First Lie Wins

by Ashley Elston

I envy the ease they feel in these situations, for knowing exactly what to expect and what is expected of them. I envy the gracefulness that comes with knowing that everyone in this town has seen them at their worst and still accepts them.

It wasn’t long after I took that first job at the flower shop that I realized my twangy accent created a greater divide between me and the women who came into the store than our bank accounts ever would. The way you walk, the way you talk, the way you move your body screams more about you than anything else ever could.

The framed family portrait of the Kingstons hanging on the wall depicts a perfect little trio that doesn’t reflect what life is really like in this house. I’m sure Jenny shared this picture on social media to make everyone believe things are as rosy as that image suggests.

Death requires a lot of organization.

It takes more focus than you can imagine to sit absolutely still.

In fact, you can tell the truth if you word it the right way, using the right intonation. They will take I can’t tell you the date as I can’t remember it because of the tone I used instead of the truth, which is I can’t tell you the date because it would incriminate me.