My father stood up at the lake house dinner and raised his glass in fr…

ring finger where he had taken off his yard-work glove that afternoon. Close enough to correct him if this had been a slip, if he had paused, blinked, laughed, and said, “Nadia, I mean Nadia. Good grief, I must be getting old.”

But he did not pause.

He did not correct himself.

He finished the toast, lowered his glass, accepted the clapping, and sat down continue reading …