My mother-in-law told me to get up at 4 a.m. to cook Thanksgiving dinner for her 30 guests. My husband added, “This time, remember to make everything really perfect!” I smiled and replied, “Of course.” At 3 a.m., I took my suitcase to the airport. – usnews 0/2

He looked up at thirty-two expectant faces. His mother, who had created this impossible situation. His relatives, who had never once offered to help with the massive productions Isabella orchestrated for them. The Sanders, who were already looking around the room with barely concealed disdain. All of them waiting for him to fix what Isabella had broken by refusing to be broken anymore.

“She says…” Hudson’s voice cracked. “She says the turkey is our problem now.”

The room erupted.

The mai tai was stronger than I’d expected. But then again, I’d expected nothing about this day to go according to anyone’s plan.

I sat at the open-air restaurant overlooking the beach, my yellow sundress catching the trade winds, and watched the sun paint diamonds across the Pacific. It was exactly 2:00 p.m. Hawaiian time, which meant it was 7:00 p.m. back home.

Right now, thirty-two people should be sitting down to a perfect Thanksgiving feast in my dining room. Instead, I was having coconut shrimp and watching sea turtles surface in the crystal-clear water.