The wife found it.

A fish in a box. Made out of chocolate.

The fish, not the box.

In amongst the Christmas gifts still left in the dining room. An appropriate place for it, I guess, since it was a Christmas present. Bought many months ago, when the weather was warm. The perfect "extra" gift for someone, intended to bring a brief smile.

Maybe a chuckle.

And then was never given.

How could we?

"We hope you enjoy it... we were going to give it to my Mom, but she's dead now..."

I seriously considered setting it on a shelf somewhere. Letting it be forgotten until the brown insides had turned a chalky white and we would no longer feel guilty about just throwing it away.

But that would be wasteful, and seems a disservice to her, too.

With some difficulty we broke off the head and tail, and consumed both. The rest I rewrapped.

I suspect it will sit forgotten somewhere. Until it is white and we can throw it away with less guilt.

All the sweetness had been sucked out of it.