Page 20 of Dean Daddy

“They just walked in,” he quips but she’s already moved away from him.

“Marcie, give your mother a kiss, sweet girl,” she tells me, clearly putting on a show for Emily and James. “Was the ride alright?”

“Yes, mother. It was uneventful,” I reply.

“And how’s the new job?” she asks.

“I just started but I like the professor that Mason assigned me to. I feel like I can learn a lot from him,” I tell her but she has no real interest. She turns to Mason and flashes a smug smirk complete with an eye roll and says, “Hello, Mason.”

“Always a delight to see you, too, Sharon,” Mason scoffs and Emily raises a napkin to her mouth to hide her smile.

“We expected you to be earlier so there isn’t much time for small talk. Dinner is just about ready,” she tells us and retreats to the kitchen. Mason leans in close and whispers, “Thank goodness.”

“You should all see what Sharon did to the gardens. Maybe after dinner. She has a real knack for that sort of thing. Really gave the space new life,” Mason’s father tells us and it sounds like a desperate attempt to fill the silence.

“What happened to your gardener? He used to come every spring,” Emily asks.

“Sharon wasn’t happy with his design so she hired a landscaper to change everything. I wasn’t sure about it, but it turns out she was right. It’s quite an improvement,” he answers.

“But you kept the gardener for maintenance, right? What was his name?” Emily asks

“Milton,” Mason chimes in. “He worked for mom and dad for years.”

My mother returns followed by two uniformed women carrying covered dishes. Mom takes her seat and once the food has been placed on the table, she tells us to begin. It’s a more traditional meal than I would have expected. She’s had her staff make roast beef and all the fixings. A delicious meal lovingly prepared in my mother’s kitchen by someone else. There’s no question that marrying up has changed her.

“So, Emily, are you excited about the party?” I ask, trying to break the awkward silence.

“I have to confess I didn’t think I wanted a party, but the idea has grown on me. I think it’s nice to have the whole family together for the first time. Maybe this will be the start of a new tradition. I’d like it if we could get together for holidays like when Mason and I were kids. Family should be important,” she pauses and looks at my mother, “and we’re all going to be family soon.”

“I agree. I didn’t have brothers or sisters. It was just mom and me. I remember the first time I came here and I saw the pictures of you and Mason as kids in your father’s study. You both looked so happy. Family is important,” I reply and check for a reaction from my mother but she’s pretending not to pay attention.

“That’s why I want a big family,” Mason says and all eyes turn to him. “I want a lot of kids.”

“It’s a little late to consider that, don’t you think?” his father asks.

“No, I don’t think that at all. I’m only forty and besides, it’s not my age that matters,” he grins at me and I almost slide under the table.

“Well, then,” Emily clears her throat. “Here’s to Mason’s future children.” She raises her glass and she and Mason toast while everyone else at the table stares in disbelief.

We finish our meal and Mason says, “Why don’t we go look at that garden that Dad is so proud of? He says that you did an excellent job, Sharon.”

“Oh, I did my best, Mason. You kids go take a look. It’s too chilly out there for me,” my mother replies.

Mason stands and takes my hand, helping me from my seat. He leads me out the back door followed by Emily and James.

“I can’t believe you said that,” I whisper.

“Said what?” he plays dumb.

“That thing about wanting a big family. Why would you stir the pot like that?”

“Because the only thing that I hate more than games is false platitudes. We’re together and nothing is going to change that. They need to come to terms with that and the sooner the better. That way, Emily here can have her family gatherings with nobody feeling uncomfortable or unwelcome.”

“Way to go, little brother. If you wanted the parents to think about you two having sex, that was the perfect way to elicit that mental image,” Emily laughs and lights a cigarette.

“Smoking is bad for you, and that wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to shake things up a little. You could cut the tension in there with a fork,” Mason replies.

“I just had a great idea. Why don’t we all get out of here and have a few drinks? I’m sure you must have hung out at O’Malley’s just like I did. Let’s go check out our old stomping grounds,” Emily says.

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