The Seven Year Slip

by Ashley Poston

I loved how a book, a story, a set of words in a sentence organized in the exact right order, made you miss places you’ve never visited, and people you’ve never met.

“Whatever you say, Lemon.” I shot him a glare. “It’s Clementine.”

long moment, and then her face scrunched in tears. “What if I n-never find anyone else?” “But what if you do?” I asked, squeezing her hands tightly. “You deserve to find out.”

“I didn’t find out who I wanted to be until I was almost forty. You have to try on a lot of shoes until you find some you like walking in. Never apologize for that.

think,” he finally said, choosing his words carefully, “that nothing lasts forever. Not the good things, not the bad. So just find what makes you happy, and do it for as long as you can.”