Karina:

The smell of roasting turkey and freshly baked pies wafted through the house as I paced in the kitchen, adjusting the final touches to the Thanksgiving spread. The large, open-concept living room was filled with warmth—literally and figuratively. The fire crackled in the stone fireplace, and outside, the last bits of autumn leaves were falling from the trees, as though the world itself was preparing for the holiday.

I stood at the counter, stirring the mashed potatoes, ...