My parents announced at their wedding anniversary dinner: “We are going to Bahamas next week with the entire family for another party.” Everybody was happy. Then I asked them, what time is the departure? Dad replied, “You don’t know because you are not part of us. You can stay behind and take care of all the kids.” What I said next… nobody could believe.

That same afternoon Dad angrily stormed right past my receptionist and barged right into my private office.

“You are going to reinstate that island trip right now.”

“No I will not do that.”

“You owe this family some respect and loyalty.”

“I owe you absolutely nothing at all.”

“Everything you currently have in this world came directly from us.”

My parents had outright refused to pay my basic college application fees back in the day just because Cameron needed brand new football equipment.

“You clearly stated last night that I was not a part of your family.”

“That was obviously just a harmless joke Harper.”

“No it was not a joke but rather a very clear confession of how you actually feel.”

He slammed both of his heavy palms down onto my thick glass conference table. “Your mother already told all of our friends we are going on this trip so do you even understand how terrible this makes us look?”