Hi! I'd really appreciate some advice on this.
I know everyone's families are complicated, but mine potentially more so than others. I really wanted to invite my oldest half sister and my niece, but doing so would greatly offend both my father and his wife. On my father's part, he no longer speaks to my sister. It's sad, but justified, after two decades of drug abuse on her part, deceit, and manipulation. On my dad's wife's part, she was terribly offended when my sister sent my niece to visit them. It was the first time she'd been out of the country, she had only met Dad three or four times, and his wife once. Apparently she barely spoke for the entire trip, ignored everyone, was rude to the girls that she'd been set up with (it was decided that she might be bored with only two much older, virtual strangers, so there was a big effort made to find girls her own age who spoke English and were willing to show her around. She made no attempt at all to be civil with them, which upset my family. At one point she didn't bathe for three days, and my dad's wife had to force her to take a shower. She spent the entire trip staring at her phone, and made such a huge fuss over the first two days about hating the city and being away from her family that her plane ticket had to be changed.
I would be much more comfortable offending my sister and niece by not inviting them, than making the whole event completely uncomfortable for two people who I love very dearly (particularly because Dad is really helping out with the finances). Is there a politic way of doing this? My younger half sister suggested having our aunt explain to her why I can't invite her, and that seems sensible, as I think she'd find a much more polite way of doing it than I can. It also seems like a little bit of a cop out.
I'd really appreciate your advice on this issue. Thank you!