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.

Helen found me wiping my face with a tissue.

“Being kind to yourself doesn’t require you to stop loving them,” she said.

I knew she was right.

Knowing it and living it were two different things.

PART 7

The day after I left, Jessica called Richard’s office and demanded to know whether I was mentally competent to manage my assets.

Richard told me about the inquiry without editorial comment.

“She says you have exhibited sudden secretive behavior,” he said.