Road to Reality (17 page)

“Ready to go?” Mac asked when he walked into Beth’s apartment to pick them up a few hours later.              

He looked sexy as hell in his suit.  She loved looking at him dressed up, and was proud to know he was on her arm with her wearing her one and only other dress that would be suitable in her mind. A light blue and white wrap dress that she bought on sale at the Gap.  She wasn’t sure she would have ever had an opportunity to wear it, but at seventy percent off she couldn’t pass it by, and she was glad she didn’t. 

Paired with white wedges, and keeping her hair simple by wearing it down and naturally wavy, she felt almost comfortable. In her mind, she looked the right combination of modern and chic.

Zoe was dressed in a cute yellow and white sundress with a little white cardigan and white sandals, while a matching yellow headband held her curls away from her face.

Mac looked back and forth between the two of them, shining with pride. “Don’t you both look so pretty?  I must be the luckiest guy in the world right now.”

A little over an hour later, Mac pulled into the restaurant parking lot, and Beth tried to gently wake Zoe in the backseat. “I hope she isn’t grouchy. She isn’t always happy to be woken up,” Beth stated, worried.

“She’ll be fine. Don’t worry,” Mac said, trying to reassure her. She was nervous enough as it was and the thought that Zoe might misbehave was making her anxious on top of it.

Since they were the first to arrive, Mac secured a private table in the back room, knowing his mother’s preferences.  Within moments, Brooke and Lucas entered.  Lucas was wearing a suit like Mac, and Brooke was dressed in a light yellow high-waist sheath dress with floral print pumps.  The dress disguised her tiny belly that she proudly showed off to everyone the night before.

“Zoe.” Brooke walked straight to the little girl. “We match today.”

Zoe looked at Brooke and then pointed at her dress. “Yellow.” Then pointed to herself. “I have a yellow dress, too.” She smiled, showing her two dimples.

“Yes, you do, but I don’t have a pretty headband like you do.” Brooke sighed, feigning sadness.

At the mention of her headband, Zoe lifted a tiny hand and primped her hair to everyone’s amusement.  “Mommy makes me pretty.”

***

A few minutes later, Mac’s parents walked into the back room.  Richard Malone looked handsome in a suit, not quite as handsome as Mac, though. Paula looked lovely dressed similar to Brooke in a pale pink sheath dress with low tan heels, not a hair out of place.

A waiter entered with a booster seat for Zoe, resulting in a frown from Paula, who turned her head and finally noticed that Mac wasn’t alone.  Zoe, scared at the arrival of Mac’s parents, had gone over and raised her hands to be held by him, hiding her face in his neck.

“Mother, you remember Beth and Zoe,” Mac said, leaning in to kiss his mother’s cheek. Paula briefly glanced at both Beth and Zoe, and then turned her attention away.  Richard shook his son’s hand and tried to shake Zoe’s to get her to smile.  Zoe allowed the handshake, only she didn’t smile, just looked at him shyly.

Richard quickly walked the few steps toward to Brooke. “Happy birthday, Brooke.” He hugged her and placed a kiss on her cheek. “Married life seems to agree with you. You are positively glowing,” he added cheerfully, sounding in an odd contradiction to his deep monotone voice.

“Thanks, Dad.” She stole a quick glance at Lucas, smiling at their secret, causing Beth to smile, too, temporarily overruling her anxiety.

Everyone was taking a seat when Paula spoke. “Brooklyn dear, you do look lovely, but just because you are married doesn’t mean you should relax too much. You look like you’ve put a few pounds on.”

Beth’s eyes grew wide. Brooke was in the best shape of anyone she knew, even with a few pounds on no one would have any idea she was even pregnant right now.

Before Brooke, or even Lucas could comment, because he looked fit to be tied, Mac jumped in to Brooke’s defense. “Really, Mother, I would think being relaxed in a marriage is a good thing.” He winked at Brooke.

Paula huffed out. “I’m not surprised you would think so, Mackenzie. You’ve never been as disciplined as the rest of us.”

