Thanksgiving has always been a holiday of warmth and tradition in our family. For as long as I can remember, the season was filled with the smells of roasted turkey, buttery rolls, and sweet pies cooling on the counter. We weren’t the kind of family to throw grand banquets or extravagant parties, but what we lacked in opulence, we made up for in closeness.

Around the table, stories flowed as freely as the gravy, and laughter often lingered long after dessert. This particular year felt no different—at least, that’s how it began. My grandson Max was home from university, bringing a spark of youthful energy with him.

He was studying finance, a field that always seemed too complicated for me to fully grasp, but I admired his dedication and sharp mind. Max had a knack for seeing things clearly, whether it was numbers in a textbook or truths hidden in everyday life. I didn’t know it then, but his clarity was about to shake the very foundation of our family.

The Gathering
The table was set with my best china—pieces that had been passed down from my mother, their edges trimmed with a delicate gold lining that had faded with time. My daughter-in-law had helped me prepare the meal, and my son Dany sat at the head of the table, as he had for years. He liked to think of himself as the anchor of the family, the one who kept everything together.

As we passed around steaming bowls of mashed potatoes and slices of golden-brown turkey, conversations fluttered like autumn leaves in the wind. We spoke of Max’s studies, my garden that had yielded the best tomatoes in years, and plans for the holiday season ahead. Everything felt lighthearted—until Max’s voice, filled with innocent curiosity, cut through the chatter.

“Grandma,” he said, glancing at me with a thoughtful look, “you must be living pretty comfortably with the money Dad’s been sending you every month, right? Around eight thousand dollars?”