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Dani looks beautiful, wearing a teal dress that complements her eyes, an ivory sweater draped over her shoulders. She’s drinking sparkling water instead of wine and I know it’s because she still feels bad about the work dinner in Vegas. I appreciate so much her willingness to be present with me, trying to get to know my friend and his wife, who also went to college with us.
Deb laughs. Garrett says, “Hey now, we’re in public.” But he’s grinning too.
I know my friends are happy for me that I’ve found my person. Deb spent half of our twenties attempting to set me up on blind dates with her single friends.
“I’m just saying you’re not as innocent as you pretend to be,” I murmur and lean over to kiss the side of Dani’s head. “I like that about you.”
“Anyway,” Dani says, shooting me a look that tells me I’m going to pay for my comment later, in the most delicious way possible. “What happened when you plugged the washer back in? Was the beer saved?”
“It wouldn’t open. It was still locked, though to this day I wonder if that’s true or not or if we were just panicking so hard we couldn’t get it open. And this was right before you could use a debit card or your student ID to pay for your laundry. It took quarters and it wouldn’t start without more quarters, so Garrett had to go scrounge up some change from the guys on the floor. Then we had to wait out the whole wash cycle.”
Garrett shakes his head. “By then, the cardboard had gotten soaked and torn. The cans got all shaken up and several exploded. The washer was full of sudsy, cheap light beer. The cans that were still intact blew up in our faces when we tried to open them in Michael’s room. Beer everywhere.”
“The little that was left was flat. A complete waste of money and a Friday night.”
“We ended up playing video games.” Garrett laughs. “Dreams of being cool completely shattered.”
“But we didn’t get caught. There’s that.”
“You still owe me ten bucks for that beer.”
This has been a long-standing joke. “It was as much your fault as mine. I don’t owe you shit.”
But I like that Dani is hearing about my youthful stupidity. I think sometimes she thinks I’ve never misstepped, and that isn’t true. I’ve had an evolution into adulthood just like anyone else. There is a little bit of spilled beer in everyone’s past.
“To think they both became brilliant doctors,” Deb says ruefully.
“Terrifying,” Dani agrees, shaking her head with a smile. “So what do you do, Deb? Michael told me your degree is in history.”
“I was a high school history teacher until we had our third child, then I stepped down. With Garrett’s schedule, it was too hard to juggle work and the kids. I’m a domestic goddess, as I prefer to call it.”
“And she’s amazing at it,” Garrett says with clear pride. “I couldn’t do what I do without her holding down the fort at home. Kids are a lot of work.”
“You think?” Deb says with an eye roll. “But honestly, raising three under six years old is easier than teaching history to teenagers who think the Boston Tea Party is an indie band.”
Dani asks to see pictures of their brood and I eat some of the calamari that’s in the center of the table for us to share. Dani isn’t the type to ask out of pure politeness. She loves kids, and it warms my heart to see her genuinely oohing and aahing over the photos on Deb’s phone.
“That one is the holy terror,” Garrett says, glancing over at Deb’s phone. “Our youngest, June. She’s the reason we’re stopping at three kids. She’s broken us.”
“Stubborn doesn’t even cover it,” Deb agrees.
“She looks so sweet.”
“Don’t let the blonde curls and big eyes fool you. Behind the adorable exterior hides the soul of a warrior. She’ll let blood be drawn before she gives in.”
“If you ever need a sitter, Michael and I would be happy to take your kids for a night so you can get a break.”
“You have no idea what you’re offering, but thank you.” Garrett shakes his head. “I love her, but I’m genuinely scared of that kid.”
I laugh.
Deb smacks his arm. “Stop, Garrett. She’stwo. Dani, do you want kids someday?”
“Deb, that’s a little personal,” Garrett says, reaching for his martini. “Don’t put Dani on the spot.”
We’ve talked only briefly about kids and so I’m curious to hear what Dani’s response will be. She doesn’t hesitate. “No, no, it’s totally fine. Yes, absolutely I want kids.”
That warms my heart. “And she’ll make an excellent mother. She’s very caring and generous.”
