Leonard B. Washington Jr.

The story begins with the Johnson family, once lively and close-knit, now fractured and struggling in the wake of Nygil’s death. Erica, now a social worker, is the glue trying to hold the family together while managing her own unresolved grief. Tasha, Nygil’s mother, is deeply entrenched in her addiction, isolated and surrounded by reminders of her lost son. Elijah, Nygil’s twin, has distanced himself emotionally and physically from the family, ignoring Erica’s attempts to reconnect. The catalyst for the story unfolds when Erica decides to bring the family together for Christmas, the first time in a decade, a decision that sets the stage for unresolved tensions to surface.