Kadeem Sunday morning, Kadeem was jolted from his slumber by the blaring of Bon Jovi and the vibrating of his phone. The one morning - of course - that he had decided to try and sleep in.  Through half-closed eyelids, he fumbled for his phone on the bedside table, only managing to knock it off and onto the floor in a deafening clank.  He cursed and forced himself up, swatting his hands around until he located it in between the table and mattress.  "Motherfucker," he yelled, swiping it open with an aggressive flick of his finger, to answer it - yes -but mostly to silence the irritating vibration and song.  "Whoa," came Riley's voice through the other end.  "It's fine," Kadeem growled, with a voice ragged with sleep and aggression.  He made an angry mental note to change his goddamn ringtone later. "Shot Through the Heart" had just blasted his own heart with so much

Ardal Kadeem’s hand interlocks with mine and a familiar warmth floods over me. Five children are giggling and hollering feet away, but they fall to a dim background hum. Amber afternoon light spills from the windows, highlighting Kadeem’s chiseled features and chocolate brown eyes. The worn leather band of his watch is pressed against my wrist, a gentle reminder of the passage of time, even in a moment that seems endless. We’re standing so close, I can find the rippling scar that lines his neck - a badge of survival from a vicious fight when he was 17. I can see the jagged one at his right temple - a trace of the car accident Susan used to erode what was left of our marriage. Just as easily, I see the constellations of freckles that dot his arms, and the dimple in his cheek that deepens when a smirk plays upon his lips. There’s the dark hair I used to rake my fingers through, the lip I used to softly bite, and the eyes that seem to darken when he grows angry or detached. The same

KadeemKadeem strode away from Ardal’s with such an inexplicable calmness, even he didn’t fully understand it. Whatever the reason, he was glad his cooler head had prevailed. He was ready to go to battle, and he wasn’t about to succumb to his own self-destructive impulses. As he walked down the sidewalk, he wretched his phone out of his pocket and quickly scrolled for Riley’s number. He waited for what seemed like ages for her to pick up, but there was no answer - only her voicemail greeted him. A surge of annoyance swept over him.“Riley,” he growled, “Call me back.” He clenched the phone in his fist as he marched down the sidewalk, the sunlight radiating off the pavement as he moved. Finally determining it may be a longer delay than he’d hoped, he slid the phone into his pocket with a sigh. Riley’d better respond soon, though, or he’d go knock down her door.   Kadeem passed by a string of storefronts. He lingered for a second

Ardal The bats are out.  Their leathery wings flutter in the sky overhead, their dark bodies casting a silhouette against the pale morning light.  “Are those vampires,” Ezra asks, as we stare up at the sky, all of us rooted to the porch.  I take a drink of my coffee, letting its warmth soak into me before addressing.  "No, they're just little animals, completely harmless." I pat his head. "They're on their way back to their roost a little late, though."  I take a breath, trying to ready myself for the day.  "Okay, let's get going," I say, trying to break through whatever spell we've found ourselves under. I motion for the quints to hop in the van. They groan their useless protests, picking up their backpacks and lunchboxes with little huffs, and grumbling while they tote their things to the car.  "Last week of school," I say cheerily. "You can do

 ArdalAt the clinic the next day, Erbao is playing cheerfully with Leah during his dialysis session. I nursed my wounds with Kadeem the day before. Nothing a little Skinny Pop and a White Claw before bed didn't fix. My mind ticks away as Peggy explains the mechanics of home dialysis and what I have to do. Thankfully, a nurse will come in to help me initially.