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!
Well done. Love it.
Great last line.
oh my goodness — that closing line!
So clever. Love “even an old boyfriend or two”
SO fantastic. This is one of those now-I-must-read-everything-this-author-has-written pieces.
SO GOOD!! ❤️
Wow, a stunner! I always enjoy your work, but this one was especially smashing.
Whoa — what an ending!
Love it!