A Sissy Christmas
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

I suppose a lot of families have a weird uncle who is not really an uncle but who turns up for Christmas – right? I mean he might have been married to my aunt’s cousin at one time – so family but only slightly. It was just that Uncle Bart lived alone and has nobody, but he is rich and he gives good presents so he was always invited. Nobody really understood much about him or even tried to, but he has always seemed to join in, and then he just disappears for a year.

“It's pink!" I protested.

Diva Dismayed: Chapter 24 – Revelations
The following day I was walking back from college with Alice, and we became entangled in one of those deep conversations that I dreaded. I never knew where they might lead, and I disliked having to lie my way out of making some admission or other.

“Thank goodness, today is my last day” she exclaimed.

I had no idea what she could be talking about. “Last day?”

“Of my period, silly. What did you think I meant?”