“Still sleeping. Where’s Eli?” he asked his sister.
His mother and sister exchanged a look. “We decided to take two cars,” Sarah said. “He and Ari and the boys are on their way up now.”
Sam pulled his chair closer to his sister. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Sarah answered, too quickly. She wore a white sundress, damp at the back and the shoulders from her shower-wet hair. Her feet were bare, toes freshly painted, and she seemed fidgety as she spun, with one hand, her coffee cup on the table. Her other hand, Sam noticed, rested on her pocket, through which he could see the outline of her phone. Maybe she was worried about Eli and the boys, he thought, or expecting a text from the car.
“When will they be here?” Ronnie asked.
“No idea,” said Sarah. “All I know is that Eli’s doing all the driving because Ari’s license is currently suspended.” She sighed. “Also, there’s a bench warrant for him in Connecticut.”
“Why?” Sam asked.
“I don’t want to know.” Sarah shook her head. “I think your assignment, should you choose to accept it, will be to keep Ari away from the pot dispensaries.”
“They have those here?” Sam asked.
“Oh, sure,” said Ronnie. “There’s one in Wellfleet called the Piping Plover. I liked the name so much I went in to compliment them, and they gave me a sample!”
“Jesus, Ma,” said Sam.
“Well, I didn’t take it,” Ronnie said primly.
“Throw it away,” said Sarah. “The absolute last thing I need is Ari getting high.” She sighed, and wrapped both hands around her mug.
“How are you doing?” Ronnie asked. “Has planning this been stressful?”
Sarah shook her head. “It’s not that. It’s…” She shook her head again. Sam watched his sister carefully, wondering if she’d tell Ronnie what was troubling her. Finally, Sarah just said, “Eli’s been a little moody.”
Good job, Sam thought, feeling glad that his sister had broached the topic and relieved that the focus was off him.
“Maybe it’s the wedding,” Ronnie suggested. “His little girl is getting married. It’s a big thing for a father.”
“I don’t know.” Sarah’s voice was low. “God knows I’d never say this to Ruby, but I think this wedding is a mistake. She hasn’t known Gabe that long, and she’s so young.”
“So maybe that’s it,” Ronnie said.
“I don’t know!” Sarah said. She drew a shaky breath. “I’d assume that he was having an affair, except I don’t know when he’d have time. He’s under my feet every minute of the day.” She shuddered. “And he’s got those plantar fasciitis flip-flops.” Sarah pointed at her mother. “I blame you for those, by the way.”
Ronnie looked bewildered. “How are his flip-flops my fault?”
“Because your friend was the one who told him how great they were.”
“Ah,” said Ronnie. “A thousand pardons.” She reached across the table and patted Sarah’s forearm. “I don’t know what’s going on with him. But Eli loves you.”
In a leaden voice, Sarah said, “Sometimes people change.”
It struck Sam that he wouldn’t get a more perfect segue, or a better moment for his big reveal. You know how you think you can know someone, and then they surprise you? You know how you think you know yourself? Well, guess what I just figured out! He opened his mouth, unsure of how to start. Which, of course, was the moment that Eli’s car came crunching up the driveway. As soon as the car stopped, both back doors popped open, and Dexter and Miles raced out of the car. Ari ambled out after them, wearing rumpled khaki cargo shorts and a T-shirt from a half marathon that Sam was almost positive that Eli, not Ari, had run.
“Hello, hello,” Ari called, giving a genial wave, as Eli started to remove what looked like a dozen bags and suitcases from the trunk. Connor, still in his Spider-Man pajamas, hurried out of the house to greet his cousins. “You guys. You guys, guess what? There’s a beach here! And a pool! And a shower, and the shower is outside!”
“We KNOW!” said Dexter, who was trying to run and talk and take off his shoes at the same time. Eli came thumping up the steps with a tote bag in one hand and a canister of sunscreen in the other, calling, “Children! Do not even think about going in the water until you bring your things inside!”