“Then that’s enough for tonight.”

Marianne smiled sadly.

“You have grown into someone who knows when to stop fighting.

Your mother hasn’t figured out that this is not weakness.”

For the first time, I wondered how many of my relatives had been watching the same pattern for years, waiting for somebody to finally refuse it.

PART 7

Frank’s toast came just before dessert.

He held the microphone awkwardly, gripping it in both hands as though it were a tool whose safety instructions he had not read.