Soon after, we sat down to the meal. There was enough food for all, but I would never have described it as a sumptuous feast. Weird how even our indulgences were a reminder of all the things we could no longer indulge in.
Everything started OK. My Dad asked Kara how school was going, and she did a good job keeping things light. My sisters chimed in, and we were having a pretty good time. But then one innocuous question stopped everything dead.
"So where are your parents during the holiday?" Mom asked.
"Oh, they're off at the ski resort," Kara said.
"Ski resort," my dad said. It was not a question.
"Yes, it was this whole thing," Kara said, "Dad said that money was tight, so he reserved at this place that isn't as nice as usual and Mom freaked out."
"Yes," Dad said, "Important to be f
