The Family Dinner

Being late in August in Texas always ends up as a liquid affair. I should know and today was no exception. The good news — I guess — was that the glare for the sun prevented me from seeing the inside of the restaurant as I took the stairs two at a time. I knew that I was supposed to be there at 7:30 — and more importantly the place closed at 8 — so 7:55 pm on my watch only added to my stress.

That last minute demonstration of rapidity was lost on Claire. My sweat-through shirt and semi crumpled tie did not have any effect either. I was minutes late. She was angry.

“Don’t,” she said, raising her hand to stop my quick climb. “Johnny is keeping the place open late just for us, and you can’t even be on time.”

“I couldn’t …” I stammered, the words coming slowly because of nerves and being out of breath from the stairs.

“We ordered appetizers without you. Jennifer’s kids are too young. Did you forget that?”

I held her gaze. I had learned in the past not to look away. “Couldn’t be helped. That deal has to close. And it has to be this week.”

“Stop talking. Just stop.” Her hand was still even with her face. “You knew what today means to me and you were still late.” She paused to let her words sink in. “You knew and you still were a no show. If I wasn’t with my sister, I would have left a long time ago.” I let a small smile cross my lips. I couldn’t help it, but I was able to unsmile almost as quickly. I knew she saw it, and braced myself for the impact of that added slight. 

“Let’s get inside. I will apologize … to everyone.” I spoke the last of those words to the back of her head. She was already at the door before I started moving again. I took a deep breath, having learned that an equal expression or anger or frustration was not a good approach. Claire had proven in our five years of marriage that she could stay angry for a long time. Not the most attractive approach for her, but I was late — and I knew that she was right. So my deep breath allowed me some centering before going inside for the onslaught.

We were in a private room in the back, so we had to walk through the length of the restaurant. We weren’t walking together. I was more like some small dog on a leash trying to keep up while being walked by someone who had another appointment across town that she needed to get to. Again, I was late. I understood.

Our party was in a private area in the back of the restaurant. It was too hot to be outside but the space had a great view of the bayou out of the floor to ceiling windows. As we approached the area, the playful laughter of young children made me smile. Claire was three feet ahead of me and not looking in my direction so there was no need for me to suppress my reaction. 

That smile died as soon Melanie’s eyes met mine. Melanie had always been a strong mother, even before her husband Jonathan died three years ago. But since his passing, her grip on her daughters and their families seemed even more pronounced. She did have a soft spot for me, but my penchant for being late made that less easy.

“William,” she began. I flinched a little at my proper name. No one but my mother ever used it. Melanie knew that. It was the effect that she wanted. “You really must learn time management. This family dinner has been on the books for weeks.”

Like her daughter, she held my glance. I raised an eyebrow. She tended towards the over dramatic, and I caught a glimmer of recognition in her eye. I reminded myself that she did not have mind reading abilities, but it was pretty close.

“It’s not poor management. There was an emergency, a last minute thing. I got here as fast as I could. I mean, better late than never.”

“You flatter me,” she said as a slight smile crossed her lips. “But take my word for it, I’m not nearly as young as you think I am.” She paused for effect.

“You and I have had this conversation before. Jonathan had a demanding job too and I spend many an evening, standing outside a restaurant or two, waiting.

“You don’t need to explain to me how bus you are. But you should spend that time learning how to be on time for stuff. Or at least calling. When you need something, you know how to call or text or whatever. Extend the same courtesy to me as you expect from me.”

She sighed. “When I think of the times Jennifer has called me at the last minute to babysit…”

“C’mon. I know you’ve helped in the past, but Freddy and Jane are hardly a huge imposition, Grandma.”

“That’s not the point, William.” Again, not Billy…William. 

“I know. I know.” I extended my hands slightly, concerned that I had pushed back too hard. Melanie meant well, but she had no appreciation for the high stress of his job. Her daughter Claire was the same. Maybe that’s why I responded so strongly. It had been a long day. “I’m sorry. I really am. Am I — am I really the last person here?”

Her face told me the answer. I chuckled under my breath. 

“William, you are the last to arrive. You are always the last to arrive, but we all know that. After Billy’s team party last month, I thought you and I had an understanding: Be better. Nobody ever got in trouble for being early, and you seem to always be in trouble for being late.

“It shows a lack of respect, William. A lack of concern. And it’s frustrating. Claire deserves better. Your kids deserve better. So be better, William.”

My blood boiled just a little bit. “Melanie, it was not my fault.” She bristled but I continued. “The package had to be sent to New York for delivery tomorrow and Mr. Andrews — my boss — had another thing he had to do out of the office.”

“So he got to to leave…” she said.

“And I didn’t. Exactly.” My turn to pause for effect. “Andrews bolted and then the copy service had issues. It was a mess. I was lucky to get here when I did.”

Melanie smiled a little and touched my arm. “OK. OK. I just wish you had some appreciation of how aggravating it is when you are always late. We have kids here, and kids have expiration dates — You don’t know that firsthand yet, so you’ll just have to trust me on that. All we want is you to be part of the family as we celebrate things.

“We all know that this promotion for you is a big deal. Moving to a new city is going to be exciting and challenging, but Claire is going to hate it — and make you hate it — if you don’t learn how to make it things on time.

“You work hard, so that you can be the boss, so that you can be where you need to be when you need to be there. Don’t get to the top of the mountain to figure out you are there alone.”

My turn to sigh. “I said OK. Nashville is a huge step up for me. My big break, and I busted my tail just to get a sniff at that.”

“And you did that to make your life — and our lives — easier. Not to vanish completely from everyone’s lives.” As she said the last sentence, i noticed that the she had not removed her hand from my arm. She squeezed my arm a little harder for emphasis, never letting her eyes leave mine. “You are already moving out of state and taking my daughter with you. You’[ll have to forgive us if we are a little on edge.”

Her smile was a little broader than before. “We will miss you too, and we’ll be back… often.”

“Not as often as we’d like, William,” she said. “You do know that we have met.” Both of us laughed. 

“Melanie, you are nothing but a big softie. We don’t leave until next week, and you miss us already,” I said. “We really should get to the table. I’ve already kept Claire, Jennifer, and the kids waiting long enough.”

“True enough. Jennifer and I just wanted to have a little, intimate dinner before you took Claire away from us, but we better get in there,” she said, moving her hand to the inside of my right elbow. In one fluid move, she was by my side and we were walking like a couple at homecoming. I was clearly being led, almost pulled into the private room of the restaurant. In that instant, I through it was odd that the family was in a private room. Jennifer’s kids were sometimes a little overactive, but a private room was next level. An unnecessary step for most nights out. As if I needed proof, the private room seemed eerily quiet the close we got to the door.

“One last thing, Billy,” Melanie said as we approached the closed door to the private room. She paused. With one move, she opened the door and pushed me inside as the room erupted “SURPRISE!”

The room was full of neighbors, colleagues and even Andrews from the office.

“Guess we had you fooled,” Andrews said, approaching with an extended hand. “I was worried there for a while. I even had to call the copy people and ask them to to slow walk the copies.” He laughed to himself. “They were as surprised as I was. For years, I have yelled about them about being slow, but I convinced that there was a higher purpose in all of this.”

“Higher purpose? Ugh,” I said.

“Yes, William. We wouldn’t want to hurt your reputation by having you be early for once.”