For what seemed like an eternity, I had not received any communication from my stepdaughter, Isla. As a result, when she asked me to dinner, I believed that perhaps this was our opportunity to finally make up for our differences. The surprise that she had in store for me at that restaurant, however, was one that I could not have been prepared for.
I’m Graham, and I’m fifty years old. I have lived a life that is consistent, predictable, and, some would say, dull. I have a job that requires me to sit at a desk, I live in a little cottage, and I spend the most of my nights reading or watching television. There was no thrill or drama. To tell you the truth, I have had no problems with it.
My relationship with my stepdaughter, Isla, is the one aspect of my life that has never been completely resolved into a stable state.
Since our previous conversation, it had been more than a year, perhaps even closer to two years. We never really became close. Not even when I married her mother, Marla, while Isla was still in high school. Isla was still in high school. She never failed to keep me at a distance, and ultimately I stopped making such a concerted effort to get closer to her. On the other hand, she phoned out of the blue.
She said, “Hey, Graham,” with an attitude that was way too upbeat to be considered casual. “I’ve been wanting to test out this new eatery for quite some time now. You want to go have dinner?”
Unexpectedly, I was taken aback. Who is Isla? A call from me? A part of me believed that perhaps she was prepared to get back together, to smooth out the rough spots that existed between us. For many years, I had desired it.
I responded with an optimistic “Sure.” “Need only to send me the specifics.”
The location was quite elegant. Definitely not the type of place I would go to on a regular basis. Waiters dressed as if they had just come out of a movie, velvet booths, and soothing jazz playing in the background are all features of this restaurant. When I arrived, Isla was already seated, drinking sparkling water, and dressed to the nines. She was extremely well put together.
As she greeted Graham with a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes, she said, “Hey, Graham!”
My response was, “Hey,” and I took the seat opposite of her position. “There is something other than this place.”
“Yeah, figured we’d treat ourselves,” she remarked as she casually flicked the menu over. “We’re going to treat ourselves.” “Are you feeling hungry? When I thought that the lobster is… Possibly the ribeye as well.” Would you want to share?”
I got a little opportunity to take a quick look at the costs before she signaled for the waiter to come over. She boldly placed her order, which included lobster, steak, sides, and everything else.
Even though I had a feeling that something was odd, I went along with it. Isla continued to check her phone and responded to queries with a string of single-word responses. He seemed to be… nervous. Not paying attention.
I made an effort to communicate. “So, how was your life? It’s been quite some time.”
“Busy,” she said, avoiding establishing eye contact with the person.
“Are you so busy that you’re willing to go radio silent for an entire year?”
A firm shrug was given by her. “You are aware of the situation. Simply said, things tend to get away from you.
In the beginning, the discourse was just getting started. In every instance in which I attempted to be honest with her, she evaded me. It seemed as if she was waiting for someone, or perhaps she was waiting for it to be finished. Her eyes kept darting about.
And then the bill arrived.
As I usually do, I grabbed for it as I always do. At no point did I even flinch. But at precisely the moment that I was about to offer the waiter my card, Isla leaned over and whispered something to him.
She gave me a charming grin before I could inquire about what she had said. Be sure to come back. Gonna make a beeline for the bathroom.”
My stomach began to churn with unease as I watched her leave. My next step was to examine the law.
The pit of my stomach sank. The sum was staggering; it was far more than I had anticipated.
Some time had gone. There is no trace of her.
Waiter waited for a while. As I paid, I heaved a sigh and made an effort to put the sinking sensation behind me. This was a ruse, right? Perhaps I had simply been taken advantage of for a pricey supper.
With a heavy feeling of disappointment in my chest, I rose up to leave. Still, then—
“Hold on!”
I made a turn.
Isla was approaching me with a smile on her face, as if she were a child protecting a secret. She was holding a huge cake in one hand for her. A bunch of balloons was contained inside the other.
She was wearing a grin. “I can’t wait to see you as a grandpa!”
I was completely still and staring. “What…?”
By the time she smiled, her eyes were finally glistening with something genuine. “Because that is what the cake says!” She flipped it a few times. The words “Congratulations, Grandpa!” were written on the frosted pink and blue paper.
I blinked my eyes. “You had this planned out?”
She gave a little nod. “It was the waiter who was in on it. My goal was to make it a surprise for you. I was anxious, which is why I seemed strange when we were eating supper. For weeks, I’ve been making preparations for this.
There was a release of tightness in my chest. You did all of this for me, right?
She gazed down in a timid manner. I agree. I am aware that we have never been very close. Still, I would want for you to be a part of this. This is my life. The life of the infant.”
My throat became more constricted. For so many years, I had been under the impression that Isla did not have any room for me. To my surprise, she was there, presenting me with a piece of her heart.
At this point, I am at a loss for words.
“There is no need for you to make any statements,” she added. I want you to know that I am serious. I want you to be present for it!”
A embrace was the first thing that sprang to my mind as I drew her into a hug. There was a brief instant of ice, and then she dissolved into it.
After what seemed like years, I finally had a sense of belonging. As if I were more than simply her mother’s spouse; I was a member of her family.
As we began to separate, she let out a smile. Then… Ready to take on the role of grandpa?
While wiping a tear from the corner of my eye, I let out a little giggle. Wow, that’s six months! I suppose I had best get started on my reading.
The moment we walked out of the restaurant together, with the cake in one hand and the balloons flying above us, something inside me began to change.
We were not without flaws. We lacked refined standards. But throughout that evening, we evolved into something more.
We formed a family unit.
