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.

Jessica looked at the window.

“I’m angry because it feels like you were testing us.”

“I was trying to decide whether telling you about the ticket would make my life better or worse.

Every time I considered it, something happened that made me afraid it would become another thing you expected me to hand over.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

“I did not buy the house to trap you,” I continued.

“But I will not lie and say it hurt nothing to hear you decide where I should go.”