“There are animals,” Lin Su said.

“Outdoor animals,” Grace said. “Besides, Scott and Peyton are going. You can’t ask for a safer trip than that.”

“I would prefer he not go.”

“I knew it,” Charlie said inconsolably.

“I bet you haven’t had many trips or nights away from your mother, have you, Charlie?” Winnie asked.

“Oh, sure, I travel like mad.”

“I propose a choice,” Blake said. “I know it doesn’t trump his mother’s decision, but Charlie can go with us to a movie or to the farm with Grace and Troy. And his doctor, of course.”

“Oh, let me think,” Charlie said. “This is a really hard one. I just don’t know if I can choose...”

Everyone at the table laughed. Except Lin Su.

“We could always let you choose the movie,” Blake said.

“Aw, man,” he said, grabbing his head in both hands. “You’re killing me!”

Lin Su put the basket of garlic toast on the table.

“Sit down, Lin Su,” Winnie said. “No one is going to tell you what to do. You’re the mother. Just a little loving interference.”

“I can take care of my own social life,” she said again.

“Of course you can, darling,” Winnie said. “Now, Grace, I want you to plan to go this weekend. After my other leg and my arms follow suit, you might not get away until my granddaughter goes to school.”

“I really don’t care, Mama. You and the baby are my priorities right now.”

“That’s really so lovely of you, darling. Now tell us all about this new employee you have...”

Grace began to serve plates of lasagna. “Ronaldo. I think I’m in love, provided he continues to behave himself. He has a very moody side, but he promises to control it.”

“I’d have a better shot at Ronaldo than you would,” Troy said, grabbing and passing the bread.

There was a lot of laughter, everyone talking at once, teasing one another, no one exempt from the interference at the table. Winnie noticed Lin Su was conspicuously quiet for a while. No wonder—people were interfering in her love life, her mothering decisions, everything but her patient care. She certainly was not singled out—everyone was in everyone else’s business. But as Lin Su kept an eye on Winnie’s plate, offering assistance to move a wine or water glass, to help her spear a piece of lasagna, she finally came around. The only one who didn’t take a lot of ribbing was Blake, probably because he was newest at the table.

Winnie thought about the fact that had she been at home in San Francisco, she would very likely have taken her dinner in her bedroom with the company of the TV. It would have been an expensive and difficult meal prepared for her by a chef, and the housekeeper or nurse who delivered it to her probably wouldn’t even stay in the room while she ate unless she needed help.

This is all I need, she thought. This oddly constructed family.

* * *

“Do you really have an interest in going to the farm with Grace and Troy?” Lin Su asked Charlie as they walked across the beach to their loft.

“I think it would be cool,” he said.

“Really? A farm? A wedding?” she pushed.

“Not just a farm, Mom. A huge farm. I’ve heard about Peyton’s wedding, people talk about it all the time. These Basque farmers get drunk and dance their butts off.”

“Lovely,” she said.

“I heard it was fun! I think you could trust me not to get drunk,” Charlie said, grinning at her.

“I don’t think a responsible parent would send her teenage son to a brawl...”

“You don’t think Troy and Scott would make sure I don’t get into trouble? You think Grace and Peyton would be a bad influence? You have to look up Basque weddings sometime—the dancing is between the men and it’s ceremonial. And there are dogs and horses.”

“You’re allergic,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, but if I start to sneeze or wheeze I can move away from the animals. If their hair is all over the bed I sleep in, I might be in trouble, but...”

“I think you just want to go on a trip without your mother,” she said.

“No offense, but it would be cool to go somewhere with Troy and Grace, Peyton and Dr. Grant. But I bet if you wanted to go...”

“I can’t leave Winnie, you know that. Especially now.”

“Then I think you should just enjoy not worrying about my allergies for a whole weekend, and if I get drunk with the Basque men and dance my butt off, you can ground me for the rest of the year.”

“You think you’re funny but I don’t,” she said.

“Just have a good weekend. Go out with Blake. And try not to get in trouble without me here to look after you.”

“I wasn’t planning anything like that, you know.”

“Not planning it, maybe, but you sure are thinking about it. And whispering into the phone late at night and looking at him with twinkling girl eyes, and when someone says his name, you look down so no one will see you like him.” She let out a little gasp. “Listen, I’m okay with it. If that’s what you’re worried about.”

She couldn’t help but smile at him. “I was worried about the opposite.”

“Huh? What’s the opposite of okay?” he asked, pushing his glasses up on his nose.

“I thought you might get too excited. That your expectations would be unrealistic. That I’d go to a movie with a male friend and you’d think it would be serious, lead to marriage or something.”

“That would be cool,” he said. “But you don’t have to marry him unless you want to.”

“Thank you,” she said. “And do you really want to go to that farm?”

“For two nights, Mom. Think you can behave yourself if I’m not here to watch you?” he asked with a devilish grin.

She ruffled his hair. “I’ll try.”

* * *

On Friday morning at nine Lin Su stood outside Winnie’s house with Charlie while Troy put a suitcase and Charlie’s duffel in the trunk. She did not ask him even once if he had his inhaler and EpiPen. And it was not easy. She also did not say that it was the first time she’d ever be separated from him for over twenty-four hours. Even early in her nursing career when she’d been assigned the graveyard shift, she was only away from him for ten hours. He was probably already more than aware of that fact. But she did say she would miss him.