The bright holiday lights twinkled cheerfully against the cold glass of our living room window.
My wife Sarah had spent the entire morning cooking a wonderful dinner for our whole family.
Our eight-month-old daughter Lily sat happily in her high chair near the brightly decorated tree.
She was laughing and playing with a soft plastic toy while chewing on small pieces of bread.
I smiled as I watched my sweet baby girl giggle under the warm dining room lights.
Mark: Everything looks so amazing tonight, honey.
Sarah walked out of the kitchen while carrying a fresh dish of warm roasted potatoes.
Sarah: I just want this Christmas dinner to be extra special for everyone today.
The doorbell rang loudly through the hallway before I could even take my seat.
My older sister Clara stepped inside while shaking the fresh snow off her yellow coat.
She dropped her heavy bags onto our hardwood floor without saying a single warm greeting.
Clara: It is freezing outside and traffic across the city was absolutely terrible tonight.
Sarah walked over with a gentle smile to help Clara take off her thick winter coat.
Sarah: We are so glad you made it safely in time for dinner, Clara.
Clara barely even looked at my wife as she walked straight toward the dining table.
She wore a bright mustard yellow sweater that stood out sharply against our cozy decor.
Her eyes scanned our decorated dining room with a cold and obvious look of judgment.
Clara: I see you finally bought some new furniture with Mark's hard-earned salary.
My smile faded instantly because my sister always found a quiet way to be rude.
Mark: Sarah worked extra shifts at the clinic to buy this dining set herself, Clara.
Clara pulled out a wooden chair noisily and sat down without saying another single word.
She tapped her long acrylic nails against the shiny glass surface of our dinner table.
Little Lily babbled happily from her high chair and offered Clara a piece of bread.
Clara: Keep that messy baby away from my expensive clean sweater right now.
Sarah quickly stepped forward and moved the high chair a few inches further back.
Sarah: She was just trying to be friendly to her aunt on Christmas Day.
Clara crossed her arms tightly across her chest and leaned back in her chair.
Clara: Well, I am not in the mood for sticky baby hands tonight.
I took a deep breath because I wanted to keep the peace during our holiday.
My sister had always been bitter ever since our parents passed away two years ago.
She felt entitled to everything our parents left behind in their small family estate.
Mark: Let us just enjoy our meal together like a normal family tonight, okay?
Sarah set the last remaining serving bowls down gently on the white tablecloth.
She wore a cozy royal blue sweater that made her soft eyes look very bright.
The tension in the room was heavy, but we still tried our best to smile.