She burst out laughing, and Emerson and Sloane joined her, falling down in the front yard. “It can be your something new and your something blue,” Caroline cackled.
For heaven’s sake. They were grown women. Mostly, practically grown women. I hadn’t seen them like this since college. “Girls,” I scolded, “this is not ladylike behavior. And besides, I’m not the one getting married.”
“Oh, Mom,” Emerson trilled. “Lighten up.”
Then Caroline got up and said something that made every hair on my body stand on end. She sat down beside Jack on his outdoor sofa, wrapped her arms around his neck, and said, “I bet Daddy dearest thinks we’re charming even when we’ve had too many martinis.”
I wouldn’t swear to it, but I thought the color in Jack’s face changed.
Sloane said, “Can we call you that? I mean, come on, you two are going to get married eventually. You’re going to be our stepdad. It’s happening.”
Emerson giggled. “What a treat. Going from the single life to three girls calling you Daddy.”
I looked at Jack, but I could tell he was trying not to catch my eye. What wasn’t he telling me?
Jack said, “Girls, you can call me anything you want.”
Sloane sat down on the steps, teetering. For heaven’s sake. I could usually at least count on her to behave. “What are our kids going to call you? That’s a big deal.”
“Oh, oh!” Caroline said. “I know!”
Emerson interrupted her. “Well, Mom is Gransley, so he should be Grack.”
They all keeled over with laughter and were in a pile on the front porch.
“Grack!” Sloane wailed, holding her stomach.
“It sounds like crack,” Caroline said seriously, which set them all off again.
Honestly. I looked out over the water and thought,Mother, I promise you I did my best with them.
“That’s enough out of all of you. Go home and get into bed right this minute.”
“Young lady,” Sloane hissed, wagging her finger.
That’s fine. She could mock me all she wanted. If they were going to behave like teenagers, then I would treat them like children.
“I’m extremely sorry,” I said to Jack. “When they come home, they revert back to being teenagers. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Caroline’s right,” he whispered. “I think they’re sort of funny.”
I sighed. Great. That was all I needed, another father who, like Carter, would be the fun parent, the lax parent, the parent who was always saying, “Just don’t tell your mother.” I didn’twantto be the fuddy-duddy; I wanted to be like the mother of Sloane’s college suitemate, who was always taking shots at whatever bar we went to after their sorority’s Parents’ Cocktail. But that wasn’t me. I was always going to be the parent who wanted them to stay on the straight and narrow, even when they were older.
I never wanted them to lose control. If they lost control, then I could lose them.
I was relieved to see that Emerson and Sloane acquiesced, leaving the gate and walking to my house, arm in arm.
“Oh, Mom,” Caroline said. “The night is young. Carpe diem.” She paused. “Actually, carpe nightem.” She snickered.
“Caroline, you are making a fool of yourself.”
She looked at me seriously. “Mother, trust me, this is far,farfrom the most foolish I’ve looked this year. When your husband has an affair on national television, that’s about the dumbest you can possibly look. This isnothingcompared to that.”
I thought she might cry, but she didn’t. Her face was stoic yet resigned.
“Caroline, I’m so sorry,” Jack said.
Caroline smiled and patted his hand. “You really did choose the best daddy for us, Mom. Sloane and I love him.”
