After a few minutes, they arrived at Holyoke Academy. Jack came running up to the car and jumped in, grinning from ear to ear.
“You’re early,” Theo said.
“Guess what, guess what?” Jack asked excitedly.
“What?” Nina asked as both adults turned back in their seats to look at him.
“I won a spelling bee!” Jack said, brandishing a certificate with his name on it and a raised gold-foil seal. “Andwe had choir auditions, and I got in!”
“That’s wonderful!” Nina held her hand out for a high five, and Jack slapped it.
“Great job,” Theo added. He gave the little boy a high five too. “We should celebrate.”
“Ice cream?” Jack asked.
Theo and Nina exchanged a glance. Nina shook her head imperceptibly.
“How about dinner out?” Theo suggested.
“Yay!” Jack bounced in his seat. “At JJ’s Diner?”
“That’s his favorite restaurant,” Nina told Theo. “It’s where we go for his birthday every year.”
“JJ’s Diner sounds perfect,” Theo agreed. “Let’s go.”
“Yay!” Jack bounced more. It was hard to convince him to put his seatbelt on so they could start driving, but eventually he did. The whole way to the restaurant, he kept up a steady stream of happy chatter, telling them all about the audition and the spelling bee. Nina gave directions to the diner, which was in a part of town by the bay that Theo hadn’t been to before.
“I had to sing a song, and I didn’t know one, but the teacher helped me,” Jack said. “And she said I have a beautiful voice!”
Nina beamed at her son. “You sure do. I’m so proud of you. I didn’t even know you were auditioning.”
“Me neither,” Jack said. “But my friend Yassar was going, and I wanted to help him because he was nervous. So, then I auditioned too. We both got in! Sam can’t come because he’s already on the soccer team after school.”
“Helping your friend sounds like a very superhero thing to do,” Theo said.
Jack sat up a little straighter on his booster. “Thanks.”
When they arrived at the diner, Theo parked, and they all got out. The lot was almost full. Jack skipped towards the door, Theo and Nina following after.
“Family of three?” the smiling waitress in a blue uniform with a white apron asked once they were inside.
“Yes, please,” Nina said. She escorted them to a table, and Theo looked around. It was a theme restaurant. All the waiters and waitresses were dressed in eighties clothes, there were records on the walls, and a jukebox played in one corner. He smiled as they took their table. It was sweet that this was Jack’s favorite restaurant.
“This is the best day ever,” Jack said. He picked up one of the glossy plastic-covered menus and flipped it open. “I’m in the choir, I won the spelling bee,andwe’re eating out. We never eat out!”
Nina blushed. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Theo. “It’s expensive. And we do eat out sometimes, for birthdays.”
“Those are the best meals to eat out for,” Theo said.
“Exactly!” Jack grinned, and Nina relaxed.
“What’s good here?” he asked.
“I like the fish burger,” Jack said brightly. “And Mom gets breakfast for dinner because shelovespancakes.”
“I do love pancakes,” Nina agreed.
“So do I,” Theo smiled at her. “But today, I think I’ll go for the chicken pot pie.”
