I Was Uninvited From Christmas by the Man Living in My House

”

“I did.”

He said nothing.

Then he made the mistake.

He asked, “Does Patricia know?”

“No.”

He laughed, high and wrong.

“Jesus Christ.”

He pressed the heel of his hand into one eye. Then the other.

Inside the house, I could hear my mother calling someone to bring more plates.

Normal life. Ten feet away.

Michael stared at the page again.

“The compliance review,continue reading …