Summary

As Deirdre comes back downstairs, Momo starts muttering (“You can’t go back, you can’t go back”). As Deirdre gets Momo re-settled, there are loud noises from the laundry room behind the door, noises that Brigid says are normal. The slightly drunk Erik initiates the family ritual of the peppermint pig, with everyone explaining to Richard how the ritual works: everyone says what they are thankful for, one at a time, and then starts smashing the pig, eventually eating a piece of it afterwards. Richard starts, saying how grateful he is that he and Brigid are together and that he has a new family. Erik says he is grateful for his family’s unconditional love, adding that he hopes “there’s nothing any of us could ever do to – change that” (120). Deirdre says she is thankful for her daughters. Brigid says she...