Ruby had been family for eight years. But the moment her life became messy, the moment she might need support instead of being able to provide entertainment value, Vivien had cut her from the list.
After I hung up, I sat in the dark kitchen for a long time. The list of names blurred in front of me as tears I’d been holding back for hours finally came. But they weren’t just tears of frustration about the impossible task ahead of me. They were tears of recognition, because I saw myself in Ruby’s situation. I saw what happened when you stopped being useful to Vivien. When you stopped being the perfect daughter-in-law who could pull off impossible dinners and never complain. When you became more trouble than you were worth.
I found myself staring at the guest list, really looking at it for the first time. Thirty-two people, but my name wasn’t on it. I was cooking for thirty-two people and I wasn’t even considered a guest at the dinner I was preparing.
That’s when I noticed something else. Hudson’s cousin Ruby wasn’t on the list. Ruby, who had been coming to family Thanksgiving for years. Ruby, who had recently gotten divorced and was having a hard time.
I picked up my phone and called her.
“Isabella, it’s kind of late. Is everything okay?”
“I was just wondering… are you coming to Thanksgiving this year?”
There was a long pause.
