"Your father is thinking about just retiring," she explained. "He could anytime he wants, but with everything that's going on it seems to make sense. We're really enjoying it here, so we're thinking maybe we could just go on living here as long as you two are doing alright together in the house."

Jenny and her brother looked at each other with excited grins.

"Don't even worry about the house, Mom," Evan said. "We can take good care of it. And each other. Dad should do what he thinks is best and not worry about us."

Their mother fell silent a moment. The skeptical came back. "Are you sure everything's...