“Watch it, New Girl,” says Fernando.
Natalie rolls her eyes on Kristie’s behalf.
9.
The Children
On the day of the summer solstice Granny announces that she’d like to treat everyone to lunch at her favorite restaurant in town, Archer’s on the Pier.
“All of us?” asks Matty. He’s worried that his grandfather may come along. What if his grandfather takes off all of his clothes and walks naked on the pier? What if he starts talking about something that happened in, like, 1903, and they all have to pretend to be interested and attentive?
“Most of us,” says Granny. “Your grandfather will stay behind with Barbara.”
Claire, who is still wearing her nightshirt, doesn’t want to put on shorts. Abigail is reading on the back porch and doesn’t want to put her book down. Matty would prefer to eat lunch at home—he was hoping to take a peanut butter and jelly sandwich down to the rocks alone. But one look from their mother and they decidenot to mention their individual desires. She has her don’t-you-dare face on.
“Sounds fabulous, Mom,” says Louisa, in her fake-cheery voice.
Annie sits in the passenger seat, next to Louisa. The children crowd into the middle row even though the minivan has a perfectly respectable third row that is no longer taken up by luggage, and almost immediately the squabbling begins. Claire shrieks when Abigail tells her that because she’s the smallest she should have the middle seat all the time.
“Then sit in the third row,” says Abigail. Claire wails that she gets carsick in the third row. It isn’t fair—it’s never fair. The youngest always gets the short end. Nobody understands, is what Claire thinks. Nobody ever, ever understands.
In general the children get along better in Owls Head than in Brooklyn—without the distractions of school and friends their vast differences in age, gender, and temperament seem less pronounced. They play cards; they play outdoors; on rainy days they build elaborate forts in the living room by draping blankets over the stalwart furniture. When they do turn on the TV in the playroom they hardly argue over what to watch. But in the car the gloves come off. Their mother shoots them a warning glance in the rearview mirror.
At Archer’s they are seated by the hostess at a table on the deck, with a stellar view of the pleasure boats moored and docked. It’s a postcard-perfect day, the kind of day they all dream about through the long winter. One by one, they start to feel more festive. It is, after all, a treat to be out here. The deck is covered by a canopy. A slight breeze travels off the water. The restaurant is busy. The hostess pours their water and tells Granny and Louisa that their server, Kristie, will be with them in a minute. After a few minutes have gone by the hostess returns.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “We just got slammed. I’m going to take your drink order, andthenKristie will be with you.”
“I’m fine with the water,” says Matty. Abigail and Claire each order a Shirley Temple, casting a sidelong glance at their mother to see if they will be shot down. Matty’s mom opens her mouth and raises her eyebrows, but Granny says, “Oh,letthem. It’s summer vacation.” Then she orders two glasses of wine, one for herself and one for Matty’s mom.
“She’ll be right with you, I promise,” says the hostess. “You’re the very next table she’ll be coming to.” She points to a server three tables away, writing down an order on a small white pad. “In the meantime, I’m going to grab your drinks.”
“She looks familiar to me,” says Louisa. “The server she pointed to. I swear I’ve seen her somewhere before.”
Abigail and Claire have made it through half their Shirley Temples by the time the server arrives.
“Louisa, go ahead,” says Granny. Louisa asks for the fish tacos. Granny orders the crab club with no mayonnaise. Matty: the farmhouse burger. Abigail and Claire both order grilled cheese off the children’s menu.
“Are you sure you don’t want something a little more sophisticated, girls?” asks Granny. “After all, this place is known for its seafood, about as fresh as you can get.”
“No thank you,” say the girls in unison. They are back to coloring their children’s menus very intently.
“I’ll get this order right in,” says the server. Her eyes flick back and forth, and she’s tapping her pen against her ordering pad in a way that makes her seem nervous. Matty doesn’t blame her. Granny makes him nervous too.
“I’m sorry, dear, what did you say your name was?” Granny asks.
“Kristie. If you need anything.”
Claire looks up from her coloring and says, “What’s your name if wedon’tneed anything?” Matty kicks her under the table and Claire says, “What?”
“Are you here for the summer, Kristie?” Granny asks. “Or areyou a local? I don’t believe I’ve seen you before.” Abigail rolls her eyes; it’s just like Granny to assume she should know everyone in town, in every restaurant.
“I—uh. I just moved here, actually.”
“Oh, how interesting.” Claire thinks that from the way Granny’s lips are pinched together it doesn’t look like she thinks it’s very interesting at all. “From where?”
“Pennsylvania.”
“Lovely. What part?”
