fort out of blankets draped over chairs and tables, reinforced with every pillow they could find.
Sam smoothed an afghan over the coffee table. “Under here is where the bones are,” he told Corky.
Not being a card-carrying parent, I didn’t know how to handle this. Would finding a skeleton do irreparable damage to their tender young minds? Should I engage them in thoughtful exploration of their feelings? Should I treat it all as some kind of Mister Rogers adventure? “Let’s go visit Mr. Skeleton. Do you know how many bones are in your body?” I took the easy path and pretended I didn’t hear any remarks not addressed to me.
While I was in the kitchen getting juice, the phone rang. Drake was talking away on his cell phone, so I answered.
“Liz!” It was Bridget. She sounded as if she were calling from right next door instead of across a wide expanse of ocean. “How is everything going?”
“Fine, Biddy. It’s going fine.” Drake lifted his head when I said her name. “How are you guys? Flight okay?”
“It was crowded,” Bridget said, “and the cattle-car thing definitely came to mind. But it’s so beautiful here! We’ve already been for a walk on the beach, and we’re going to have lunch pretty soon. This is a fabulous hotel. How are the kids?”
“They’re fine.” I turned my back on Drake, who was signaling something I couldn’t interpret. “Moira and Mick are still napping. Corky and Sam and I are building a fort in the living room. Do you mind if they use the sofa cushions?”
“No, they can use whatever they want, so long as it isn’t breakable and they put it back.” Bridget’s rich, warm laughter floated into the room, making me smile. “Say, the phone's been busy for a while. I was just about to give up until after lunch. What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” I gulped. “People are calling for you, mostly. And a couple of calls for the kids. It’s hectic around here.”
“This isn’t going to be too much for you, is it, Liz?” Bridget sounded anxious. “I feel like I pretty much forced you to do it, but you’ll be all right, won’t you?”
“Sure I will.” I tried to be soothing, something that’s not natural for me. “And I have lots of help. Claudia took the boys downtown for milkshakes, and Melanie’s already stopped over to make sure I’m not blowing it.”
Bridget laughed again. “Melanie always thinks she’s the only one who can do anything right. But if you need help, she’s promised to stand by. In fact, she said she would take Moira on Tuesday and Thursday while the boys are in school. That should give you some time for yourself.”
I was a little ashamed of my impatience toward Melanie, but not much. “And Drake’s treating us to Chinese food tonight.”
After a silence, Bridget said, “Drake’s helping out, too? That’s great.” Her voice, almost as expressive as her face, was easy to read. Enthusiasm and speculation, blended about 60—40. She paused again. “Will he spend the night?”
“Of course not.” I kept my back turned to Drake, knowing my face was flaming. “But Barker will.”
“Oh, that’s comparable.”
I ignored this gentle sarcasm. “Anyway, everyone’s fine here. Although,” I added, to gratify a fond mother, “we had a little choking up after you left. They miss you, of course.”
“I don’t worry about the boys,” Bridget said. “But Moira’s been so clingy lately—”
“She’s reveling in independence.” I made my voice brisk because Bridget sounded shaky. Hard though it might be to believe, many parents seem to miss their small children when they’re not around. “Have you been in that warm, wonderful ocean yet?”
“Not yet, but Emery’s already checked out the scuba and sailboard rentals and booked us for a sunset cruise on the catamaran.” Bridget was cheerful again. “I can’t believe this is frugal us, just tossing our money around like plutocrats.”
“Enjoy it. Take lots of
Sam smoothed an afghan over the coffee table. “Under here is where the bones are,” he told Corky.
Not being a card-carrying parent, I didn’t know how to handle this. Would finding a skeleton do irreparable damage to their tender young minds? Should I engage them in thoughtful exploration of their feelings? Should I treat it all as some kind of Mister Rogers adventure? “Let’s go visit Mr. Skeleton. Do you know how many bones are in your body?” I took the easy path and pretended I didn’t hear any remarks not addressed to me.
While I was in the kitchen getting juice, the phone rang. Drake was talking away on his cell phone, so I answered.
“Liz!” It was Bridget. She sounded as if she were calling from right next door instead of across a wide expanse of ocean. “How is everything going?”
“Fine, Biddy. It’s going fine.” Drake lifted his head when I said her name. “How are you guys? Flight okay?”
“It was crowded,” Bridget said, “and the cattle-car thing definitely came to mind. But it’s so beautiful here! We’ve already been for a walk on the beach, and we’re going to have lunch pretty soon. This is a fabulous hotel. How are the kids?”
“They’re fine.” I turned my back on Drake, who was signaling something I couldn’t interpret. “Moira and Mick are still napping. Corky and Sam and I are building a fort in the living room. Do you mind if they use the sofa cushions?”
“No, they can use whatever they want, so long as it isn’t breakable and they put it back.” Bridget’s rich, warm laughter floated into the room, making me smile. “Say, the phone's been busy for a while. I was just about to give up until after lunch. What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” I gulped. “People are calling for you, mostly. And a couple of calls for the kids. It’s hectic around here.”
“This isn’t going to be too much for you, is it, Liz?” Bridget sounded anxious. “I feel like I pretty much forced you to do it, but you’ll be all right, won’t you?”
“Sure I will.” I tried to be soothing, something that’s not natural for me. “And I have lots of help. Claudia took the boys downtown for milkshakes, and Melanie’s already stopped over to make sure I’m not blowing it.”
Bridget laughed again. “Melanie always thinks she’s the only one who can do anything right. But if you need help, she’s promised to stand by. In fact, she said she would take Moira on Tuesday and Thursday while the boys are in school. That should give you some time for yourself.”
I was a little ashamed of my impatience toward Melanie, but not much. “And Drake’s treating us to Chinese food tonight.”
After a silence, Bridget said, “Drake’s helping out, too? That’s great.” Her voice, almost as expressive as her face, was easy to read. Enthusiasm and speculation, blended about 60—40. She paused again. “Will he spend the night?”
“Of course not.” I kept my back turned to Drake, knowing my face was flaming. “But Barker will.”
“Oh, that’s comparable.”
I ignored this gentle sarcasm. “Anyway, everyone’s fine here. Although,” I added, to gratify a fond mother, “we had a little choking up after you left. They miss you, of course.”
“I don’t worry about the boys,” Bridget said. “But Moira’s been so clingy lately—”
“She’s reveling in independence.” I made my voice brisk because Bridget sounded shaky. Hard though it might be to believe, many parents seem to miss their small children when they’re not around. “Have you been in that warm, wonderful ocean yet?”
“Not yet, but Emery’s already checked out the scuba and sailboard rentals and booked us for a sunset cruise on the catamaran.” Bridget was cheerful again. “I can’t believe this is frugal us, just tossing our money around like plutocrats.”
“Enjoy it. Take lots of
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