At Christmas, My Parents Made My Adopted Daughter Wash Dishes. Then a Letter Revealed the Secret They Had Kept for Six Years.

The figures were crowded and crooked.

In the corner she drew Bunny, larger than anyone.

“There,” she said, leaning back.

“Now there’s room for everybody.” I looked at the page.

“There always was, sweetheart,” I told her.

“We just had to make sure the right people were holding the door open.”

She considered that and climbed into my lap.

“Next year,” she said, “can we do Christmas just like this again?” I wrapped my arms around her.

“Yes,” I said.

“Just like this.”

THE END.