My parents forced me to stay home to feed the dog and water the plants while the whole family went on vacation. When I asked why, my sister said, “That’s your role in this house.”

above a bakery on Maple Street. It smelled like cinnamon every morning, and the pipes rattled when the heat came on, and the kitchen window stuck unless I lifted it with both hands. It was the first place where nobody assigned me a role before breakfast.

Buster came with me.

My mother objected, saying he was the family dog. Officer Ruiz reminded her continue reading …