I Canceled Seven Hundred Dollars After Christmas Night Left My Daughter Alone in the Dark

“You walked out on Christmas dinner and left your family sitting at the table.”

“You typed up that complaint at two in the afternoon on December twenty-fourth,” I said.

“Three hours before Lucy and I ever turned onto Elm Street.”

Caroline dropped the dish towel onto the little umbrella stand next to the coat rack.

“You told me it was only an internal draft, Mom,” Caroline said.

“You said we were just keeping it in a folder.”

“Hold your tongue, Caroline,” my mother said without looking at her.