The In-Laws New Year Ultimatum

New Year's Eve.

The kitchen was thick with the savory aroma of stewing meat, steam curling lazily toward the ceiling. I hummed an old tune, my knife rocking rhythmically against the cutting board as I prepped the reunion dinner. Any minute now, Jade and Patrick would pull up with my husband. After a whole year apart, we were finally going to celebrate together.

My phone shattered the peace.

"Mom." Jade's voice was clipped, businesslike. "Patrick's parents want to come over. They're spending New Year's with us."

My hands stilled on the apron I was wiping them against. "Oh?"