My parents’ dining room looked the way it always did on Sunday nights.

Too many casserole dishes, too many voices, and just enough warmth to make you forget how sharp people could be Even the old wall clock sounded pleased to host us.

Dad was carving brisket at the counter.

My sister Lauren’s three kids were arguing over the last dinner roll.

My brother Kevin was trying to keep his little girl from smearing applesauce on the dog.

And my husband, Michael, was cutting chicken into smaller pieces for my stepdaughter Sophie because she talked so much when she was excited that she forgot to chew.

Mom stood near the sideboard with a legal pad, going over final details for the big family reunion the next weekend, talking about rented cabins, matching wristbands for the kids, a private room at the aquarium, and a giant picnic at the lake afterward.

On the surface, it sounded like exactly the kind of thing my family loved doing.

Organized, child-heavy, loud, and designed to produce a hundred photos for group texts later.

Sophie sat up straighter with every new detail, following the conversation like it was a map opening in front of her.

By dessert, she was glowin