“Mom and Paul. They just landed in Traverse City. Paul said they’re driving down and will be here soon, then driving back to Illinois tonight and?—”
“Did you invite them?”
Silence.
“Lauren. Did you invite Mom and Paul to visit?”
“On accident?”
“Lauren. How do youaccidentallyinvite our parents up without telling me?”
“I thought Mom would bail!” She’s exasperated. I can hear her shuffling around, probably panic cleaning. “She always bails. I have invited her a few times, and she doesn’t ever come, and I thought with them being in Florida she wouldn’t!”
“Okay, take a deep breath. It’s not the end of the world.”
“Not the end ofyourworld. But possibly the end of mine.”
“Okay.” I hand Winnie the plastic watering can and sit down. “Let’s go through the basics. Are they staying here tonight?”
“No. They aren’t staying. Paul said they redirected their flight to Traverse City, so they could just pass through then drive to Illinois tonight.”
“Perfect. That’s one less thing to worry about. Now are they expecting a big dinner?”
“Paul? Probably not. Mom? Probably.”
“Then let’s make Rhett cook. He’s a decent cook, and it will just be the six of us, so that shouldn’t be too bad.”
“Actually.” Lauren pauses. “I may have invited Tanner too, and he’s offered to cook.”
I suck in my lips and close my eyes. I don’t know if I have it in me to address this with Mom tonight. Or ever.
“Lauren.” Her name is a whisper, and she should be thankful for that. “Why wouldn’t you run that by me? Or at least tell me that you invited him?”
I can picture her hiking up her shoulders then dropping them. “Because! He’s a good mediator. Everyone loves him, and he just makes you happy and relaxed, and Mom and Paul like him, and were asking about him. Besides, he’s our friend too. Not just your little boyfriend.”
I haven’t even told Lauren that I plan on staying yet. I hadn’t told anyone other than Tanner. I have no idea how to breach the conversation at all, let alone with my parents.Hi Mom and Dad, I have decided to pursue a relationship on the heels of my divorce and uproot me and my daughter for an extra couple of months to do so.
If he wasn’t here, then I wouldn’t have to talk about it. Lauren’s baby news would have been enough to keep them all occupied for the evening.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “I know, I should have mentioned it. Ijust panicked and he’s so great and I swear it wasn’t just because of you and him. He’s honestly around all the time anyway…”
“You owe me,” I tell her and push up out of the rickety chair. “We’ll clean up here and be on our way.”
Once we arrive, Lauren puts us to work and for the next hour, we deep clean the main level of the cabin. Lauren has always been very particular about her surroundings. Anxious cleaning has been a hobby of hers since we were children. But the mess I do see, makes me smile. She’s comfortable here, comfortable enough to have messes and leave them.
But now, Lauren is finding dirt in places no person would ever look. Top of door frames, in between the spindles of the chairs, the top of the fridge where they store bread.
Rhett has been assigned yard work with Winnie. The two are supposed to be picking up sticks for a fire, but it has turned into picking up sticks and throwing them for Storm, who Winnie has decided needs to marry Lemon.
Lauren runs the washing machine with extra detergent to make the house smell like fresh laundry and lights a massive candle on the kitchen table. Then cleans the counters. Again.
Then before we know it, an SUV is pulling up the driveway and Lauren returns to her sickly shade of green.
“It’s okay,” I assure her. “Remember. If she causes drama, she’s Paul’s problem.”
She nods and opens the door. The four of us wait there on the front deck while Mom and Paul shuffle out of a black Suburban. Mom now dons a deep tan, a floppy hat, and a huge smile. All good signs. Paul has his sunglasses pushed into his hair revealing tan lines on his temples. They look happier than I have seen them in years. Or maybe just since their last trip to Florida.
“Grampy!” Winnie takes off and doesn’t slow at all until she crashes right into Paul’s chest.
