Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Families.

The Mexican Theatre Incident
My parents grew up in a small Mexican border town located near Rio Grande City, Texas. My maternal grandfather was very successful, and owned 'El Indio', a favorite watering hole of the town's more elder (male-only) residents. Back in 1979, atop the town's largest hotel, somebody had decided to build an open-air movie theatre. This hotel (it's still there - the theatre's gone) is located directly across the street from my grandfather's cantina.
By Adrian R6 years ago in Families
Treasure Hunt
"Hey Mom." "Hi baby, you all settled in?" "Yeah, it's a cute little attic apartment. I think the floors are mostly original to the house"
By Liza Rivera6 years ago in Families
You Think Your Brother was Bad?
Like many young boys, I used to get a kick out of scaring my sister. My sister, I imagine, has won many "whose brother scared them the worst" conversational contests. The truth is, I really shouldn't have done it. But I was young.
By Adrian R6 years ago in Families
Goodbye
I sat curled up on a rock a little way out into the water. The rest of my family stood on the shore in small groups, fragmented like always as my mother scattered my grandfather’s ashes into the waves.
By Georgia Martin6 years ago in Families
Time Travelers Notebook
The rain begins to pour down and small water pools form outside as Evan flips the sign in the window of Reader’s Café from ‘OPEN’ to ‘CLOSED.’ Grabbing his jacket and bag from the upstairs office, he looks at the picture of his parents on the wall. They are standing in front of the café all smiles on the first day it opened.
By Angelica E. 6 years ago in Families
The Little River Crone
For those in my life who’ve handed me beautiful seeds. The Little River Crone Once upon a time in the middle of the Maine woods, many years ago, there came to be a witch flying over the treetops in her clunky spaceship, and seeing a little river, she made to land the craft near it. Being a young witch, and this being her first trip through space, she was not used to operating a flying contraption, and therefore, she landed quite hard and quite close to the little river, the craft bumping along as it came to a halting stop. The witch had a few bumps and bruises but hurriedly checked on her parcel, a precious glass box, with dirt and mineral inside.
By Annemarie Kate Morse6 years ago in Families
A Father's Acceptance
Nakia lays in bed listening to the alarm ring. She cancels the alarm and begins the process of becoming the Nakia she has seen in the mirror since she was six. This was a routine that she had grown accustomed to over the last five years. A routine she had so desperately clung to because it gave her a sense of control and order, something she was never allowed in her youth. After two hours of perfecting her makeup, sliding on her black dress, and strapping on her heels, she was ready.
By Travis Hunnicutt6 years ago in Families
Home Is Where The Heart Is
We as humans take so much for granted. I hate to start this out negatively, but I do not mean it negatively; I mean it nostalgically. I grew up in the beautiful country of Germany. My dad was in the Army for longer than I have been alive, and that is where he met the love of his life. Luckily, my dad was in a position where he could choose his work assignment, and I got to spend most of my childhood over there, and one year in New Jersey and two other years in the lovely country of Italy. I have been in the United States for sixteen years now, from Washington State, Idaho, California and now Illinois but Germany seems like yesterday and nothing compares.
By Trina Ferry Bateson6 years ago in Families
The Truth About Pregnancy
Everybody always talks about how pregnancy is such a beautiful and magical time. You're growing a human life! It's your baby, you'll never love anything more than this.
By Cheyenne Klein6 years ago in Families
This Place
There are some places on earth you just cannot forget. Their majesty and beauty make such an impression that they are permanently etched on your mind. Parcels of land filled by magnificent mountains or drenched with sun laden beaches... just the words alone conjure up spectacular images—the Sierra's, Pikes Peak, and Kilimanjaro, or Fiji, the Caribbean, and the Florida Keys. Those places bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart. Those are the places you search for; the places you plan long vacations around. Those are the pictures you remember, forever.
By Cheryl Mason Thompson6 years ago in Families
A Quiet Minute
She’s staring out the window and telling me about her day. I’m glad that she can’t see my face, glad that she doesn’t know how much my back hurts standing here, glad that she doesn’t see that I’m sad that she has to tell me what she did today even though we’ve not been more than a few metres apart all day, glad that she doesn’t know it’s taking so long because of the pain in my hands. All she knows is this quiet minute, searching for dinosaurs in the overgrown backyard, just her and her mumma, putting her beautiful red hair into plaits before bed.
By Billie Argyle6 years ago in Families
Black Pearl
I was born in the backwoods of the Blue Ridge Mountains. My family was poor but never without the basics. Daddy worked underground and loved us dearly. He would get up before day break and work in the fields and then he would put on his old mining hat and his worn out coveralls and go to the mines. He would walk through our small town and go to the drift mouth and start his day. My Mommy would already have her day planned. She had already cooked for eight of us and started the washing. Before the light of day she sat at the kitchen table and read her Bible and said her prayers for all of us. She would mention each one of us by name and ask for a blessing for each of us. I know it was hard for her but she did this every day that I can remember.
By Linda N Steve Brown6 years ago in Families