Thomas answered without hesitation.
“Humility is something you choose.”
“Humiliation is something forced upon you.”
“They are not the same.”
Those words settled over the gathering like a heavy rain.
One of the teenage cousins quietly deleted the video from his phone.
Another softly apologized to Jacob.
Then something completely unexpected happened.
Great-Aunt Margaret, ninety-one years old and respected by everyone in the family, slowly stood with the help of her cane.
“I have something to say.”
No one interrupted her.
She looked first at Robert.
“When your father was alive…”
“…he cleaned tables.”
Robert blinked.
“He washed dishes.”
“He worked nights.”
“And every day he told me honest work builds character…”
