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Short story: "Geronimo"

Excerpt

Sallie’s voice takes on a confidential tone. “Should we drive by your old place?” Without waiting for Dreama to weigh in, Sallie answers herself, and slaps the steering wheel. “No. Too painful.”

Just as well. Sallie’s Suburban might scare the new owner’s horses. Dreama’s father sold the farm fast, for much less than it was worth. Dreama remembers now the strange words—“haircut, underwater, mortgage”—whispered at the visitation before her mother’s funeral. Haircut? She thought the word referred to her mother’s remaining strands done up by the funeral-home beautician; she’s only learned the depressing difference this fall in Econ 101—a different kind of loss.

Now her father sells farm equipment. Dreama’s pondering professions, too, now that she’s in college. Josh wants Dreama to be all she can be, like he is, but maybe she already is.

How would she know?