The message came late Thursday afternoon.

Ellen Peterson was sitting on her living room couch, still clutching the flight confirmation printouts. She had spent weeks planning the perfect family vacation—booking flights, reserving a hotel, and even securing a beach house in Florida. It was her way of reuniting everyone, making up for the time lost during the pandemic.

Her phone buzzed. She smiled, thinking it might be a thank-you from her son, Mark. But when she looked at the screen, her heart dropped.

“You won’t be joining us. My wife prefers it to be just her family.”