My daughter-in-law kept using my spare key to walk into my house whenever she wanted, so one morning i quietly changed the locks. she laughed when her key stopped working, thinking i was just being dramatic. but what she did not know was that i had also changed one more thing that day, and by sunset, my son was calling nonstop because the house was no longer waiting for them.

“That’s a little rude,” she said.

“It is direct.”

“I drove all the way here.”

“You live ten minutes away.”

She placed a jar on the counter harder than necessary, then recovered herself. “David and I were talking. We think this house is becoming too much for you. There are lovely smaller units closer to us. One-level, updated, no yard work.”

“This house is one level,” I said. “And the yard work is handled by the community.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes,” I said. “I