Hope springs eternal.
I like being in the restaurant, interacting with the staff, watching Kim in the kitchen, moving efficiently among the stations, hurrying everyone along gently, rhythmically, to get the plates out on time. The menu is a mix of Portuguese and Spanish—lots of grilled meat and flavorful paellas, and there are blue-and-gold ceramic plates on the walls. The air is spiced with saffron and lemon and garlic, and the grilled Portuguese chicken salad I had for lunch was fantastic. It feels good to be in the thick of things, to be interacting with strangers who have no expectations of me other than that I’ll seat them at a good table and be attentive to their needs. If I get one or two odd glances, I ignore them.
Franny comes in with Joshua and the kids right as I’m finishing my shift.
“Is this where you’re working now?” Franny asks. She’s wearing a shift dress that suits her square frame, showing off the slimmer parts of her. She’s also taken care with her makeup and hair. She looks poised, polished, secure. “I never made the connection.”
“It’s my first day.”
“Hey, Cessy,” Joshua says. He’s wearing a suit, but he’s taken off his tie. Not my type, Joshua, but forty-five looks good on him.
“Aunt Cecily!” the girls cry in unison, running around the podium I’m standing at to hug either side of me.
“We haven’t seen you in forever!” Emily says reproachfully. The girls are wearing matching dresses I don’t recognize. More appropriate for summer than fall, especially given the temperature outside.
“I’m so sorry, my darlings—things have been busy. But I’m very glad to see you now.”
I give them each a close hug. Julia’s is a little longer, since she’s always needed the most affection. I miss when my own kids were this size. When I could hug them as long as I wanted without an eye roll.
When I stand up, Joshua and Franny are smiling at us. Joshua’s gotten a haircut since the last time I saw him. His hair is thinning out on top, and I can see through to his skull. He looks relaxed, though, which he hasn’t in a long time. In truth, Kaitlyn and Joshua were one of those couples I never quite got. Not because they fought or disliked each other but because they never seemed to have anything in common other than their kids. Though who am I to judge? Tom and I were the couple everyone always said was perfect for each other, and look what happened to us.
“I’m so happy for you!” Franny untucks her arm from Joshua’s and gives me a hard hug. “Teo,” she whispers in my ear, then giggles. I’m struck, as I’ve been the last couple times I’ve been near her, with how closely she smells like Kaitlyn. Maybe it’s just that she’s living in Kaitlyn’s house now, using the same soap or shampoo, surrounded by Kaitlyn’s things.
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask.
“We’re celebrating.”
“What?”
Franny laughs. “I guess you didn’t hear with everything going on today . . . but the Supra Board decided to confirm our decision. Josh and the girls are getting their compensation.”
“Oh, that’s fantastic! I’m so happy to hear that.”
I reach out and take Joshua’s hand, giving it a squeeze. It makes sense that he’s relaxed now. He wasn’t desperate for money, like I was, but a future with one income and two girls was something that was wearing on him. Joshua’s a planner—another divergence with Kaitlyn—and his spreadsheets weren’t balancing.
“Do you have a reservation?” I ask.
“We do.”
I check the computer, and there it is, a reservation for four for the Rings. I check them off and grab some menus.
“Do you have time to join us?” Joshua asks. “For a drink?”
“Let me call the kids and deal with a few things here. I’ll be with you in a few minutes.”
I seat them at their table and fill in the night manager on the transition issues. Then I call the kids to make sure they’re home for the night. Henry answers and tells me that Cassie “has a boy over.” I ask him to pass the phone to her.
“A boy?”
“It’s just Kevin.”
“Just Kevin the boy you had dinner with last night?”
“Yeah.”
“You made up?”
“I guess?”
“He can’t go into your bedroom.”
“Mom!”
“I’m serious, Cass, or I’ll call Grandma and have her chaperone you.”
“You wouldn’t!”
“Don’t test me. Downstairs only, and you know Henry will rat you out. I’ll be home in an hour.”
“Okay, whatever.”
I hang up and go to Joshua’s table. I sat them at a six-top so there’s plenty of room for me. The bottle of champagne I ordered arrives a moment later.
“What’s this?” Joshua asks, smiling.
“It’s on me.”
Franny giggles again. The waiter pops the cork, an explosion that gets the attention of everyone around us. I make eye contact with one of the patrons who was eyeing me earlier. Seeing me sitting with Joshua, he’s certain he knows who I am now. I turn pointedly away.
“Can we have some, Aunt Cecily?” Emily asks shyly.
“You can have the kids’ version.”
I signal for the waiter and order a bottle of nonalcoholic sparkling cider. When we all have our drinks, I propose a toast.
“To the Rings. My second-favorite family.”
“Second?” Emily asks.
“After my family, honey.”
“Right! Cassie and Henry and Uncle—” She stops and looks at Franny. Franny pats her on the head. Emily looks pleased.
“It’s okay,” I say. “I forget sometimes, too.”
“I’d like to propose a toast as well,” Franny says. She has a serious look on her face now, as if she has an important task to do.
“Please, go ahead,” Joshua says, looking at her fondly. She touches his forearm, quickly, then pulls her hand back.
“I wanted to propose a toast to Kaitlyn.”
The girls look grave, but I put a big smile on my face and raise my glass high. “To Kaitlyn.”
And because it’s been that kind of day, month, year, that’s when the flash goes off.
22
FIRST, KNOW THYSELF
KATE
Though it came later than expected, Kate had spent
