Stories like A Very Typical Family explore the difficult process of estranged members coming back together after a shared trauma or a past decision that caused significant harm.

Inside, on a bed of yellowed newspaper, were not jewels. Not money. Not the apology she had secretly, stupidly dreamed of.

The Weaver family didn't talk about the "incident" at the lake house; they just let it sit between them like an uninvited guest at every Thanksgiving.