Em Hanson

Em Hanson writes fiction about people - about the days in our lives which make a profound difference. She has published in Eternal as a Weed: Tales of Ozark Experience, "The Ride," and The Providence Journal, "One More Thing," which won third place in their COVID stories contest. She lives in Rhode Island and enjoys participating in a local writing group she has been part of for many years.

The Gift

Alice couldn’t remember her dream, but the thought that lingered after waking shook her. She had nothing to give him.

She had fallen asleep on the couch, not easily or accidentally, had forced herself to sleep, exhausted herself with praying and reciting the memorized routes that would take them to their new home. She pictured the highlighted maps from AAA with her eyes closed, stacked in the glove compartment in the order they would need them.

There were still pieces of the dream, but she disregarded them…. It was still so early that her young siblings had not yet jumped out of bed to come raid the stockings or shake the presents that they would open after breakfast.
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