[ FICTION]
R
achel paces the blindingly hot Caltrain plat-
form, recalibrating the agenda for her hec-
tic afternoon. She’s missed the usual train and this next one is already ten minutes late, so she’ll have to drive straight to soccer practice for David and Sara. She planned to festoon the dining room
with blue and lavender crepe paper. But she can send Sara to Auntie Esther’s for the paper, then call Auntie to delay Sara while she and David decorate and put candles on the cake. It’ll be a rush, but that’s life now. Fifteen minutes late to the station today of all days. Damn. She never thought she’d give the
Valerie Miner
kids a phone, but now it’s an urban survival tool. No point calling until she’s on the train with a S P R I N G 2 0 1 8 / B E L M O N T S T O RY R E V I E W
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