“Coal? Coal?! Elephants never get coal. Whose rear brain kicked in and made you think of giving me COAL!?!” Evelyn’s voice got louder and shriller as disbelief and indignation sank in. “What, you think Santa Claus will save your saggy butt from a whooping when I find you?!” Evelyn tossed the Christmas stocking to the floor and trumpeted, blowing off steam.
From the back of the herd, a muffled voice answered.
“Maybe if you stick it in your butt long enough, you’ll get a shiny diamond.”
Trumpeting laughter and the shuffle of huge feet greeted the remark. Evelyn stomped down hard, shaking the floor. Sisters, aunts and cousins glanced at each other nervously.
“Ex-CUSE ME?!!” bellowed Evelyn. Not caring whom she jostled, the big female started shoving through her relatives, looking for the joker. “I am the future matriarch, and only my efforts have kept this family afloat during my mother’s recent illness.”
“Yeah, but you’ve hardly been nice about it,” said the same muffled voice, off to her left.
“Santa knows all, even your naughty ambitions,” called a second voice to her right.
“I will not be disrespected!” Evelyn stomped again, spinning to look for the instigators.
“Evelyn,” murmured a firm, if weak, voice. “A true matriarch does not resort to tantrums and bullying.” Recognizing the voice, Evelyn cowed.
Behind her, the herd parted to reveal her mother, still thin, still hobbling, but regaining her strength. She stood next to the mantle, a mesh bag of coal chunks gripped in her trunk.
“Mother?” Whispered Evelyn, eyes wide in shock.
“You speak rightly that you have kept us afloat,” the pachyderm matriarch nodded. “And I thank you for supporting me so well.” She walked forward slowly, to stand before Evelyn. “You must remember, however, that a matriarch does not push a herd where she wants. Rather,” the matriarch stood tall, regal, “she stands up front and leads by example.”
