Page 50 of Sweet Escape at Bayside
His father dropped a kiss on his wife’s cheek as he came around the table and said, “Kay was a little excited to see you two.” He embraced Andre and said, “Missed you, Bug.”
“Me too. Dad, this is Violet. Violet, this is my father, Chuck.”
His father turned the same warm brown eyes as Andre’s on her and said, “You look a little shell-shocked. Welcome to my world.” As he wrapped her in his strong arms he said, “We’re a crazy family, but Andre’s a good man. Don’t let us scare you off.”
Violet didn’t flinch during the embrace. Maybe it was because Kay had caught her off guard and stripped her of her worst fears, or it could have been because of his father’s casual amusement and easy nature. Violet had a feeling it was because of both of those things, and underscored by Andre’s complete and total support and love for who she was. And in that moment she knew she was exactly where she was meant to be.
When Andre reached for her jacket, she slipped it off, feeling only mildly nervous. His father’s gaze swept over her shoulder, following the tattoos all the way down her arm, and she held her breath.
A playful smirk lifted the side of his father’s mouth, and he said, “I’m glad to see the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Shaw men have always fallen for women who aren’t afraid to express themselves.” He pointed his thumb at Andre’s mother and said, “She’s got ink.”
“What?” Andre’s eyes widened. “Mom has a tattoo?”
His mother laughed. “Honey, I’ve got several, but not anywhere I want my son looking.”
THEY ORDERED DRINKS, and as they looked over the menu, Andre noticed his mother watching them with a tender look in her eyes. He glanced at his father, who was busy watching his mother. Andre couldn’t remember a time when things hadn’t been just like this—easy, happy, andreal. He’d never had to worry whether his parents would stay together or what their future would look like as a family. As an adult, he realized how special that was, but it wasn’t until he’d met Violet and learned of her family’s history that he truly appreciated the value of his own.
During lunch, his parents peppered Violet with questions about the inn, her artwork, volunteering, and her travels, carefully avoiding the topic of family. Andre had shared with them the basics of Violet’s family history. He appreciated that his parents didn’t put her in the uncomfortable position of trying to explain her mother’s decisions. Violet talked animatedly, and when she cursed and covered her mouth, they all chuckled, and his father immediately went into a story about how Andre had trouble sayingtruckwhen he was young and would yell,Look! A fire fuck, leaving them all in hysterics.
They chatted long after they were done eating, and Andre caught his parents up on his visit with David and told them about his next trip into the field.
“Are you going to join him?” his mother asked Violet.
Violet looked down at her lap. Then she turned a thoughtful gaze to Andre and said, “We haven’t really discussed it yet. Right now we’re taking things one day at a time.”
His father lifted his glass and said, “To new friends, reacquainted love, and taking things one day at a time.”
They clinked glasses and sipped their drinks.
Violet set her glass down and said, “Who do I have to pay to hear the story behind the nicknameBug?”
They all laughed.
His mother smiled at Andre and said, “It all started with a little boy who loved playing in the dirt with bugs, until the day he started eating them…”
“I think that’s our cue to leave.” Andre flagged down the waitress and said, “Check please.”
After narrowly escaping what Andre was sure would have been several more embarrassing stories, they said their goodbyes in front of the restaurant.
His father slung an arm over his shoulder, guiding him a few feet away from the women, and said, “I’m happy for you, son.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I try not to stick my old nose into your business, but I want to tell you something, and you can decide what to take from it, if anything. Heaven knows I spout garbage sometimes. Violet’s obviously smart, strong, and she really likes your ugly butt, for some unknown reason.” He laughed and patted Andre on the back.
“So far I’m not hearing any garbage.”
“I’m getting to it. This is the part you’ll hate. I can see how much you love her, but you said something to me before we met you for lunch that’s got me thinking. You said she’d been at the Cape the whole time since she left you. For a woman who you described as someone who didn’t know the meaning of roots, it sure seems like she’s put some down.”
Andre glanced over his shoulder at Violet chatting with his mother, who was listening intently to her every word. “She has,” he said. “She reconnected with her sister and has a family of friends there now. A few families of friends, actually.”
“Well, Bug, I know you want her with you, but tread carefully. You’ve had roots, and you chose to uproot them. She’s just starting to grow her own. Like I said, I might be way off base, but my instincts tell me that you need to exercise caution there if you want her in your life.”
“I know, Dad. Believe me, not a second goes by that I don’t think about it.”
His father said, “Okay. I’m here if you need me,” and they headed back toward the women.
“I was just telling Violet that we still live in the same three-bedroom condo where we lived when we first moved to Boston, before Andre was born,” his mother said.
