she says. Ron knows where it is.
Why is everyone so mad at me?
I think about chiming in, and
so does Grandma Marie. But
it is Hunter who opens his mouth.
Hunter
MAYBE IT’S THE EGGNOG
I had a couple, heavily spiked,
before we sat down to dinner.
Maybe it’s just Kristina’s wide-
eyed pretense of innocence.
Whatever it is, I’ve had enough
of her acting like she gives a shit
about anyone but herself. “Look
at us, Kristina. I mean, take a few
minutes of your precious time
and really look at what you’ve done.”
My voice amplifies with each word.
“Every one of us at this table has
been hurt by you. Some of us have
been crushed—no, annihilated,
and all because of you loving yourself
best of all….” Nikki rests her hand
on mine. I stop, not for Kristina’s sake,
but because Nikki wants me to.
Autumn
HUNTER’S OUTBURST
Is completely unexpected.
The sound of yelling, so close
to me, jump-starts the race