Page 101 of Fathers of the Bride

“So, what’s your concept for the book?” I asked, not allowing her to distract me.

“Perseverance. It’s a patriarchal society, very poor. Life is challenging for women. And yet the women I met, they’re entrepreneurial, optimistic, ready to change their lives and the world.”

“Well, that sounds like it’s worth writing a book about.”

She smiled and then said, “We’ll see if I do it.”

“I think you will.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. Thank you for donating to Safe Harbor. That was very sweet of you and Daddy.”

“Well, we certainly weren’t going to buy you a car,” I teased.

“I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

“Absolutely not.”

* * *

“She knows,”I said when Miles picked up. I was still sitting outside our house having just dropped Kelly off.

“She who?”

“Your daughter. Remember? The girl you’re making a wedding for?”

“Oh God, Andy, the last few days have been a nightmare. Dermont Dilory hasn’t been able to find cod. Cod! I mean it’s a basic fish, right? He wants to substitute tilapia. I’m adamant that he should not do that. Wait. What does Kelly know?”

“About you and me.”

“Well, that’s over so there’s nothing to know.”

I was silent for a moment, then said, “I guess that’s true.”

“I forgot napkins. I don’t know how I did that, but now every cloth napkin in the city is already rented. I mean, I could buy two hundred and fifty cloth napkins, but then what would I do with them?”

“You could always get—"

“Don’t say paper, I will scream. We are simply not using paper napkins at my daughter’s wedding. I’m going to have to buy them. It’s my only choice.”

“All right, so buy napkins.”

“Thank you. You’re being really good, you know that?”

“Miles, don’t talk about me like I’m a puppy.”

“All right, I apologize. But youarebeing—”

“Miles.”

We were silent for a long time. Finally, I said, “Well, I—”

“I would have been okay, you know,” Miles said. “If you’d told me the truth about the show.”

“I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.”

“Andy, I know who I am.” After a brief pause, he added, “To be honest, I liked it better when it was only straight people who hated me.”

“If it’s any consolation there are still a lot of straight people who hate you.”