A Small Miracle Happened by Mari Donne

back home over Christmas and New Year’s,” said Ben. “When you’ll have off work, thanks to our gentile-normative culture.”
    “I’m sure I can get a flight for less than this.” Dan started to hand back the check, but both his parents shook their heads firmly.
    “When you’ll both have time off.” Rachel turned to face Chris. “Dan told us you weren’t going to your family this year, so we want you to come and meet ours.”
    “Our daughter’s married to a boy from a Christian family, so there’ll be a tree and gifts,” added Ben, as if such a bribe was needed.
    Chris thought of the void that was his Christmas plans. He thought of how much he wanted to become a permanent part of Dan’s life. But he said, “That’s great of you. Really great. But I don’t think you realize…Dan and I only met a week ago.”
    “On the first night of Hanukkah. He told us.” Ben waved his hand dismissively. “That doesn’t matter. I met Rachel at a bar mitzvah and was in love before the dancing was over. I’d say Hanukkah’s more romantic.”
    Rachel cast him a wicked grin, frighteningly similar to one of Dan’s most flirtatious glances. “At least it wasn’t a bris.”
    Not sure what to make of all this, Chris couldn’t help asking, “What’s a bris?” He paled when Dan told him.
    “You’re frightening the man away,” Ben scolded. He leaned forward. “I know you and Dan are just getting together. Maybe this thing between you will last, or maybe it won’t.” His voice was quiet, soothing now, as if Chris were a frightened puppy needing reassurance. “We’re not doing this to pressure you. We’re doing it because we know Dan was lonely and a bit homesick a week ago, but you changed that. You entered into a celebration that isn’t your own to please him, and it sounds like you went above and beyond. Making latkes and such.”
    Chris hoped the “such” Dan had described didn’t include any revelations about strip dreidel games. “I enjoyed it,” he choked out.
    “Then allow us to return the favor. We don’t want you to be alone on your holiday.”
    How could he say no to that?
     
    Later, while Dan was introducing his parents to the linen closet and other amenities of the apartment, and tossing a change of clothes for himself into a bag, Chris went to the window and stared at the menorah. Each of the little holders was filled tonight, and although small, the candles made a brave flame.
    Maybe he and Dan were just two strangers who’d reached for each other out of loneliness, needing the pleasure of waking up beside a warm body as the chill of winter approached, wanting the rush of good sex after a long hiatus.
    And maybe Hanukkah was only a minor festival on the Jewish calendar. But Chris knew he’d hold it close in his heart, as he’d come to hold Dan. Those little candles had brought them together over the past eight days. Maybe a great miracle hadn’t happened here. But Chris would settle for a small one.

Epilogue
    A little over a year later
    Hanukkah had arrived well after Thanksgiving. This year the celebration would end just as its eighth day bled into Christmas Eve. The back-to-back holidays suited a clan that celebrated two religious traditions.
    Dan was sitting between his grandmother and his uncle, watching Chris and Arielle play with a stacking toy. His niece was dressed in one of those overly elaborate, frilly dresses that seemed to be required for little girls on special occasions. A blue-and-white headband held back the wisps of her black hair. She was small for her age and looked like a tiny sprite next to Chris’s bulk, but she scowled up at him when he tried to help with a task she felt she could do herself.
    “Sharon’s going to have a hard time with that one.” His grandmother shook her head. “She’s got a strong will.”
    “So does Sharon.” Dan smiled wryly, remembering many childhood battles with his sister.
    “Which is why they’ll have a hard time. Chris is