Page 98 of Fathers of the Bride

“Why do you say that?”

“The look on your face. You looked happy.”

“Yes, I was having nice thoughts. Remembering. Is that enough of the green beans? Or did you want more?”

She nodded enthusiastically for more. I tried not to make a face.

Between dinner and dessert, the volunteers were allowed to go through the buffet and fill up our plates. There was usually enough food, though some years we’d had to do without cranberry sauce. After filling my plate, I went and found Andy. I sat down right across from him.

“I feel like we should clear the air,” I said. Maybe that wasn’t the right way to start, I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m not even sure what I—

“Yes. Our daughter is getting married in just a few weeks. She deserves two fathers who can be in the same room together. I think we should be good exes. Don’t you?”

I sat for a moment, thinkingno that’s not what I wanteven as I said, “Yes, that’s a very good idea. Good exes. Exactly the right way to put it.”

“Someday, maybe even someday soon, there will be grandkids. We need to be able to tolerate each other.”

“I think we can do better than that,” I said.

“Yes, I’m sure we can.” He took a bite of his dinner and frowned. “You’re not going to like this.”

I took a bite. The turkey was dry and tasteless, and it wasn’t helped by the gravy, which suffered from too much cornstarch. Didn’t anyone make a roux anymore? I mean, it’s not that hard.

Spontaneously, I invited Andy to Christmas dinner. “It’s not that far off,” I said. “And we should work it out now, in advance. I mean, we’re going to have to share Kelly with her in-laws. If we’re splitting her up between us as well then we’ll never see her.”

“That sounds very practical. Thank you. What are you thinking? That we’ll have the kids for Christmas Eve and then they’ll go to the Lincoln-Collinses for Christmas Day?”

“Yes. That sounds perfect,” I agreed.

Andy took a bite of the turkey and frowned again. Ignoring that, he said, “We have to decide on a wedding present for Kelly and Avery. We agreed to do it together. Unless you’ve changed your mind.”

“No, I haven’t. What do you want to get them?”

“I don’t know. He has a condo. I assume he has furniture.”

“And he can certainly afford furniture if he doesn’t.”

“We’re not buying them a car.”

“No. That wouldn’t work out.” Since they already had plans on what they’d buy. And there was the whole BMW fiasco.

“This would be the perfect time for family heirlooms,” Andy said wistfully. “Too bad we don’t have any.”

“I could give her my Boy George albums.”

He gave me the side eye. “What about cash?”

“She’ll just give it away.”

“How about we give it away for her? We could give Safe Haven some money.”

“Five hundred?” he suggested.

“More than that.”

“A thousand?”

“Twenty-five hundred,” I suggested.