put your suitcase up in the guest room in case you need anything out of it.”
Katie had avoided eye contact with Rick when she first entered the room. She glanced at him now, and he offered her a steady,
affirming grin. He seemed unaffected by the upset they had gone through ten minutes ago.
Katie, however, still felt deeply affected. More affected than she wanted to admit to anyone, especially to herself.
9
O nce all six of them were seated in the amber-lit restaurant, Marti clicked into her typical high-style form. The restaurant
owner came over to the table and greeted Bob and Marti by name. Marti introduced the “young people” around the table and treated
the gathering as if it were her birthday and all her grown children had come home to see her.
Both Katie and Christy ordered small dinner salads. Rick and Todd made up for the women’s slight orders and went all out.
Katie could hardly look at Todd’s full plate of lasagna or watch Uncle Bob use the edge of his fork to cut into his eggplant
parmesan.
During most of the dinner, Marti peppered Rick with questions about the cafés. He opened up with even more details than Katie
knew about. Then came the clincher question. It sprang from Marti along with a wry grin just as Bob was paying the bill.
“So you haven’t given any specifics about the news we’re all waiting to hear.” Marti looked at Katie and then back at Rick.
“Have the two of you set a date yet? Fall weddings are always so lovely. Late fall. After all that wretched heat from the
Santa Ana winds subsides. Early November, perhaps. That would give you seven months of planning. Almost eight. Christy and
Todd only gave me six months to help plan their wedding.”
Since Bob and Marti had no children of their own, they had been vitally involved in Christy’s life. It now appeared that Marti
expected to have the same sort of influence over Rick and Katie’s future.
Katie spoke up. “We’re not there yet, Marti.”
Marti blinked at Katie’s evenly spoken comment and turned her head toward Rick, as if he would give a different answer than
Katie had.
“We’re still in the happily-almost-after stage.” Rick turned to Katie and gave her a wink.
“The happily-almost-after stage?” Marti repeated. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means they’re taking their time and figuring things out on their own.” Bob’s tone emphasized the words
on their own
.
Undaunted, Marti turned to Katie. “You do know, don’t you, Katie dear, that when the time does come, Robert and I want you
to call on us for anything? Anything at all. We hope both of you will think of us as your own aunt and uncle. We would love
to be involved in your plans.”
“Thank you, Marti, Bob.” Rick gave each of them a nod. “That means a lot to us.”
When no one else at the table responded to Rick’s comment, he added, “Doesn’t it, Katie?”
Even though Katie didn’t feel particularly warm and fuzzy about the way any of this was going, she did appreciate the support.
“Yes. Your support means a lot.”
She then reminded Bob and Marti about her hope that they would come to her college graduation. Possibly the decoy topic of
her graduation would divert Marti from Rick and Katie’s yet unannounced engagement and unplanned wedding date.
Bob gave Katie a smile and answered, “We’ll be there for you, Katie. I have your graduation on the calendar already.”
“Be sure to add April 27 to your calendar,” Rick said. “That’s the date the Redlands café’ opens.”
Marti seemed less than enthusiastic about committing to the opening of Rick’s café. She rose from her chair, indicating it
was time to leave. “I thought you young people might enjoy going for a short walk. Does that appeal to everyone?”
No one protested. They all seemed to know it didn’t really matter if the idea appealed to them. Marti was at the helm.
Rick took Katie’s hand as the group
Katie had avoided eye contact with Rick when she first entered the room. She glanced at him now, and he offered her a steady,
affirming grin. He seemed unaffected by the upset they had gone through ten minutes ago.
Katie, however, still felt deeply affected. More affected than she wanted to admit to anyone, especially to herself.
9
O nce all six of them were seated in the amber-lit restaurant, Marti clicked into her typical high-style form. The restaurant
owner came over to the table and greeted Bob and Marti by name. Marti introduced the “young people” around the table and treated
the gathering as if it were her birthday and all her grown children had come home to see her.
Both Katie and Christy ordered small dinner salads. Rick and Todd made up for the women’s slight orders and went all out.
Katie could hardly look at Todd’s full plate of lasagna or watch Uncle Bob use the edge of his fork to cut into his eggplant
parmesan.
During most of the dinner, Marti peppered Rick with questions about the cafés. He opened up with even more details than Katie
knew about. Then came the clincher question. It sprang from Marti along with a wry grin just as Bob was paying the bill.
“So you haven’t given any specifics about the news we’re all waiting to hear.” Marti looked at Katie and then back at Rick.
“Have the two of you set a date yet? Fall weddings are always so lovely. Late fall. After all that wretched heat from the
Santa Ana winds subsides. Early November, perhaps. That would give you seven months of planning. Almost eight. Christy and
Todd only gave me six months to help plan their wedding.”
Since Bob and Marti had no children of their own, they had been vitally involved in Christy’s life. It now appeared that Marti
expected to have the same sort of influence over Rick and Katie’s future.
Katie spoke up. “We’re not there yet, Marti.”
Marti blinked at Katie’s evenly spoken comment and turned her head toward Rick, as if he would give a different answer than
Katie had.
“We’re still in the happily-almost-after stage.” Rick turned to Katie and gave her a wink.
“The happily-almost-after stage?” Marti repeated. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means they’re taking their time and figuring things out on their own.” Bob’s tone emphasized the words
on their own
.
Undaunted, Marti turned to Katie. “You do know, don’t you, Katie dear, that when the time does come, Robert and I want you
to call on us for anything? Anything at all. We hope both of you will think of us as your own aunt and uncle. We would love
to be involved in your plans.”
“Thank you, Marti, Bob.” Rick gave each of them a nod. “That means a lot to us.”
When no one else at the table responded to Rick’s comment, he added, “Doesn’t it, Katie?”
Even though Katie didn’t feel particularly warm and fuzzy about the way any of this was going, she did appreciate the support.
“Yes. Your support means a lot.”
She then reminded Bob and Marti about her hope that they would come to her college graduation. Possibly the decoy topic of
her graduation would divert Marti from Rick and Katie’s yet unannounced engagement and unplanned wedding date.
Bob gave Katie a smile and answered, “We’ll be there for you, Katie. I have your graduation on the calendar already.”
“Be sure to add April 27 to your calendar,” Rick said. “That’s the date the Redlands café’ opens.”
Marti seemed less than enthusiastic about committing to the opening of Rick’s café. She rose from her chair, indicating it
was time to leave. “I thought you young people might enjoy going for a short walk. Does that appeal to everyone?”
No one protested. They all seemed to know it didn’t really matter if the idea appealed to them. Marti was at the helm.
Rick took Katie’s hand as the group
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