When God Was a Rabbit

BABY JESUS DEAD

That was the late headline. My father’s Evening News was handed around in a quiet daze. All vital signs were missing and so his atheist family had agreed to turn off the life-support machine.

‘Christ, that was quick,’ said Nancy. ‘What were they doing? Saving electricity?’

‘Not funny, Nancy,’ said my mother, hiding her face. ‘Not funny at all.’

But even I saw my father laugh, and my brother, and Jenny Penny swore that she saw my mother laugh as she looked up from her hot chocolate. She loved moments like that. The inclusiveness of family. I guess because she had none.