the TV, and found my mother standing over me. Her hair wasn’t the right color, and she didn’t smell like the sun. She smelled like bleach.
“Mommy?”
“It’s dinner time. Go wash up,” she said, as offered me her hand. “Did you finish your homework?”
#66 Red Balloon
“Gabriel?” I looked up from where I’d fallen asleep in front of the TV, and found my mother standing over me. Her hair wasn’t the right color, and she didn’t smell like the sun. She smelled like bleach.
“Mommy?”
“It’s dinner time. Go wash up,” she said, as offered me her hand. “Did you finish your homework?”
“I think so, yes.”