Picture 2
Kimberly Gould’s Picture Choice:
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Aiko carried flowers. Albert Walkins. She’d never met him, never knew him, but she came with flowers once a year on her father’s birthday.
It had been more difficult than usual to make the trip this year, almost as difficult as the first year she had made this pilgrimage. Her heritage was not the problem, her physical state was. Holding a hand to her distended belly she knelt carefully to set the red and white flowers against the tombstone.
“Arigato,” she said, bowing deeply despite her inability to double herself properly. She continued in English. “I will have a child soon. If she is a girl, I will name her Alberta. Neither of us would be here if not for you.” The forty-something was older than the average first-time mother, another reason she had nearly been able to come this year. Her doctor agreed with the airline that she should not be flying. Aiko didn’t care. Her baby could be born in Hawaii. Actually, that would be perfect. She would have an even stronger tie to America than Aiko did.
As she straightened, the baby kicked, making Aiko smile.
“Thank you, Albert, for not shooting my father. Thank you for letting him go.” How ironic that his mercy should be repaid with death. She had been certain, when she started searching for Albert Walkins on her father’s behalf, that he would be surrounded with children of his own. Instead, she had found this grave, identical to so many here.
Bowing once more, she turned to go.
“Oh!” she cried out, clutching her belly as liquid drenched her thighs.
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Kimberly Gould is the author of Cargon: Honour and Privilege and the upcoming Thickness of Blood. She can be found most places as Kimmydonn, including Kimmydonn.com
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