“Are you excited for Vermont?” my mother asked eagerly, her expression lighting up as she glanced at Em. She neatly sliced into the roast beef on her plate, clearly looking forward to the conversation.
“Indeed,” Em replied, her tone warm and genuine as she offered my mother a smile. “I’ve never been before, actually, so it’ll be a first for me. And, well, it’s been a while since I’ve celebrated Christmas, so I’m excited for that too.”
My mother’s eyes lit up even more at the opportunity to continue talking with Em. It was obvious how thrilled she was to have a conversation uninterrupted by my father’s usual blunt interjections. “Oh, you should be! It’s going to be amazing this year. Margaret and Charlotte are so excited for you to come. Apparently, Christian and Celine haven’t been able
