Got a fretful note from my mom, reminding me that my stepdad is walking around with three heart blockages and needs to keep his stress to a minimum, and now—even after a long phone chat with her where she felt bad for alarming me—I'm in a mild panic.

It's gonna be a long, long week. He is not taking the loss of my brother to cancer this year well at all, nor should he be expected to. And on top of that, this is his first time meeting Peg, who my mom outed to him just like two months ago.

It's probably gonna be fine. Mom assured me her main worry is NOT Peggy, it's just the general chaos of the holidays and the lingering fear I'm gonna want to argue politics. *blush* Peg has promised to be chill and I trust her, I just...

A week in Ohio is a lot, to start with.