His sister, Leah, had married a dentist and moved into a new development three hours away.
They loved their mother.
I believe that.
But love can become very theoretical when someone else is doing the difficult part.
At first Margaret remained on the farm.
Then arthritis made climbing stairs painful.
Then she fell outside one winter.
Then she forgot a pot on the stove.
Ethan and I began visiting more often.
Eventually, after another fall, we had the conversation.
“You could stay with us for a few weeks,” Ethan said.
Margaret glared at him.
“I have a house.”
“You have a staircase you can barely climb.”
“I’ve climbed it for forty years.”
“And now you don’t have to.”
She looked at me.
I stayed quiet.
