Page 91 of Meant to Be

“Yes—and cantankerous with the press,” Gary said, laughing. “She has no time for their nonsense.”

I waited for Gary to tell Cate that she and Katharine were actually pretty good friends, but she didn’t, likely not wanting to name-drop.

“You know…she wore pants in public long before most women would have dared to do so,” my grandmother added instead.

“Not before you did, Gary!” I said.

“We’re talking about Hollywood, Joe,” my grandmother said, always so modest. “She’s a trailblazer in that world—”

“Yeah,” I said. “And you’re theoriginaltrailblazer!”

My grandmother attempted to deflect again, but Cate returnedto the subject, asking about Gary’s work for women’s suffrage. Her probing questions led to a long, lively discussion about politics, really the first time I’d ever heard Cate talk about the subject beyond telling me who she voted for in the ’92 election. She was so at ease with Gary, way more than she had been with my mother and Berry, although to be fair, Cate never really had the chance to talk with them.

On that subject, I went out on a limb toward the end of dinner, telling my grandmother about our disastrous trip to the Hamptons. She sided with me, as I knew she would, and showed Cate the appropriate amount of empathy. I wasn’t sure what Cate’s reaction would be to my raising the subject—she was usually so private—but she chimed right in, filling in the gaps of the story, blaming her own mother more than mine.

I shook my head, debating the point, then told my grandmother about our deal. That we were going to let both our mothers—and Berry—off the hook.

“I think that’s the right result,” Gary said, nodding. “You have to remember—people generally do the best they can.”

Cate leaned in, listening. “What if their best is abysmal? And I’m speaking of my mother now. Not his.”

“Well,” Gary said. “At that point, we have to work even harder to show them grace and forgiveness.”

As Cate earnestly nodded, I smiled and said, “But, Gary, why is your best so much better than everyone else’s? Huh?”

“It’s not,” my grandmother said. “We just see eye to eye, Joey.”

“Always have,” I said.

“And I can tell the two of you do as well,” my grandmother said.

“Yeah, we do, Gary,” I said, nodding, then smiling over at Cate. “We really do.”

—

The next day,I called my mother and asked if I could come over after work to talk.

“Of course,” she said. “What time?”

“Six?”

“Perfect. Would you like to stay for dinner?”

“No, thank you. I just want to talk. It shouldn’t take long,” I said.

“Certainly,” she said.

“Great. Do you mind if I ask Berry to come, too? I’d love to talk to the two of you together.”

“Of course. Then I’ll see you both tonight.”

—

I ran intoBerry in the lobby of my mother’s building. We were both soaking wet, caught in an unexpected summer downpour, which gave us something to talk about on the elevator ride upstairs. We walked into the foyer, and my mother ran to fetch us towels.

After drying off the best I could, I walked straight into the living room, all business, taking my usual spot on the sofa. My mother followed.

“Can I get you a drink?” she asked as Berry ducked into the powder room.

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