Why had she invited both families to spend Christmas Day? Surely, she'd been out of her mind. Her husband's parents were wonderful. Mom and Dad Greer would enter the spirit of the day with love and enjoyment. Her family was the problem. Her brother-in-law would redden with embarrassment as her mother and sister found fault. They'd snipe about the meal, the kids and the general disorder. Marcie's house was always spotless and she was super-organized, just like their mother. In their company, Ruth always felt like the idiot child. Their voices rose in her thoughts.

"Ruthie, if you'd make a plan, things would go fine. Don't be such a scatterbrain." Her mother's opinion always made Ruth cringe. How could one make a plan when there were always interruptions?

"If you had planned your family better. Three children under school age, really," Marcie's voice joined her mother's.

Ruth glanced at the clock. Almost five on Christmas Eve and she'd just finished Christmas shopping. Every year, she promised herself to do the shopping early. How many of those self-promises had she broken? Too many to count.

"Mom, Mom," Timmy shouted. "Why didn't we see Santa? How's he gonna know what I want?"

"Santa. Santa," the three-year-old twins chanted.

Bother Santa, Ruth thought. She glanced in the rearview mirror. The twins bounced in their car seats. Their blond curls matched hers. Five-year-old Timmy with his dark hair and green eyes was the image of her husband.

Timmy added his voice to the twins. "I want a bike, a robot and a sled. A racing car set and a truck. Mom, I just gotta tell Santa.

"Tell. Tell," the twins echoed.

"Would the three of you sit still and be quiet." Ruth wanted to lay her head on the steering wheel and cry. At five, Timmy still believed and she held back her words. There is no Santa. He's a creature invented to drive mothers crazy. I wish I was home. I wish Christmas was over. I wish I had a mother and a sister who weren't perfect.