Saturday afternoon, Avery ran into Le Sel de Mer, the lavish dining room in the main hotel. She weaved past bored-looking couples picking at their plates of tuna tartare and gossiping about the Gstaad ski vacations they were planning for Christmas. She scanned the room but couldn’t see her mother’s elephant-batiked sarong or Birkenstocks amid the women dressed in silk pastel dresses.
“Hey!” Baby called from a center table, waving Avery over. Her hair was pulled in two messy braids on either side of her head and she was wearing an oversize white linen shirt belted as a dress. She looked ridiculously cool, even while she was shredding her iced-tea straw wrapper into smaller and smaller pieces.
“Hi,” Avery said cautiously as she sat down in one of the wicker chairs opposite Baby. Something seemed off about her ever since last night. She hoped she wasn’t still mad about Jack being here.
“Hi.” Baby didn’t look up from her iced tea. “What have you been up to this morning?” she asked quickly, as if sensing that Avery was about to launch an open investigation into her emotions. After she and Layla had their heart-to-heart last night, Baby had faked sick from the fried conch and had gone to bed early. She had a lot to think about. What she and Riley had done during the afternoon had seemed so right, and had even made sense, especially when Riley explained his and Layla’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. But it got complicated when she factored in how much she liked Layla.
“Nothing much.” Now it was Avery’s turn to block any future questions. She loved keeping her and Rhys’s relationship a secret. It was romantic, sort of like in Titanic, which Avery would never admit she actually loved. Except it was better, since she and Rhys didn’t have any of those pesky class differences to navigate.
Avery spread her daffodil yellow napkin over her lap. “Where’s Layla?”
“I’m here.” Layla glided over to the table, her Coach sunglasses perched atop her curls. “You okay?” she asked Baby, ruffling her tousled brown hair. “Riley asked about you this morning. I had to indulge him by going on another pony ride.” Layla rolled her large green eyes.
“Yeah.” Baby stammered. “I mean, it was just the food. I got sick because of the food.” Baby was speaking way too quickly, using the same voice she’d used when she was trying to tell Avery she hadn’t stolen her favorite Citizen skinny jeans. Avery narrowed her eyes. What was going on?
“I thought it was fine,” Layla said easily. “Probably because I’m used to dining hall food. Seriously, college gives you a stomach of steel,” she said knowingly.
“Oh look!” Edie’s unmistakable voice pierced the air. Avery looked up and saw her mom wearing a sand-colored maxidress that looked like it was made out of a discarded ship sail, dragging Remington behind her. Remington was wearing the same white linen pants and white linen shirt he’d worn yesterday. “They’re all together!” Edie stood for a moment and stared at them, obviously taking in the scene for future artistic reference.
Avery smiled. Despite their weird hippie-holiday attire, her mom and Remington looked good together. More than that, she’d never seen her mom so happy. It was obvious she was in love.
It runs in the family!
“My brood!” Edie swooped down and kissed the top of Avery, Baby, and Layla’s heads. “You’re bonding!” she cooed fondly, completely oblivious to the fact the whole restaurant was regarding her curiously. “Don’t they look great?” she asked the gray-haired restaurant host, who was patiently clutching a collection of woven straw menus in his hands.
“Lovely,” the host murmured politely. He pulled one of the chairs out for Edie.
“Thank you,” Edie said as she sat down with a noisy clatter.
“So, what’s happening with you all?” she asked as if she were an ultra-caffeinated morning talk show host.
“Not too much,” Avery said after a moment of silence. “Jack and I are having fun. She’s hanging on the beach.”
“I’m so glad she decided to come stay with us,” Edie said absently as she threaded her fingers into Remington’s.
“That’s great.” Remington nodded. “You know, for so many years, I forgot how great it is to just gather people around. Have a party!” He nodded happily.
A white apron–clad man wearing a light blue freshly pressed Mao-collared jacket strode over to the table. “You, sir, are in trouble,” he said, shaking his head at Remington. “I’m Jean Luc, the chef here,” the man explained to the girls. “I’ve been here for years, and this gentleman used to be one of our best customers. Here all the time, life of the party! But then he has a midlife crisis, goes to find himself—I don’t know where better to find yourself than in paradise, but who am I to say?” the chef asked, of no one in particular. “But I have to say, I’m just glad you found your way back and with such beautiful guests. I’m sending over the tasting menu and some dark and stormies to your party. Even though now you’re Mister Light and Sunny!” Jean Luc smiled as Remington laughed and jumped up to give his old friend a hearty handshake.
“Oh, Remy, you were never dark and stormy. Except for those business school years when I’d run into you.” Edie shook her head, enjoying her private recollection. Avery shifted in her seat. Yes, she was happy for them, but couldn’t they stop talking and eat lunch?
“Let’s keep the dark and stormy side out of it,” Remington laughed, then leaned in and kissed the tip of Edie’s ski-jump nose, giving it a playful bite.
“Daddy, you’re embarrassing!” Layla squealed, but it didn’t sound like she really minded.
“I’m embarrassing?” Remington roared playfully. “I have to watch you and Riley cozying up to each other all the time.” He clapped Layla on the back. “Just a little payback to my dear daughter.”
“Can I be excused for a second?” Baby asked, pushing her chair back.
“Of course, sweet!” Edie said. “I hope you’re not still sick,” she fretted.
“I’ll make sure she’s all right.” Avery scraped her chair back. Why was Baby acting so weird? Avery had never seen her so nervous, not even on the many occasions she was called to the headmistress’s office at Constance. She hoped that she didn’t have a problem with Remington, the way Owen seemed to.
