Patsy: Winner of the LAMBDA Literary Award 2020

by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn

There’s a difference between wanting to die and not wanting to live.

“My mother always told me ah child is a gift from God. But I neva could bring me self to ask har what if I neva wanted it. What about what I want? No one evah asked me what ah want, besides you.” She looks up at Claudette, who appears to be looking not at her, but inside her. “Is like I was taking a present from God given to me when I was too green to say not right now. Or no t’anks.”