Chapter 70: Remember

Carmella was still smiling to herself as she put away the movie. She remembered watching "A Christmas Story" every year on Christmas day—she and her brother Keenan pretended to be too old for it but with no fail they watched it all day as the television kept it on continuous loop—and she continued that tradition even afterwards when she and Jody had started their own family.

Maybe this was a tradition that she, Bilal and Raj could start. Carmella paused as she realized that thinking about Jody and Micah hadn't brought a deep stabbing pain. The memory was a pleasant thought. She touched her chest in surprise and awe and then she turned and looked at the CDs. She allowed her fingers to scan the plastic cases until she found the one that she was looking for and then before she could chicken out she slipped it into the CD player.

The opening drum beats and then the mellow guitar rift filled the room and Carmella was transported back in time.

II