Sure thing, the waitress said.
Annie folded her napkin again, smoothing the crease.
When I was a little girl, she said to Florence, we couldn’t afford ice cream; we didn’t have it. I was sixteen before I ever tasted it. Oh, it was a hot day. My daddy was takin me to see his aunt on a great, long silver bus but none of the windows would open. Took nine hours, forty minutes. Nine hours forty minutes with the sun shinin hard on the windows. We stopped halfway, stretched our legs, while the driver bought tobacco. There was this little hut sellin cigarettes, newspapers, candy; that kinda thing—and ice cream. Well, I begged my daddy. And I got lucky. He’d sweated up a storm in that ol bus too. He bought us one each and we sat out on an old telegraph pole we found lyin by the road and we ate them fast as we could. Best thing I ever tasted, before or since. Now, whenever I have ice cream, I’m sittin on that pole in the heat with my dear daddy and that’s a magical thing.
Harrison took care of the check and they parted, promising to stop by Annie’s place before heading home at the end of the week. Back at the hotel, Florence slept, Grace read on the balcony and Harrison sat on the bed, reading the paper and smoking.
She’s such an incredible woman, Grace said, stepping inside and pushing up her sunglasses.
Huh? Harrison said.
Annie. Amazing woman. Matches?
He tossed her the box.
Woman practically raised me when dad died, he said.
Wish I’d met her sooner, Grace said.
Harrison looked up.
I’m just glad she’s moved out here, he said. She looked old.
She is old.
Older. You know. I guess you read a letter, you hear a voice.
She’s not going anywhere yet, Grace said.
Yeah.
Grace sat on the edge of the bed alongside him.
You okay? she said.
Sure, he said.
You want a drink?
He frowned.
Come and sit outside with me, she said. It’s a lovely day.
The room was gloomy. He looked across to the open balcony doors, the blue beyond the light.
Listen, he said. We’re on vacation. What do you say we eat out tonight? Just us?
What about Duck?
We’ll get a sitter.
In a hotel?
Sure, he said. You know why we’re stayin here and not someplace else, right?
You know the owner.
Right, he said. Sammy. We go way back.
And?
And Sammy’s got a fifteen-year-old girl savin for a record player.
You want the hotel manager’s daughter to babysit for us?
Betty’ll be up around seven, he said.
She smiled. You’ve already arranged it.
It’s done.
Can we afford it?
The sitter? he said.
The meal—we already ate out once today, Jim.
She pulled the sunglasses from her head and placed her hands on her lap.
I’ve been keepin a little back, he said.
She smiled.
Well, aren’t you full of surprises, she said, and kissed him. Thank you. I’ll have to get Florence in bed and asleep before this girl comes though, otherwise she’ll never go down.
Whatever you think’s best, hon, he said.
She looked over to where Florence was sleeping.
I’d better get her up now, then, she said.
I got us a reservation at the Manderville, he said.
Well then, she said, turning back to him. It’s a date.
They went out, dressed smart, had a good time and got back at eleven, a little drunk. Betty had spent the evening reading on the balcony.
Felt like I was on vacation myself, she said as he paid her. She tucked the folded bills into the front pocket of her jeans.
You kids fancy another night, she said, just tell my dad.
Harrison opened the door, thanked her again and wished her good night.
Sweet kid, Grace said. I’m beat.
Me too, he said. Feel like I’ve eaten half a cow.
Come to bed, she said, so he did.
The next morning, at breakfast, Florence asked if they could go to the beach.
Grace looked at Harrison.
Honey, Grace said, I think it’s going to be too hot for the beach today.
I want to go to the beach, Florence said.
It’s very hot already, Grace said, and it’s only just eight.
But I want to go, Florence said.
I know you do, sweetheart; maybe we can go tomorrow.
I don’t want to go tomorrow.
We’ll do something else fun today, and go to the beach tomorrow, Grace said.
I want to go to the beach today, Florence said.
Florence, Grace said. We are not going to the beach today, okay? It’s too hot.
How about a picnic instead? Harrison said.
A pic-nic? Florence said.
In a park, he said. We’ll find one. Get some food, find a nice spot in the shade, maybe there’ll be swings?
Jim, Grace said.
I want to go to the swings Mommy! Florence said.
Well, okay, Duckie, Grace said. We’ll see if we can find a park with swings. But if there aren’t any swings, we’ll just have a picnic, okay?
Okay Mommy, she said.
It’ll be perfect, Harrison said.
We going on a pic-nic Daddy!
Yes we are, Duck, he said. And we’re gonna have to find ourselves a blanket. You can’t have a picnic without a picnic blanket.