The white house in front of us was for Robert and me.
It was close enough for our grandchildren to visit after school, for Sunday dinners together, and for spontaneous afternoons when someone simply wanted to stop by for coffee.
They had even arranged for a local doctor to take over our routine appointments and made sure the house was suitable for us as we grew older.
They had kept everything secret because they wanted to reveal it when all the arrangements were complete.
And Robert had chosen to bring me by plane because he wanted the journey itself to be part of the surprise.
“Your father insisted on that terrible sentence,” Michael said, laughing. “We told him it was too much!”
I turned toward Robert.
“Too much? I thought my entire family was abandoning me!”
He looked genuinely sorry.
“I know, sweetheart. I shouldn’t have frightened you like that.”
