LINKDING

<blockquote>100 days before the Fire / Lizzy was in the kitchen, chopping onions, when Nina walked in the front door to their apartment. “I’m in here,” she called, as though the rhythmic sound of her knife might not be enough to give her location away. Dinner would be simple tonight; Lizzy was too tired to spend much longer on her feet than she had already. She was looking forward to a weekend of doing nothing, catching up on sleep, maybe working on some of the million projects she always meant to get started and then never did. Nina appeared in the doorway a couple minutes later, leaning against the frame. Her curly hair was a little damp; the weather had been grey and rainy off and on all day. “So you remember I had that doctor’s appointment today,” Nina said softly. “Yeah?” Lizzy dropped the chopped bits of onion into the hot oil, where they started to hiss. “What’d he say?” “He said it’s time.”</blockquote> ➤ this is gorgeous

<blockquote>A Jewish man disconnected from his upbringing re-finds meaning in traditions. "Eventually, his parents had talked Lemuel down to only two Transformers figures, and those he would carry in his pockets instead of his hands. Asher had not been there for the negotiations, but Lemuel recounted them in great detail in the car, several times over. "My pockets, not my hands, Uncle Asher," Lemuel said for about the twenty millionth time."</blockquote>

<blockquote>When she is fifteen, Georgia collects stamps; when she is eight, Georgia collects her brother’s Hot Wheels cars, hides them in her bottom dresser drawer and packs them with bubble wrap so they won’t rattle. She lies when her father asks if she’s seen them, and little Randall wails and wails, five years old and so impatient. She gives them back to him later, one by one, hides them places only he would look—it’s worth it for the look on his face, like he’s stumbled on something magical, and, of course, she plays with them until they’re returned.</blockquote>