Millie had shrunk, become a lesser version of herself as she stepped closer to death. I comb through her closet, a history of her body and life before dementia and heart failure. The deeper I go, the more buttons and zippers, details and flourishes, items climbing in size. I go to Macy’s and pick out a dress for her—high neck and long sleeves, feminine and unfussy, paying with my Macy’s card. Days after her funeral I’m home, trying to catch up when I get a targeted email. “Your new dress needs some company.” The dress, Millie, or me?
Stephanie Buck lives in Salem, Massachusetts, and is a reader, baker, dabbling writer and animal lover. She works for EBSCO, advocating for open source software in libraries. Find Stephanie at alphabeticfate.com and on Twitter and Instagram @stephsbuck.