My mother-in-law, Carmen Finch, started shrieking immediately. My father-in-law, Alden Finch, was right behind her, cursing just as loud.
"City girl thinks she's too good for us! Putting on airs on a day we honor our ancestors — do you have no respect for your elders? No respect for this family?"
My husband snapped out of it and chased after me.
"Catherine, stop making a scene. All the relatives are watching. Just go back in and finish cooking."
I turned and looked at him. He hurried to close the distance.
"Mom and Dad are getting old. Chester Finch and his wife are waiting to eat. You walk out like this, what are people going to say about our family?"
"What are they gonna say? That the princess threw a tantrum." Chester's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Looks like my sister-in-law thinks us country folk aren't good enough for her. Figured she'd ruin the whole dinner."
His wife, Elena Lambert, chimed right in. "Just let her go, Andrew Finch. Some people were raised with a silver spoon. You really think she'd lower herself to cook for poor relatives like us?"