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.

He sighed.

“Everything is becoming a fight.”

“Because every decision I make for myself is being treated like an attack on you.”

A long silence followed.

When he spoke again, his voice had changed.

“She didn’t tell me she sent the letter.”

I closed my eyes.

“That is something the two of you need to discuss.”