At Christmas dinner, my daughter-in-law stood up and declared, “I control this family now. Your cards are shut off.”

drifted across the walkway in thin silver lines.

Madison looked at Ethan. “Tell them to leave.”

Ethan did not move.

“Ethan,” she hissed, “tell them this is a family matter.”

“It stopped being a family matter,” I said, “when someone tried to borrow against my house using a forged authorization.”

Harold pushed his chair back. “Margaret, maybe we should all continue reading …