an amazon photos notification starts me scrolling through photos of layla and me on waikiki beach. my heart rises, then falls. this is the last time she will be “normal” before schizophrenia takes hold. my once-outgoing girl now hides in her room and wears a parka and beanie on 80-degree days. her psychotic episodes are more frequent than not. i search the photos for clues about the madness to come. we stepped through the looking glass and nothing was ever the same. perhaps this new layla and i can forge a bond that honors our sundrenched past and mysterious present.
Brittany Miles’ writing explores family, motherhood, and mental health. Her work has appeared in Newsweek, Business Insider, and The Seattle Times. morethanguardians.com