“Mom, my mother-in-law is living with us… and she’s making our lives miserable. Please come to the family meeting tomorrow,” she said, almost in a whisper.

When I parked in front of the house the next day, there were many cars lined up and the scent of paella drifted through the open kitchen window. It was Skylar’s birthday, and Beverly had insisted on organizing an intimate party that ended up feeling quite crowded.

I walked inside carrying a bottle of expensive wine and wearing a perfectly calculated smile for the occasion. Skylar gave me a quick hug with her swollen eyes while Wesley squeezed my hand like a person clinging to a life preserver in a storm.

Beverly was sitting at the head of the table in a tight red dress while she snapped a black fan open and closed like a ticking metronome. “Look, the great benefactor has arrived, because without Gwen we would not have any of this beautiful life,” she announced loudly to the room.

I moved forward slowly to set the wine down before I leaned over to give Beverly a polite kiss on her cheek. “Good afternoon, Beverly, and I can see that you have everything very organized here,” I remarked while looking at the cluttered decorations.