The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis

she knew he was trying to shake them this summer.
    Tim gripped his hand and slapped Mac on the shoulder. “Good to see you. You’re looking buff.”
    â€œAlways trying.” Mac high-fived the kids and snuck a sandwich off the tray.
    â€œOoh, Daddy, you smell, ” cried Lexie as she got up and tossed her water bottle in the trash.
    â€œLexie McNeil!” Maggie pointed to the blue recycling box sitting next to the trash can. She was willing to let certain things slide at the summer house, but not the recyclables. With an eye roll (her daughter’s favorite move of late), Lexie transferred the bottle to the blue box. This was the child Maggie was hoping to connect with this vacation? She had promised herself she would try to be patient with Lexie, but things were off to a dismal start.
    â€œDuly noted,” Mac said now. “I’ll hop in the shower and then we can get the dock in.”
    When he headed for the stairs, he nearly collided with Jess, who had changed into her bathing suit. Black straps peeked out from underneath a pink cover-up. Jess was staring down at her cell phone, tiny frown lines hovering above her nose.
    â€œGuess what,” she said, looking up. “That was Mom. She wants to come down to the house on Saturday. This Saturday. To the Cape house,” Jess clarified when they all stared at her blankly. “For a week,” she tried again.
    â€œBut she can’t,” Maggie began, then caught herself. The kids were watching. “I mean, we won’t have enough room, at least not until later this month.” Maggie realized this probably sounded cruel, but she and Gloria had already discussed it. Their mother would come down for a day visit when Virgie, the kids, and Jess were all here. Then she’d return and stay for a week at the end of July, when the house had more room. Plus— and it was a big plus —their dad was due at the Cape house on Saturday. There was no way on earth that Maggie was going to have both her parents sleeping under the same roof. She could see it now, her mother constantly nagging Arthur, Arthur taking it in stride. Maggie would climb the walls.
    â€œThat’s the thing,” Jess continued. “Mom is staying at a bed-and-breakfast. She’s already booked the room.”
    â€œYou’re kidding.” Maggie couldn’t hide her surprise. Gloria typically came to her first with such requests, yet she’d performed a neat little balletic twirl around Maggie’s tightly crafted schedule of houseguests. Perhaps that was precisely why her mother hadn’t approached her first. She knew her oldest daughter (because Maggie had been born three minutes and forty-two seconds before Jess) would insist she stay at the summer house while she figured something else out for Arthur. Could it be that her mother was developing an altruistic side, one that put other people before herself? Maggie thought it unlikely.
    â€œAnd, get this.” Jess cast around the room. The kids were chattering away again, but Jess whispered anyway. “She’s bringing someone.”
    â€œSomeone? As in a friend or as in a date?” Maggie needed clarification.
    â€œI think it might be a date.” Jess grinned conspiratorially. “Some guy named Gio. She said she’d met him in her dance class.”
    Maggie burst out laughing. The whole idea was absurd. Their sixty-five-year-old mother hitting on someone named Gio while she danced the tango?
    â€œHey, don’t judge. He could be nice. Besides, Mom’s been looking for a companion. Another senior citizen who can dance might be perfect for her.”
    Maggie shook her head. She couldn’t believe it. Her vision of a calm, relaxing time at the summer house was growing hazier by the minute.
    â€œGood old Gloria,” Tim chimed in. “That woman does not let grass grow under her feet. You gotta love her.” He got up and reached into the fridge for