“Thank you,” he replied happily, taking the comment as a compliment rather than the insult it was obviously intended as.  Beth was trying to hide her shock over the comment to begin with and couldn’t believe Mac replied with a smile.  But maybe that was a game they played. Who was she to say differently?

Lucas, who was sitting on the other side of Beth, was trying hard to not laugh by covering his mouth. He turned to play peek-a-boo with Zoe, attempting to get a smile out of her.  Zoe seemed shy and unsure of herself around the group of adults, so Beth was thankful Lucas was attempting to ease Zoe’s fears.  She wished someone would try to ease hers.

The waiter returned, saw everyone was seated and took the drink orders. When the waiter turned toward Zoe, he asked if she would like a glass of juice. 

But Beth said, “No, Zoe. You had your juice for today. How about a glass of water instead?” She turned to the waiter. “Do you have any small glasses for her?  Plastic would be best, if possible.” 

Zoe frowned and pursued her lips, then turned to Mac. “Can I have juice, please?”

He had the gall to grin, then looked over her tiny head at Beth, and knew better not override her on this. “I’m sorry, sweetie. Mommy said you had your juice today, but I’ll get a glass of ice water too, like you. How is that?”

“OK,” Zoe replied merrily, crisis averted.

“Aren’t you such a doll,” the waiter told her. “We will get you your own special cup, too. Maybe I can find one to match that pretty dress.”

“Yellow,” Zoe informed him, as if he couldn’t see.

“Mackenzie, she should know better than to try to play you two against each other,” Paula said, referring to Zoe’s attempt for juice.

Beth opened her mouth to respond, but Lucas beat her to it.  “Oh, I don’t know, Paula,” he said. “I think Zoe is smarter than the rest of us.  She knows what she wants and has figured out how to get it, but she can take no for an answer better than most. Right, sweetie?” he asked Zoe with a wink.

Zoe, obviously confused over what Lucas had said, only grinned at him, her blue eyes a bit wide. Beth knew her daughter had a soft spot for Lucas.

Paula turned her nose at Lucas, but before she could make another comment the waiter was returning with their drinks, placing a flowered cup in front of Zoe. “Oh, pretty flowers.” Zoe looked up at the waiter with bright eyes and smiled widely. “Thank you,” she exclaimed.

“Paula, she seems to have some pretty good manners to me,” Richard said.  “I don’t know too many young kids who say please and thank you all the time at that age. At least not without prompting.”

Beth was thankful that Mac’s father had defended Zoe also, and sent him a shy smile, causing him to wink back at her.  She was beginning to see where Mac got his charm.

  Then she turned her attention to the menu, not only shocked at the prices, but also alarmed to see there were no children’s dishes on the menu.  When it came time to place her order, she asked, “Is it possible for Zoe to share my meal? She could never eat a full one.”

“No worries, we do half portions for children. I keep telling the owners they should list that on the menu,” the waiter added helpfully.

“Oh, OK. Then can I get a half portion of the grilled chicken and vegetables for Zoe?  And I’ll have the grilled salmon.” Mac ordered a steak, making it three choices for Zoe. With any luck they wouldn’t have a food disaster on their hands. The waiter finished up everyone’s order and quietly left the room.

“Now that everyone is set, Lucas and I have an announcement to make.”  Brooke picked up Lucas’s hand in hers and looked at her parents sitting across from her. “I’m pregnant.”

Beth saw Paula’s face light up, proving maybe Mac’s mother wasn’t as cold as she originally thought.  Richard stood up and walked around to pull Brooke out of her chair and give her another hug and then shook Lucas’s hand. 

“Oh, I’m so thrilled to be a grandmother,” Paula exclaimed. Then ruined it. “I look too young to be called Grandma though. I’ll think of another name to be called.”

“I’m sure you will, Mother,” Brooke said with a sigh.

Mac rolled his eyes, causing Zoe to giggle at the funny face he made.

“How are you feeling, Brooke? Any issues with your back?” her father asked, concerned.

“I’m feeling great.  Between Mac and Lucas watching my every move, and Cori and Jack, I don’t think anyone is going to let me get away with trying to hide anything,” she replied.

