“Do I have to?”
“Yes, you have to.”
Sulking, Jenny switched on the television set, flipped through the channels with the remote, then settled on the floor in front of an old Roadrunner cartoon.
“Sorry, Mother,” Joanna said, returning to her phone conversation. “What were you saying? Yes, I’ll get on the room situation right away. But I’ll need a name, for the reservation. Hotels require names, you know.... All right. Fine. I’ll put both rooms under your name.”
In the interest of holiday spirit, Joanna tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. For weeks her mother had refused every suggestion that she come along on this Thanksgiving weekend outing. Now she was going to show up after all, at the very last minute, at a time when making room and dinner reservations was likely to be reasonably complicated.
Not only was Eleanor coming herself, she was bringing along an undisclosed guest. Read boyfriend, Joanna thought.
“What time do you think you’ll get here? Around three? We’ll try to be down in the lobby right around then. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding us. If we’re not in the lobby, try the pool. See you then.”
Joanna put down the phone and turned to her daughter. “The surprise is whoever Grandma is bringing along to dinner.”
“Who’s that?” Jenny asked, her eyes on the television set.
“She didn’t tell me. If she did, it wouldn’t be a surprise. But my guess is it’s a man.”
“You mean like a man who’s a friend, or a man who’s a boyfriend?”
“I don’t have any idea, but I do have a word of warning for you, young lady.”
“What’s that?”
“Just because this guy, whoever he is, is showing up for Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t mean Grandma Lathrop is going to marry him. In other words, you are not to mention the M word. Do you understand?”
Jenny nodded. “Okay,” she said. “Now can we breakfast? I’m starved.”
The Bradys were already at a table when Joanna and Jenny wended their way through the tables.
“Well, look here,” Jim Bob said. “We’ve already read the paper and had two cups of coffee. It’s about time you two slugabeds showed up. Where’ve you been?”
“Talking to Grandma Lathrop,” Jenny said, slipping into the chair next to her grandfather. “She’s coming here for Thanksgiving dinner after all, and she’s bringing somebody with her.”
“Really, who?” Eva Lou asked.
Jenny shook her head. “She wouldn’t tell us, not even Mom. She says it’s a surprise, but Morn thinks it’s a man.” Jenny added, rolling her eyes, “She’s afraid I’ll use the M word and embarrass everybody.”
“M word?” Jim Bob asked. “What’s an M word?”
“Never mind, Jimmy,” Eva Lou
