"He's always hungry," Daddy said. "I think he's got two hollow legs."
We marched into the hotel, and Daddy and Edwina gaped around at everything.
"Bigger than I remember," Daddy remarked, nodding, his hands on his hips.
"Over there is the dining room," Jimmy said to Edwina, pointing, "and off left is what we call the card room or tearoom. There's a ballroom to the right where the guests see shows and dance at night. We'll take you out to see the pool and the tennis courts and—"
Jimmy stopped when Fern came running down the corridor to report to the bellhop desk. She never even saw us watching her.
"That's her, Daddy, little Fern," Jimmy said.
Daddy squinted as he gazed. Finally Fern turned our way, and Jimmy waved. She said something to Robert Garwood and then sauntered across the lobby slowly.
"Spitting image of Sally Jean," Daddy muttered. "Fern," Jimmy began, "this is your father."
Fern looked up at him with cold scrutiny as Daddy smiled.
"Don't you want to give your father a hug, honey?" I asked.
She shrugged.
"Oh, it's gonna take some time," Daddy said understandingly. "But I-guess we can shake hands, can't we?" he said, extending his. Fern looked at it as if it were diseased and then reluctantly placed hers in his. She pulled it back as quickly as she could.
"Hi," she said. "We don't look alike," she added quickly. Daddy threw his head back and roared. Fern looked away, but I saw her smirking.
"No," Daddy said. "You look more like your mother."
"This is Gavin," Jimmy said. Fern turned to him with more interest. Gavin, shy, looked back intently, his dark brown eyes scanning her from head to toe.
"Hello, Gavin," Fern said. Then, surprisingly, she leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek. He looked just as surprised as the rest of us. "May I take him and show him around?" she asked. "I can take him to the ballroom where Christie's having her piano lesson."
"Gavin, you want to go with your sister?" Jimmy asked him. He looked at Jimmy and then at Daddy, who kept smiling widely. Gavin nodded, and Jimmy lowered him to the floor. Fern seized his hand and started away, Gavin trotting to keep up.
"Wait, Fern," I said. She turned back impatiently. "You haven't said hello to Edwina," I reminded her.
"Hello," Fern said quickly.
"Hi, Fern," Edwina said, smiling. Fern started away again.
"We'll meet right here in ten minutes or so," Jimmy called after her.
"Ain't she something?" Daddy said, shaking his head. "Gonna be a heartbreaker, that one," he added.
"I believe you're right, Daddy," Jimmy said. "Come on. Let us show you about. Sure you don't want something to eat or drink first?"
"I'm too excited," Edwina said. She threaded her arm through Daddy's. I decided they did look good together, and I could see from the way he looked at her that he loved her very much.
I never realized how proud I was of Cutler's Cove until we showed Daddy and Edwina around. They were so impressed with everything and Daddy kept saying things like, "I can't believe this is all yours, honey. Wouldn't Momma be just burstin' with joy?"
After we had shown them about the hotel and Daddy saw all the changes, we gathered Fern, Gavin and Christie together and walked over to the house, where Daddy and Edwina oohed and ahhed some more. Jimmy took Daddy around to show him some of the details of the construction while I paraded Edwina about the dining room and living room, showing her our furniture and artwork. Mrs. Boston put up some water for tea, and we sat around and talked some more. The children went upstairs with Fern so Christie could show Gavin all her toys. Fern had taken to the role of big sister rather quickly.
"I can't get over how mature Fern is for her age," Edwina said, shaking her head.
I knew that Jimmy had told Daddy everything about her, so I didn't have to go into Fern's tragic history. Instead, Edwina told me about herself, how she had been married before, but how her husband of only two years had been killed in a truck accident in Texas. Less than a year later she had met Daddy, and they had taken to each other quickly. We had a good talk while Jimmy and Daddy inspected the house and the grounds. I decided I liked Edwina a lot, and I could see how she would be a good stabilizing influence on Daddy. He and Jimmy came in on us while she was telling me how much Daddy's boss liked him.
"Nobody blows my horn better than she does," Daddy remarked. Edwina smiled up at him, and they kissed. Jimmy and I exchanged a quick glance, both of us happy to see Daddy so pleased with his life now. I thought Jimmy was right about him—he was a changed man, more settled, gentler, wiser.
When we looked in on Gavin, Fern and Christie we found Gavin and Christie seated quietly on the floor with Fern standing above them, her arms folded across her chest. She looked like a stern schoolteacher. Christie and Gavin had toys and games all around them.