No one had wanted to invite Cora. She was Mark’s eccentric younger cousin, the one who’d dropped out of medical school to run a “hypnotherapy and holistic resonance” studio in a refurbished shipping container. She arrived late, wearing a velvet cloak the color of a thunderstorm and carrying a fruitcake that looked alarmingly like a lump of clay.
Even little Leo, the agent of chaos, was quietly stacking his mashed potatoes into a serene, lumpy mountain, humming “Jingle Bells” in perfect, tuneful calm. Mistress Of Hypnosis Holidazed
Seven heads lifted. But these were not the same people who had been snarling over the yams. No one had wanted to invite Cora
“Enough,” Lila finally snapped, her voice cutting through the wailing. “This is Christmas . Can we please just… be happy for one hour?” Even little Leo, the agent of chaos, was