CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN - The Art of Dodging Emotional Landmines

Ava looked down at her dripping phone, then at her aunt still clutching the takeout menu, then at the cow contentedly chewing on her grandmother's prize roses. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever fresh chaos the Mystery Casserole was about to unleash. It was only noon. The Hart family reunion still had a long way to go. The morning sun peeked through the curtains of the Hart family's sprawling country house, casting a warm glow on the chaos that was about to unfold. Ava Hart, her dark hair still tousled from sleep, stumbled into the kitchen, desperate for a cup of coffee. She found her cousin Tilly already there, furiously tapping away at her laptop. "Morning, Tilly," Ava mumbled, reaching for the coffee pot. "What's got you so worked up this early?" Tilly's eyes never left the screen. "Grandma Beatrice is rewriting her will." Ava nearly dropped her mug. "What? When did this happen?" "Just announced it at breakfast. You missed it, sleepyhead," Tilly replied, a h