The Beautiful Name: Four Short Stories, by Helen W. Mallon
Four lively characters on the hunt for human connection. Four stories about the near-misses of love:
Izzy, whose twin toddlers have her poised for a breakdown, escapes into a sexual danger zone when she tries to wake up her clueless husband.
Teenage Sarah thinks the teacher is in love with her. Then he takes her to isolated woods—where a boy is in even greater peril.
Olivia’s dying for Dad to come to her high school graduation—but he won’t leave his new home in the bathroom.
Chip’s emotional reserve is only exceeded by that of his dying father; meanwhile, Chip’s sister Emily is intent on publishing her tell-all family memoir.