The Girl Who Stayed Nine

Summary

After the car accident, my memories froze permanently at nine years old.

It was the golden age—the year my parents loved me most in the world.

Back then, they bought me strawberry shortcake on random Tuesdays and lowered their voices to soft, melodic whispers just to coax another bite of dinner into me. For a little while after the crash, I managed to displace my little sister, reclaiming my rightful throne as the single most precious thing in their universe.

The trouble was, most days Mom spent sobbing in the laundry room, and Dad spent his nights pacing the floorboards, swallowed by…