She wondered if she was falling in love, like the way her father fell in love.
After shifting to her side and using her stemless glass as a book paperweight, she gave up reading. She stood to her feet, stretched, and searched for sage she stored away. Maybe the sage scent would help her focus.
Her father once told a story about how he celebrated her mother’s first birthday in the United States. 1983. He bought a large chocolate cake from Shop-Rite and sang “Happy Birthday” in their one bedroom apartment. What did her parents think when her mother blew out the candles? When they divided the cake and ate together, did they feel alone?
She found the sage. When she lit it, she studied its swirls. Could she love someone the way her father loved?
Feature Image by: @ivycoco23
Writer – Chantal Eyong
@chantaleyong
Chantal Eyong is a media producer and writer. Her interests are in exploring and writing about African diasporic narratives in media. She currently resides in Southern California where she is pursuing an MFA in screenwriting at University of California, Riverside.
