The Christmas I Was Told I Didn’t Belong

no longer felt like one.

My hand wrapped around the cold doorknob.

“Tell Isabella’s parents something for me,” I said.

Michael looked up. “What?”

“Feliz Navidad.”

The December air slapped my face as I stepped outside.

Behind me, Michael called my name once.

Then the door shut.

Final.

I sat in my truck with the engine off, watching Christmas lights glow in windows continue reading …