she couldn't miss. Jeff apologized that he had to go to basketball practice. Because the anniversaryfell in the middle of the week, Heidi told her sadly that she couldn't make it in from San Francisco.
So after a fast shower, the application of some fresh makeup, and slipping into a dress she was proud she could still wear since it was about fifteen years old, she and Stan sat alone in a large booth at Valentino's. Maybe, she thought now, it had been a mistake not putting together a big blowout of an anniversary party. A quarter of a century of marriage was certainly something to celebrate.
Stan seemed unusually nervous. He kept looking over at the door, and postponing ordering dinner presumably because, as he told Barbara twice, he'd eaten a late lunch and wasn't very hungry yet. Now he was watching as a stunning young girl in a tight black minidress was being led across the restaurant. When the maître d' stepped aside and Barbara saw that the girl was Heidi, she let out a yelp of glee, followed by another when she realized that behind Heidi, dressed in a sport coat and tie, was Jeff. And miracle of miracles, behind Jeff was Gracie. She looked great in a silk shirtwaist dress and long dangly earrings Barbara hadn't seen her wear in years.
"Surprise, darling," Gracie said, and Barbara wondered if she was thinking the posh restaurant was excessive.
"Happy anniversary, Mommy," Heidi said, sliding into the booth and giving Barbara a hug.
"You planned this behind my back?" Barbara asked Stan.
"Of course," he said as he grinned, and received a kiss from his daughter.
"I
knew
I liked you," Barbara said.
"Mother, you look fabulous," Heidi said.
"Thank you, honey. I was just going to say that to
my
mother."
Gracie laughed and slid in next to Stan and gave hima patronizing little pat on the arm. "Good work, kiddo," she said.
Barbara felt warmed by the sight of her family all together in one place. Stan liked to call the need she had to see all of them assembled at a meal her barbecue fantasy. Now if the fantasy came true, which it never did, they would all be happy to be there, get along smashingly well, and leave full of love for one another and better for the encounter.
"Your hair looks totally idiotic," Heidi said to Jeff, and the fantasy went the way of all fantasies.
"That dress is so tight, if you fart your shoes'll fly off."
"Time out, you two," Stan said. "You've been together one hour. Can you stay civil for one more, in honor of the celebration?"
"Classic sibling rivalry," Gracie said. "My girls had it constantly."
"No, we didn't. Not constantly," Barbara flared immediately, knowing as she did it was a mistake to rise to the bait.
"Let's call New York and ask Roz.
She
has a mind like a steel trap," Gracie said.
"Maybe that's why they had sibling rivalry, because you compared them, Grammy," Heidi said.
"I
never
compared them."
"Well, if Aunt Roz has a mind like a steel trap, what does my mom have?" Jeff asked.
"I'm debating whether I should call a waiter or a taxi," Stan said, and everyone laughed.
"I guess no dinner with our family would be complete without tears, insults, hurt feelings, and unfulfilled expectations," Barbara said.
"In other words, we're normal," Gracie offered, then she lifted her arm to hail a passing waiter. "Could we have menus here pronto, dear boy? I'm starved."
"Mother!"
"The real issue you and your family-therapy associates ought to confront is why people jump through such hoops to conceive babies in the first place. All the babies do is grow up and mistreat one another, and
you
in the bargain."
"You can understand why I'm such a shining example of mental health with a mother who has
that
philosophy," Barbara said.
"Happy anniversary, sweetheart," Stan said, patting her hand.
"You know what?" she said, smiling at him. "If we're still around for our fiftieth, let's just go on a cruise."
They said good-bye to Gracie and made their way home, Heidi and Barbara sitting in the
So after a fast shower, the application of some fresh makeup, and slipping into a dress she was proud she could still wear since it was about fifteen years old, she and Stan sat alone in a large booth at Valentino's. Maybe, she thought now, it had been a mistake not putting together a big blowout of an anniversary party. A quarter of a century of marriage was certainly something to celebrate.
Stan seemed unusually nervous. He kept looking over at the door, and postponing ordering dinner presumably because, as he told Barbara twice, he'd eaten a late lunch and wasn't very hungry yet. Now he was watching as a stunning young girl in a tight black minidress was being led across the restaurant. When the maître d' stepped aside and Barbara saw that the girl was Heidi, she let out a yelp of glee, followed by another when she realized that behind Heidi, dressed in a sport coat and tie, was Jeff. And miracle of miracles, behind Jeff was Gracie. She looked great in a silk shirtwaist dress and long dangly earrings Barbara hadn't seen her wear in years.
"Surprise, darling," Gracie said, and Barbara wondered if she was thinking the posh restaurant was excessive.
"Happy anniversary, Mommy," Heidi said, sliding into the booth and giving Barbara a hug.
"You planned this behind my back?" Barbara asked Stan.
"Of course," he said as he grinned, and received a kiss from his daughter.
"I
knew
I liked you," Barbara said.
"Mother, you look fabulous," Heidi said.
"Thank you, honey. I was just going to say that to
my
mother."
Gracie laughed and slid in next to Stan and gave hima patronizing little pat on the arm. "Good work, kiddo," she said.
Barbara felt warmed by the sight of her family all together in one place. Stan liked to call the need she had to see all of them assembled at a meal her barbecue fantasy. Now if the fantasy came true, which it never did, they would all be happy to be there, get along smashingly well, and leave full of love for one another and better for the encounter.
"Your hair looks totally idiotic," Heidi said to Jeff, and the fantasy went the way of all fantasies.
"That dress is so tight, if you fart your shoes'll fly off."
"Time out, you two," Stan said. "You've been together one hour. Can you stay civil for one more, in honor of the celebration?"
"Classic sibling rivalry," Gracie said. "My girls had it constantly."
"No, we didn't. Not constantly," Barbara flared immediately, knowing as she did it was a mistake to rise to the bait.
"Let's call New York and ask Roz.
She
has a mind like a steel trap," Gracie said.
"Maybe that's why they had sibling rivalry, because you compared them, Grammy," Heidi said.
"I
never
compared them."
"Well, if Aunt Roz has a mind like a steel trap, what does my mom have?" Jeff asked.
"I'm debating whether I should call a waiter or a taxi," Stan said, and everyone laughed.
"I guess no dinner with our family would be complete without tears, insults, hurt feelings, and unfulfilled expectations," Barbara said.
"In other words, we're normal," Gracie offered, then she lifted her arm to hail a passing waiter. "Could we have menus here pronto, dear boy? I'm starved."
"Mother!"
"The real issue you and your family-therapy associates ought to confront is why people jump through such hoops to conceive babies in the first place. All the babies do is grow up and mistreat one another, and
you
in the bargain."
"You can understand why I'm such a shining example of mental health with a mother who has
that
philosophy," Barbara said.
"Happy anniversary, sweetheart," Stan said, patting her hand.
"You know what?" she said, smiling at him. "If we're still around for our fiftieth, let's just go on a cruise."
They said good-bye to Gracie and made their way home, Heidi and Barbara sitting in the
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