His dad just gave a tight smile and glanced toward Gary and the baby. “This isn’t going to be easy,” he said.
Jonah nodded as he heard the conversation pick up outside. “Let me check on them.” He walked toward the wide-open sliders to see Kate and Sally standing side by side at the railing.
“Actually, I live in Upstate New York, in Ithaca,” he heard Kate say.
“Really?” Sally turned, looking truly interested for the first time. “I went to school in Ithaca.”
Kate blinked “Cornell?”
Sally nodded.
“Oh, I work at Cornell,” Kate said, her smile growing. “I’m a research scientist. What did you study in college?”
“I didn’t go there for undergrad, but I got a law degree there. Don’t use it much, but…yes.”
“Law? My father taught at the law school—Dr. Wylie.”
Sally’s hand slammed to her chest, eyes wide. “You’re kidding? Professor Wylie is your father?”
“You knew him?”
She seemed almost speechless. “I knew and adored him. He was my favorite professor!” she gushed, then frowned. “Knew? Is he…”
Kate nodded. “We lost him less than a year ago.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see that in the alumni newsletter, but then, I don’t always open it.” She thought for a second, studying Kate. “He often talked about his twin daughters.”
“I’m one of them,” she said. “My sister, Tessa, is here, too. You’ll meet her later.”
As Jonah watched, he could literally feel the tension lifting, replaced by warmth, commonality, and connection.
He didn’t know this great Artie Wylie fellow, but he sure wanted to thank him right now.
“Gary,” Sally called, turning and coming into the house. On the way, she stopped and smiled at Jonah for the first time. “Isn’t it a small world?”
“Tiny,” he said, stepping aside so she could walk in.
When she did, Kate came closer, and he just reached down and hugged her. “I love you, Katherine the Great.”
She smiled at his kitchen-born nickname for her. “Back at you, young man. Now, come on, let’s make them comfortable.”
Inside, Sally was borderline animated, sharing a story about how Dr. Wylie used Marvel characters to teach “legal boundaries and zealous advocacy”—whatever that was.
Jonah didn’t care. He was just awash with gratitude.
With each compliment for her father, Kate’s expression softened with pride and a touch of sorrow.
“He would have loved to hear that he made such an impression,” she told Sally.
During the conversation, Jonah could see Sally visibly relax and his optimism rose.
Surely the woman who’d learned legal ethics from Saint Artie wouldn’t try to abuse the law to steal her own grandchild away from his father, right?
Sally reached for the baby, who was now chewing on his own fingers, and asked, “May I feed him?”
“Of course,” Jonah said. “That’s his first sign of hunger. His second is…louder.”
She chuckled and brushed his little cheek. “Do you cry, Muffin?” she asked in a light baby voice.
