The powder fell unnoticed into the goblet of red wine in front me. Unnoticed by everyone except me.

It was Jane’s cupped hand that released the powder when she thought we were all distracted by the lit candles on mother’s 85 birthday cake.

We were gathered in Mother’s hospice care facility. She’d been declining rapidly since Dad’s death 18 months ago. This would be Mother’s last birthday, we were all quite sure.

Jane and her powder wanted to make sure this was my last birthday too.