She gathers her family around her. Parents, siblings, uncles, aunts—even an old boyfriend or two. Candles extinguished, she pours sweet tea, cuts wedges of cake. Opens gifts and cards, reading every greeting aloud. Relishing their company, their considerate silence.
They always mocked her interest in taxidermy.
Nobody’s laughing now.
Deborah writes at an old desk surrounded by five hundred pet bugs.
I love the macabre twist!
Thank you! :)
Well done. Love it.
Thank you, Nicholas :)
Great last line.
Thanks, Joanna :)
oh my goodness — that closing line!
Thanks so much, Amanda :)
So clever. Love “even an old boyfriend or two”
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting, Carol :)
SO fantastic. This is one of those now-I-must-read-everything-this-author-has-written pieces.
Thank you so much for saying that, Tracy – so encouraging :)
SO GOOD!! ❤️
Thanks so much, Paul :)
Wow, a stunner! I always enjoy your work, but this one was especially smashing.
That’s so kind! Thanks so much for commenting :)
Whoa — what an ending!
Thank you! :)
Love it!
Thanks, Adele :)
Brilliant! The twist gave me a good laugh 😆
Thanks, Fiona! Glad you enjoyed it :)
The line that carries it is “their considerate silence.” A party where nobody speaks, and it is the only phrase that does not fit the warmth around it. So the last line does not spring the twist, it just admits what the silence already said. Lovely.
Thanks, Mira! Your kind words are much appreciated :)
When I saw the author’s name, from the very first line, I was waiting for the hammer to knock me out, until it finally did in the second to last sentence. Amazing Deborah!
Thanks so much, Saleh! It was great fun to write and I’m delighted you enjoyed it :)
💙 this. It made me 😃. Knockout last line. I didn’t see that coming. Well done.
Thanks so much for commenting, Sue – I really appreciate it! :)