Page 6 of Child of Mine

Jess gives me a side hug. “My sister’s a pro, treats kids at her practice all day and still never loses it with those two.”

“And your nieces are such nice girls. I’m sure I’m just having jitters. Not ready for my baby to leave the nest.”

“I thought you’d be more worried about the dog-and-pony show we have to put on at the fundraiser tonight.”

“Ugh. Thanks for reminding me.”

“You know our scene and our delightful personalities will charm the money right out of those Shakespeare Boston donor pockets.” She links arms with me. “Have I told you how much I love playing your sister? It’s much more fun squabbling onstage with you than fighting with my real-life one.”

Like daughter, like mother, I guess, because I find myself wishing Jessweremy sister. She’s become the next best thing: my closest friend. I wonder, though, would she like me so much if she knew everything there is to know about me? The things that didn’t make it into the gossip pages, as well as the ones that did?

“Hey, how’s my second-favorite Boston actress?”

After this greeting, I’m enveloped in a warm hug from Cal Alonso. Even though I’ve spent a lot of time with him since he and Jess got together, it still throws me every time the voice and the body come together. It’s not the scars that cover the left side of his body. It’s that I listened to him on the radio for years before meeting him in person, and I’m still a little starstruck… the way some soap opera fans feel about me, I suppose. It’s been a few years since someone recognized me at the grocery store, but between my time on the PBS showBoomand the soap, I was on TV and in the public eye for ten years. Ten long years.

“You ladies should eat, fuel up for tonight,” Cal says, steering us toward the food tables.

It’s a relief that he and Jess aren’t drinking. Jess wouldn’t since we have to perform tonight, but I really appreciate that Cal isn’t popping a beer either since he’s the one driving the girls back to Boston.

With one eye on Lilah, now running toward the waterslide—where did she leave her clothes and can we find them again?—I fill my plate. “Cal, you should’ve told me it was a potluck. I would’ve brought something.”

“Penny says there’s always way too much food at this shindig. Don’t worry about it.”

We settle on some folding chairs and watch the kids on the slide. A couple of dads are supervising, making sure everything’s safe, so I let myself relax. “Man, I don’t remember the last time I had fried chicken. This is so good.”

“Same here,” Jess says. “Literally finger-lickin’ good.”

“Any of that for me?” Cal asks.

She swats him away. “Get your own!”

When he makes a pouty face, she groans before giving him a wing. “He’s got me trained better than his damn dog.” After finishing her own, she wipes her hands on a napkin. “I’m ready for dessert, anyway. If you two are lucky, maybe I’ll bring you some.”

Cal shoots a smile at me. We’re both glad to see that Jess has gained some weight back. Her time in therapy seems to be paying off. The look on his face as he watches her skip away is a testament to the work they’ve both put into the relationship. They might’ve had a rocky start, but it’s clear they’re good for each other. I can’t imagine letting a guy into my complicated life, but I’m glad it’s working for them.

“I have a confession to make,” Cal says.

When he doesn’t continue, I intone, “‘How many days since your last confession?’ Is that what I’m supposed to say next?”

He laughs. “Don’t tell my mom, but it’s been so long since I went to mass I’ve forgotten the script.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.” I circle a hand in the air between us. “Go on, get it off your chest. I’m sure I’ve done worse.”

“I don’t know if you noticed, but when we first met, I was probably a bit cold to you.”

Furrowing my brow, I try to remember. “Maybe. I figured you were probably just shy.”

He shrugs. “I am still working on letting go of self-consciousness about my scars, you know, not assuming that it’s the only thing a person sees when they meet me.”

“Well, I was probably awkward too. Every time you open your mouth, I expect to hear music.”

He laughs. “Guess I should carry a boombox with me.”

A squeal from Lilah has me rising out of my chair, but when I find her face in the crowd and see that she’s laughing, I sit back down again. “Sorry. What was it you wanted to confess?”

The right side of his mouth lifts in a lopsided, sheepish grin. “When I saw you for the first time, all I could see was Quinn.”

“You watchedAs the Earth Revolves?” I do a quick calculation. “Wouldn’t you have been in school when it was on?”

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