clearly respected her expertise.
The category shifted.
It didn’t disappear completely.
But it moved.
Exactly as Mom had predicted.
Dessert arrived.
The chocolate dessert really was excellent.
I ate all of it.
James leaned toward me.
“I thought you didn’t like chocolate.”
“I may have reconsidered.”
He smiled.
Then he glanced toward Mom.
“Your mother is remarkable.”
“I know.”
He hesitated.
“My mother is being…”
He stopped.
“I’m sorry about the ‘comfortable’ comment.”
“It’s okay.”
“No,” he said. “It really isn’t.”
Then he sighed.
“I love her, but sometimes I
