Granddad had lived with us ever since my grandmother passed away. He wasn’t frail, but he was old, and while my dad had begged Marlene to let him stay with us, she had always treated him like an unwanted guest. For two years, I had watched her chip away at his spirit with small digs, petty arguments, and passive-aggressive sighs. But to kick him out—because he rescued a puppy of all things- was beyond comprehension.

“Granddad,” I said carefully, “you’re not staying out here. You’re coming with me.”