NOVEMBER

”I’d like to offer a special congratulations to Orla today for completing her required supervised hours as a baby engineer.” Dad smiles at the head of the table in the conference room. Uncle Mick stops pacing at the back of the room to whoop as everyone else applauds politely. Normally I yell at my dad for putting me on the spot, but damn it, this has been a long time coming.

I smile as my colleagues celebrate. And then, of course, they ...