@@@@@ "Daddy, that's wonderful!" "Although New
@@@@@
"Daddy, that's wonderful!"
"Although New Year's resolutions are made to be
brokenYou do what you say you're going to do"That's one of the things Mom never
liked about youI think it makes her jealous
"Hon, the divorce is just something that happened
Don't go picking sides, okay?"
"Well, I'll tell you something else that's
happening," Ilse saidHer lips had thinned down
"Since she's been out in Palm Desert, she's seeing
an awful lot of this guy down the streetShe says
it's just coffee and sympathy - because Max lost
his father last year, and Max really likes Grampy,
and blah-blah-blah - but I see the way she looks
at him and Icare for it!" Now her
lips were almost gone, and I thought she looked
eerily like her motherThe thought that came with
this was oddly comforting: I think she'll be all
rightI think if this holy Jones boy jilts her,
she'll still be okay
135
I could see my rental car, but Jack would be
awhile yetThe pickup traffic was stop-and-goI
leaned my crutch against my midsection and hugged
my daughter, who had come all the way from
California to see me"Go easy on your mother,
okay?"
"Don't you even care that-"
"What I mostly care about these days is that you
and Melinda are happy
There were circles under her eyes and I could see
that, young or not, all the traveling had tired
her outI thought she'd sleep late tomorrow, and
that was fineIf my feeling about her boyfriend
was right - I hoped it wasn't but thought it was -
she had some sleepless nights ahead of her in the
year to come
Jack had made it as far as the Air Florida
terminal, which still gave us some time"Do you
have a picture of your guy? Enquiring Dads want to
know The picture she
brought out of her red leather wallet was in one
of those see-through plastic envelopesShe teased
it out and handed it to meI guess this time my
136
reaction didn't show, because her fond (really
sort of goofy) smile didn't changeAnd me? I felt
as though I'd swallowed something that had no
business going down a human throat