“Jack?” Paula asked. “Cori was the loud little redhead at your wedding, but who is Jack? And shouldn’t you be talking with your orthopedist and getting opinions there, too?”

“Jack is my orthopedist. Dr. Reynolds,” she clarified for her mother.

“That’s a little unprofessional, calling your doctor by his first name, don’t you agree?” Paula asked, appalled.

“I would agree,” Lucas interrupted. “Except Jack is engaged to Brooke’s best friend. I’m pretty sure formality is ruled out then.”

“Mommy, can I have my mini? Please?” Zoe asked her mother.

Beth was taken back for a minute as she was watching the mixed reactions around the table. She may have never had a family life, but the tension in the room every time Paula spoke to Brooke or Mac was hard to miss. “Sure, sweetie.” She reached over and pulled the tablet from her purse and handed it to Zoe, knowing it would entertain her before the food arrived.

“Don’t you think she is a bit young to be playing with electronics, Mackenzie?” Paula asked her son, continuing to ignore Beth.

Just as Beth opened her mouth to respond, Mac addressed his mother. “Actually, you and Beth both feel the same way,” he said, causing his mother to frown critically. “But I disagree with both of you.  If used in moderation, and properly, they are great learning tools. Zoe is easily further ahead than most children her age in terms of letters and numbers right now.”

They were saved once again by the waiter, who seemed to have perfect timing today with the arrival of their meals.  Thankfully the rest of the meal was done in relative quiet, just a few comments regarding work thrown about.  There was only one more tense moment when Paula asked, “Brooke, when are you going to quit your job and stay home to raise the baby?”

Luckily Lucas came to Brooke’s defense and spoke first, because at that moment Beth was sure Brooke was going to explode, her knuckles had even turned white while she gripped her fork. “Brooke definitely has the option to quit her job and stay home full time, but she also has my support to continue working. It will be her decision for what’s best for her. Both my parents worked and I turned out fine,” he added with a boyishly charming grin.

Within an hour, the last of the plates were being cleared away, everyone’s patience at its end. Thankfully the dinner was officially over.

“Mommy, I need to go potty,” Zoe said, starting to squirm in the chair.  Beth hurriedly stood up and unhooked Zoe from the booster seat and excused the two of them.  When she returned a few minutes later it was to find Mac’s parents had left without saying goodbye. She thought it was odd, but then again, she didn’t really care at this point, she was just relieved it was almost over.

But she felt bad for Mac. She could see he was putting up a valiant effort to be cheerful and unaffected by his mother’s comments, unfortunately she knew better. She noticed his hand fisted in his lap every time Paula made a negative comment regarding Zoe or Brooke.  For her part, she didn’t care what they thought of her, but she
did
care how they treated Mac.  And was especially bothered by the attacks on Zoe, or rather Beth’s parenting of Zoe. 

“Well, another lovely dinner party,” Lucas said, trying to break the tension in the room.

Everyone laughed, though no one really thought the comment was funny. 

***

As the five of them left the restaurant together, Brooke reached over and gave Mac a hug and kiss goodbye. “I’m sorry that you got the brunt of it again.”

“Don’t be. I expected it.  I’m upset that she had to find a way to turn your happy news into something frustrating.”

Brooke shrugged. Her mother was who she was, and there was nothing Brooke could do about it anymore. “Well, I’ll talk to you later.” She turned and gave Beth a hug goodbye, clearly surprising her. Then gave Zoe a hug and kiss, too. 

“I don’t know how Mac does it,” Brooke told Lucas on the drive home.  “How does he keep his patience like that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think Mac is as patient as you think.  Nor do I think this is going to go on much longer.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. It’s a hunch,” Lucas replied. “I didn’t miss Mac’s reaction every time Paula took a shot at Zoe, or at Beth’s parenting.  I would bet anything Mac is going to be having a talk with his mother soon, if not avoiding her altogether in the future.”

“I hope she isn’t like that when our baby is born,” Brooke said solemnly.