My daughter-in-law laughed as she gave me a $2 scratch-off for my 73rd birthday. Ten months later, my own son shoved a senior living brochure in front of me and said, “We already picked your room.” They thought I was too old to fight back. They had no idea what I had been hiding.

“Did you ever ask?”

He did not answer.

“Colin, do you remember the year you broke your arm and I slept in the chair next to your hospital bed?”

“Of course.”

“Did I tell you to be grateful that I did it?”

“No.”

“Because love isn’t an invoice.

I helped with your children because I loved them.