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Alfred was on the edge of his seat. It was the first play of the game. He never knew who to cheer for when watching football. So he just hoped for a good game. Matthew had a soft spot for Baltimore, but that was because Baltimore had played in the Canadian Football League for awhile. The two of them were sitting in Alfred’s living room, drinking Coca-colas and watching the Patriots play against the Cowboys. The Patriots were the home team. There was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it,” America jumped up as the commercials started. At the door was a man in a brown delivery uniform.

“I have a delivery here for a Matthew Williams. You him?”

“Naw, I’m his brother.”

“Sign here.” The man watched Alfred sign it. “Ya two are brother but have different last names?”

“Oh our parents got divorced when we were really little,” America said with the same story the two always used. It was an easily practiced lie. The man grunted in reply as he put a bouqet of sunflowers into Alfred’s hands. The man turned to walk away as America closed the door against the cold.

“Matty! There is a delivery for you.”

The Canadian brother padded into the hallway and a look of almost terror passed over his face as he saw the flowers. Alfred put them into his arms.

“Hey there is a card-“

Before Alfred could read it, Matthew had snatched the card away. That was when the phone rang. Alfred walked away to answer it, hoping he wouldn’t miss too much of the game that had just resumed on tv.

Matthew opened the card. He shook as he read it:

Roses are red,
Blood is too,
Become one with Russia,
Before I hurt you.
Da?

Meanwhile, Alfred answered the phone on the third ring.

“Oh, hello Francis... Your flight was cancelled.... Yeah, Matty is over here and using one of my guestrooms, but I don’t mind if you use the other... Make sure you bundle up. It is a lot colder here then it is in France.” Alfred hung up the phone and barreled back into the living room where Canada had regained his spot on the couch. “You are going to be happy. France is going to be spending Christmas with us,” he laughed, “looks like your letter to Santa paid off.”

While Alfred was smiling for his brother, who had also brightened up considerably, he couldn’t help but feel sad that someone else wouldn’t be spending Christmas with them.