They’d just watched a movie about their mothers. About the years when it was just five women and their children against the world. Before Grady and Vance and Alex and me. Before second chances.
Robbie spoke first, his voice thoughtful. “I remember how we used to dance in the kitchen.”
“I want to dance in the kitchen,” Madison said. “I missed out on everything.”
“I’ll dance with you,” Margot said.
“I’ll dance with you too,” Grace said, wiping her eyes.
“We’ll all dance with you, Madison,” Mia said. “Anytime you want.”
Bella nodded. “I wasn’t there to dance back then, but I’m here now.”
“I can bust a move with you,” Peter said, which made the younger children laugh.
“My mom never danced. Or had friends.” Margot looked over at Lila. “Now I have Lila, and everything’s different.”
Lila held her arms out and Margot went to sit on her lap, snuggling close.
Madison tugged on Esme’s sleeve. “Mommy, is that why you always cry when you read those books?”
Esme laughed through her tears and pulled Madison onto her lap. “Yeah, baby. That’s why.”
“Is that why you read them over and over?” Robbie asked.
“That’s why, yes,” Esme said. “And because I love Seraphina’s books.”
“That’s the best movie I’ve ever seen,” Madison said. “Even though I’m only a baby in it. I’d have liked to have a line or two.”
“Well, I don’t want to make this all about me,” Grace said. “But we were so right to get you all on that dating app.”
“Totally agree,” Mia said.
Annie, who had been quiet, nodded. “Even though we’re only kids, we’ve seen how hard you’ve all worked for us. All the sacrifices. All the little things you do on a daily basis. We’ve wanted you all to have a happy ending.”
“And now we do. Except for me, which I’m totally fine with,” Delphine said quickly. “But it’s obvious from the movie that I’m the funniest and most clever of all of us.”
“Is that really what you got out of it, Mom?” Annie said, serious. “Because I think there’s more of a message in there than that.”
Delphine tried to dismiss her with a flutter of her hand, but Annie was having none of it.
“Mom, it’s time. It’s your turn,” Annie said. “And I’m not going to let it go just because you’re afraid. Like your character says in the movie. ‘Mama didn’t raise us to sit around crying. She taught up to get back up and take care of what needs taking care of.’ And Mom, we’re all taking care of you, whether you like it or not.”
“Let’s put a pin in that,” Delphine said, more lightly than she probably felt. “We have a party to go to.”
And so we all gathered our things and traveled out to the lobby and into the waiting cars. I took Seraphina’s hand and leaned close to whisper in her ear.
“Well done, baby. Well done.”
She smiled up at me and my heart fluttered. “Thanks for being here.”
“There’s no other place in the world I’d rather be.”
And that was the absolute truth.
The after-party wason a rooftop in West Hollywood with a view of the city sprawling below, lights glittering all the way to the hills. A DJ played something smooth and jazzy at one end, where a small dance floor had been set up. White-jacketed servers circulated with trays of champagne and appetizers that looked like tiny works of art.
Madison spotted the food table first. “Grady, look at the food.”
