Donna’s ninety-year-old mother spotted the Christmas tree in her daughter’s living room. It was hard to miss.

She frowned, warning, “This is how it starts.”

Last March Donna married an Italian, a Catholic to boot. Donna is Jewish but very quickly acquired a taste for cannoli and tiramisu.

Mother was right.

Recently retired, Marian Brooks has begun to write some short fiction.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband. Her work has appeared in Thick Jam, Curly Red Stories, Short Humour and others.

Editor’s note: This story came in prior to Christmas, and it was entirely my fault that it wasn’t posted closer to the holidays! I think it’s still worth reading though, don’t you? :)