by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
byA knock sounded on the door.
Arly was sitting at the table with her little brother Sim on her right. Sim was eight, and would have been gone by now if Mama had been normal. Mama sat at the head of the table with the turkey in front of her, and Now-dad sat at the foot of the table with the gravy boat and the mashed potatoes. Across the table from Arly and Sim sat their older sister Kitty, and Granny. Nobody had eaten yet.
“Who could that be?” Mama asked.
“I’ll get it,” said Sim. He jumped up.
“I don’t know that we’re ready for visitors just now,” said Mama. They had just said grace, and she was about to carve the turkey. Everything smelled so good Arly’s mouth watered. She hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast.
While Sim and Now-dad, safely locked in the
