SLOANE: Battle?
JAX: Family holidays are always battles. But you’re going to win.
I smile despite my anxiety.
SLOANE: Goodnight, Jax.
JAX: Goodnight, sweetheart. Sweet dreams.
I set my phone down and close my eyes.
Tomorrow is just Thanksgiving. Just family. Nothing to worry about. So why can’t I shake this feeling of dread?
Thanksgiving morning.
Cold. Clear. Beautiful. I wake up with that nervous energy like something’s about to happen, but I don’t know what.
“You look like you’re going to your execution,” Riley observes over coffee.
“It’s just Thanksgiving.” I try to tell myself.
“You said your mom was weird on the phone, though.” Riley looks at me with concern.
“Holiday stress. She always gets like this.” I shrug.
“Probably.” Riley doesn’t sound convinced. “Text me if you need an escape plan. I’ll fake an emergency.”
“I’ll be fine,” I reassure her.
“Famous last words.” She hugs me. “Be brave. And remember, you can leave at any time. You don’t owe them anything.”
“They’re my family.”
“Sometimes family hurts us the most.” She pulls back, looking serious. “Promise me you’ll put yourself first.”
“I promise.”
I pick up Maggie on the way. She’s quiet, fidgeting with her phone.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, just ... weird feeling about today.”
“Me too. Probably nothing, though.”
“Right. Probably nothing,” she says.
Neither of us sounds convinced.
We pull up at two o’clock exactly. The driveway’s empty except for Dad’s car. Good. Just family.
I grab the wine. Maggie and I head to the door.
“Ready?” she asks.
“As I’ll ever be.” She squeezes my hand, then opens the door.
And my entire world tilts.
