After Linda’s arrival, it was strangely calm for a few minutes. Maybe everyone noticed the not-so-warm welcome from Noah. But trust the Black kids never to let anything kill the vibe, especially on vacation.

Sophia, Linda, and I naturally gravitated toward each other, three women in a sea of testosterone. We lounged on daybeds by the infinity pool, sipping from pineapple coconuts like we weren’t mentally calculating everyone’s emotional damage.

Linda, to her credit, was charming. A ...