Avery pushed open the white wooden door to the women’s bathroom and saw Baby sitting on a pearly pink ottoman and gazing miserably into the seashell-framed mirror opposite her.
“What’s going on?” Avery put her hands on her hips and glared down at her tiny sister.
“Nothing. I think I need to lie down, though. I’m definitely still not over my bug.” Baby nodded, as if trying to convince herself. “Can you tell them that I’m so happy they’re happy, and that I’ll talk to them later? I’ll even do whatever tropical fun activity Mom wants,” Baby said breathlessly. She smiled, but Avery could tell something was off about Baby. And it probably wasn’t food poisoning. Baby never got sick, even when she ate hot dogs from street cart vendors.
The bathroom door burst open. An elderly lady carrying two small King Charles spaniels under each arm glared at them in disapproval.
“Are you done gossiping in here?” she asked. “Because they need some privacy,” she said, glancing down at the dogs.
Avery smiled, knowing that was totally the type of random thing Baby would love. But Baby didn’t catch her eye.
“Sorry, ma’am!” Baby said, and quickly ran out of the bathroom.
Avery sighed and washed her hands under the cool water of the sink. If a vacation was supposed to be relaxing, why was everyone acting so uptight?
Back in the dining room, the table was covered with cerulean blue platters piled high with different types of fish. Remington was already digging into his meal, lustily sucking out a lobster claw and wearing a blue bib around his neck.
“You’re back!” he called, cheerily waving the lobster claw in greeting.
“Where’s Baby?” Edie asked, a hint of worry entering her usually breathy tone.
“Still not feeling well.” Avery shrugged. “She went to take a nap.”
Layla pushed her salad around her plate. “I think it was the combo of fried food and beers last night.” Layla wrinkled her nose.
“Stop that talk!” Edie said, waving her hand as if to dismiss the notion entirely. “It’s not your fault at all. I know she thinks the world of you.” Edie grinned at Layla fondly.
“She’s a good kid, that one. And so are you, Avery,” Remington said magnanimously as he took a bite of his lobster. “You know, I know I’ve only known you and Baby for a bit, but I like to think of you girls as my daughters,” he said. “And I know it’s a process, and I’m certainly not going to come in and uproot your lives. I like all of you just the way you are.”
Thank you, Mr. Rogers.
“You know what?” Edie interrupted, setting her knife and fork down with a loud clatter. “I don’t want to spend the next few months talking about the process of becoming a family. Remington, let’s just get married now. Here, at the resort. Carpe diem!” She was practically shouting. The hum of the room quieted, so all that could be heard was Edie and the whir of the fans above them. Even the bartenders had stopped making drinks and were standing, shakers in midair.
Avery dropped her fork and Remington turned to her with a bemused smile on his face. One of the tuxedoed servers picked it up off the floor and discreetly tucked it away.
Avery caught Layla’s eye. She had the same what the fuck? expression Avery was sure was on her own face. Married? Now? How? There was no dress, no flowers, no time!
“Spontaneity. This is why I love this woman! Edie, you are absolutely right, this is the perfect place and time to get married. Let’s do it, babe.” Remington leaned across the table and kissed Edie. The entire restaurant, not knowing what else to do, broke into spontaneous applause. A parade of waiters came out with two bottles of champagne and proceeded to pour glasses for everyone at the table. Even Remington’s chef friend had a tear in his eye.
Only because they upstaged his Michelin-starred cuisine.
“You can’t get married!” Avery began. Layla shot her a sympathetic glance. “No, I mean, I want you guys to get married if you want to, but you need time! You can’t just do these things,” Avery said bossily. A wedding should be at St. Patrick’s Cathedral with a reception at the Plaza or the Waldorf or at least a classy sit-down dinner at the Four Seasons.
“Nonsense.” Edie shook her head, clearly amused by her daughter. “I’m not some twenty-six-year-old. I don’t want a lot of guests—I just want my family. Oooh, maybe we could get those steel-drum players. Do you think they do Peter, Paul, and Mary?”
Avery couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Had her mother lost her mind? A steel-drum Peter, Paul, and Mary cover band? If her mom was so hell-bent on doing this, she needed serious help.
Remington chuckled. “This is the reason I love your mother,” he said confidentially to Avery. “I agree with her. Besides, I’ve never liked weddings in New York. Remington Wallis, whose previous marriage ended in divorce . ..” he began, imitating the way the New York Times wrote its wedding coverage. “Nope. We can fly in some of the art folk, but that’s about it,” Remington said, warming up to the idea.
“I have a white sarong and Baby could take photos, and of course, Riley and Layla could sing,” Edie mused. “Like what was the one we listened to at the Grateful Dead concert? The one where you wouldn’t smoke pot, but you bought ice cream for everyone afterward? I think that was when we were sophomores. It was when we drove up to Vermont in that old Cougar?” Edie’s eyes misted over at the memory.
“Mom,” Avery said firmly. Edie looked up expectantly from her bite of snapper, as if surprised Avery was still stuck on the topic. “Please let me help you? You need a dress. And flowers. And I’ll plan the meal, and I’ll make it nice. Not over-the-top,” she added.
“But this is our vacation, darling. I don’t want any fuss.” Edie knit her brows together in consternation.
“It’s no trouble. It’ll be fun.”
“You know, if she wants to, let her do it. She’s got a great eye.” Remington winked at her. “And while she does that, don’t you think I should go talk to Owen?” Remington asked, his voice laced with concern.
“Of course.” Edie grinned. “I think it’d be great if you two got to know each other a bit more.”
Avery smiled shyly at her new family. Okay, so it was weird and random, but, honestly, her mom was weird and random. And, no matter what, she was going to make this work.
In between make-out sessions with Rhys, of course.