Why, she’s in heaven, sweetie, Annie said.
Heaven? Florence said. With Billy Horner’s dog?
Uh, yeah, sweetheart, Harrison said.
Who told you that, Duck? Grace said.
Aunt Pancho did, Mommy. Is Aunt Pancho going to heaven?
Grace and Jim exchanged another look.
Let’s get Aunt Annie a drink, shall we? Grace said.
Aunt Annie wants a drink, Daddy, Florence said. Cause she’s thirsty.
Why, thank you, Florence, Annie said. I am thirsty. Annie chuckled. Ain’t she a precocious little thing!
Tell me about it, Grace said.
Well, Duck, Harrison said, guess I’d better call someone over.
He looked over his shoulder toward the kitchen. Women wearing white dresses with red frills milled about, carrying drinks, taking orders.
Be right there, hon, one of them said as she passed, carrying two plates of hot food.
Harrison turned back to the table.
Everyone hungry? he said.
Everyone was.
The food, when it came, was good.
You know, Florence, Annie said, leaning in towards her, I brought your daddy into this world!
You were a midwife? Grace said.
Never lost a baby.
What’s a midwife? Florence said.
Grace shot her husband a look. I can’t believe you never told me!
Harrison shrugged.
He was a tough one, Annie said.
Well he sure as hell didn’t get any easier, Grace said.
Hey! Harrison said.
Annie laughed and Florence looked at her and laughed too.
You too, huh, Duck, Harrison said.
I stayed on after little Jimmy was born, Annie said, helped out with the house; just a couple of weeks, til his mama was back on her feet. I’d just lost Emery; my own place was feelin mighty empty. After that, Mayton an me; well, Florence, we became the best of friends.
Can we be friends? Florence said.
Friends? Annie said. Why, Florence, we’re family!
Florence turned to her father and smiled.
What made you move west, Annie? Grace said.
My bones, Annie said.
Your bones?! Florence said.
My old bones ache, Florence, Annie said. Gets worse, colder it gets and the older I get. West Virginia is bitter in winter, so I came out here to keep warm. And all my life I’ve wanted to see the Pacific blue.
And? Grace said.
It’s a beautiful thing, Annie said.
My bones are sore, Florence said.
No they’re not, Grace said.
I have to pee, Florence said.
Grace sighed and said, come on then, trouble; we’ll take a trip to the ladies’ room.
They slipped out from behind the table and Florence skipped ahead of her mother. Annie folded her napkin, smoothed the crease.
What a fine little girl you have, Jimmy, she said. Two fine girls! You done well for yourself.
We’d love to have you stay sometime, he said. It’s real peaceful out there. And hot. You’d like it.
I would like that, Jimmy, she said, but I don’t travel too good no more. Comin out here, to California, movin all this way, damn near killed me.
Your cousin’s family, they helped move you?
Bill and Marcie, yeah, she said, they sure did. You know they met at Annabel’s funeral?
That Bill’s first wife?
Yeah, she said. Marcie and Annabel were old school friends from Pennsylvania.
Guess these things happen, he said. Must have been tough.
Life is long, Annie said.
Sure don’t feel that way at the moment, he said. One minute, I’m sittin in a hot waiting room in Lancaster near-on all night, next Florence is tellin me not to forget my lunch as I head out the door.
Annie smiled.
That’s kids for you, she said. Life happens; sure as hell ain’t gonna hang around for you to catch up. Makes it hard to keep your bearings.
Harrison looked at the table. Then he looked out the window. Then he looked at Annie.
Sometimes I wonder if I should quit the flight test business; do something less likely to bust my ass every day, he said.
I remember you building them little model airplanes, runnin round your backyard, as a little boy. Drove your mother half-mad to keep findin propellers or part of a wing all over the house. She told everyone she met you could fly before you could drive.
He turned an empty bottle of beer in his hands.
Sure miss her, he said.
Think about her almost every day, Annie said. But then, I don’t have kids to worry about.
I haven’t been back there for so long, he said.
Your mother ain’t where they laid her, Jimmy.
He nodded, took a swig from the empty bottle.
Wish I’d written you more, he said.
Jim, you were a young man and young men need to be out in the world doin things; not tellin an old woman what they want to be doin. You wrote me plenty. I enjoyed every letter.
He nodded.
Daddy!
Florence ran over and sat on his lap.
Hey, Duck! he said.
Can I have an ice cream, Daddy?
Please, Grace said, behind her.
Please?
Don’t see why not, he said.
We gonna have ice cream! Florence said to Annie. I like strawberry. Daddy, can I have strawberry?
Sure you can, Duck, he said, nodding to a passing waitress.
Four ice creams, please, he said. All strawberry.