My Son Brought

by my own daughter on Christmas.”

“Then hang up.”

Another silence.

I could almost see her, standing in her perfect kitchen, gripping the phone, stunned that the old levers no longer worked.

“You need to think very carefully,” she said.

“About what?”

“About whether you want to divide this family.”

I looked toward the bedroom door. Beyond it, I could hear Caleb continue reading …