An Irish woman living in London, Mary sees a television program about not holding grudges and decides to go forgive her family and fly home for Christmas. The decision makes her feel lighthearted for the first time in years. Rather than surprise them by showing up as the Prodigal, she writes first, picturing her seventy-five-year-old mother's joy at the good news. Her mother's last letter, begging her to return, had lacked the old sureness about everything. Mary has filed all of her mother's letters but answered none of them, having nothing to say.