Her mouth fell open in shock.

Motherlands are castles made of glass. In order to leave them, you have to break something — a wall, a social convention, a cultural norm, a psychological barrier, a heart. What you have broken will ...

If I were to flip you the bird left-handed, which I sometimes do to mix things up, you’d notice that my middle finger is crooked, with a bulged knuckle. Why does it look like that? Catfish noodling.