I Left My House Empty Three Days Before Christmas

a pan.

The eight grandchildren are not the problem.

Never were.

Jenny, the oldest, is thirteen and already tired in the eyes the way some girls get when they start helping raise the younger ones. Luke breaks things. Ben lies badly. Sadie still crawls into laps without asking. Micah has a cough every winter. Emma only eats beige food. Tyler and June fight continue reading …