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

Uncle Raymond had taken charge of the turkey situation, declaring that they could cut the birds up and cook the pieces separately to speed up the process. Cousin Julie was attempting to make mashed potatoes from scratch while consulting YouTube tutorials. The Sanders family had left entirely, citing concerns about food safety and their son’s allergies.

Hudson sat at the kitchen table staring at Isabella’s text message for the hundredth time. Each viewing made the reality more surreal and more devastating. She wasn’t coming back. She hadn’t been kidnapped or hospitalized or forced to handle someone else’s emergency. She had made a choice to leave them all behind, and she was clearly enjoying every moment of it.

“This is what happens when you spoil someone too much,” Vivien announced to the room as she attempted to salvage the green bean casserole. “Give them too much freedom and they think they can just abandon their responsibilities whenever they feel like it.”