My grandson came by and asked why I was staying in a small room out back.

“There you are,” Brian said to Ethan, too brightly. “We thought you’d come to the front.”

Ethan didn’t take his eyes off me. “Grandma lives here?”

Brian laughed once. “It’s a guest suite.”

Melissa added, “She likes having her own place.”

I opened my mouth to smooth things over, the way I always did, but Ethan spoke first.