A conclusion is imperative

In our house, my stories are a family affair. Stuart invented the main character in my novel, and his imagination is partly behind many others. We've been grappling with a short story for ages now, as every ending I cooked up was determinedly dull. Last night, I had just about reached le end de ma tether. As we washed the dishes after dinner, we played "What If" games in fervent effort to develop my plot. Some progress was made. And then today, when Stuart came home, I read him the newest ending and it met with applause. Applause! From my favourite critic. And so boys and girls, my story is done!