Elena said, “Mom was too lazy to unravel last year’s knot of fairy lights.”
“It wasn’t funny the first time, and you’ve been going downhill ever since. Now tell him the truth.”
“Boring.” When Bailey shot her a mom-look, Elena’s voice became robotic. “No Christmas lights because we need to keep from overloading the already strained electrical grid. This is Mayor Mom’s way of setting a good example.”
The meal became spiced by Elena’s tale of her last trip to Cabo. Learning how to dive with tanks, apparently something her horrified mother only learned about this very moment. Spearing a tuna, eating sushi on the boat’s rear deck. Both ladies easy and happy and sad over Dillon’s absent friend.
As they cleaned up, Elena gave a mock sigh and said, “I suppose now is the time you’ll be telling me to scamper.”
“It’s what you deserve,” her mother replied. “Chained in your room until you turn thirty.”
But Dillon said, “Don’t go.” When both mother and child showed surprise, he said, “It’s been a long time since I was inside a happy family.”
Bailey stopped in the process of loading the dishwasher and stared at her daughter. “You can stay.”
“Mom . . .”
“It’s okay,” Bailey told her. “I’ll behave.”
“Behave, as in, not bawling your eyes out again?”
“Promise.”
Dillon asked, “What exactly is going on here?” “My sweet darling child wants to grow up too soon,” Bailey said. “If she gets her wish, this spring she’ll be leaving me and Miramar behind.”
Dillon looked from one to the other. “You’re moving to Cabo?”
Bailey laughed. Or tried to. “Not on your sweet bippy. Go ahead, darling. Tell our guest about what else you did in Cabo.”
“Daddy took me to the casino in his hotel.”
“And gave her two hundred dollars in chips,” Bailey added. “And let her play blackjack. At the grown-up table. Welcome to Mexico.”
“This is for real?”
“Go ahead, my little innocent dumpling. Tell.”
“Daddy taught me to count cards.”
“This was Giff’s idea of how to spend happy evenings playing father,” Bailey said.
“It was interesting at first,” Elena said. “But it got real boring real fast.”
“Counting cards,” Dillon said. “Boring.”
“I won sixteen hundred dollars,” Elena said. “That part wasn’t boring.”
“Her daddy was soooo proud,” Bailey said.
“So . . . not Cabo.” Dillon looked from one to the other. “Then . . .”
“Santa Barbara,” Elena replied, watching her mother. “Mom, you promised.”
Bailey heaved a great huge sigh. “I’m a mayor. Mayors can control their tear ducts. It’s part of our training.”
Dillon asked, “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?”
“My daughter has her heart set on attending the state school for gifted children . . .”
