Dialogue

"Why is that dog eating Ed's pizza?"

The piercing shriek of a three year old is able to cut through the low rumble of a room full of eggnog and whiskey loosened family members, some of which haven't seen, or spoke, to each other in many years, like an arrow glides through the soft air of mid-morning hunt.

"Honey, it's alright. Ed can grab another slice. Go get your brother to put Aunt Ginny's dog outside, would you?"

Aunt Ginny's dogs. They had only been here three hours but they had already smashed my favorite ceramic pig and only stopped sniffing at Ed long enough to eat his unattended slice of pepperoni. Pizza for Christmas Eve dinner wasn't my first choice but once the twins got the turkey out of the oven and tossed it in the pool I knew the frozen pizzas I kept in the bottom of the old freezer in the garage would satisfy this crowd.

"I missed it when we broke the family platter."

"What?"

"I said I missed it when we broke the family platter. The twins again?"

Oh. Aunt Ginny. I guess she did miss that episode.

"No, Aunt Ginny, it wasn't the twins. It was the dogs but don't you worry about it."

"Oh, darling! Well you know those dogs. They don't mean a lick of harm. They'll outgrow it."

I'm sure they would someday. Grandmama had passed the platter down but there was nothing for it now.

"Aunt Ginny, why don't you go get yourself another egg nog?" I'm sure Ed can find another bottle of whiskey in the garage if we need one."

"Alright, dear."

She waddled off. I'm sure the platter had already fled from her mind. Still, no matter. Heirlooms can be created just as easily as they're destroyed. I'll find another dish or bowl to pass along to the kids. Something would come along. There are certainly enough flea markets and second hand shops to be scoured these days. Something will come along.

Another shriek cuts through the chatter-

"Ed, your pizza!"