My parents texted me, “The Christmas party has been canceled. Don’t come, my love.” They had no idea I was standing right outside the door, watching them and my sister raise a glass and say, “Merry Christmas—it’s so much better without So

my office.”

My father’s face shifted. “Conditional?”

Marlene’s voice cut through the room. “You’ve been living in Walter’s house,” she said, “under Walter’s rules.”

My mother blinked. “This is our house.”

Marlene opened the folder and read aloud:

“If my daughter Elaine and my son-in-law Peter exclude Sophia from Christmas again, they forfeit the right to continue reading …