Every year we have a big family group chat to decide who will bring what to Thanksgiving even though everyone ends up bringing the same thing every year. I always bring pies.

This year, my young, recently-married cousin said his wife was going to bake a pumpkin pie. He got that message out just moments before I hit send on my annual “I’ll bring pies” text. A few minutes later I got a text from my dad saying, “Your grandma wanted to make sure you didn’t buy a pumpkin pie since Allie is going to make one.” I said I did see it and I promised not to upstage the newest member of the family. Apple and cherry were still mine to cover.

Three days later grandma died in her sleep, and I take that as a sign to never buy pumpkin pie again.