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Anjali shouldered her backpack. She was happy to see Pearl reunited with her parents, but she was offended that Pearl had never told her her real name. Pearl must have been her street name. Anjali had read about that years ago and just remembered it now.
John shuffled his feet on the pavement. He was happy for Philippe but eager for them all to get on the road. The day was fast evaporating in the giving and receiving of bisous and hugs.
“Carol, why don’t you and Louise come with me.” He looked at Anjali’s friend, still buried deep in a familial hug. “Anjali, you want to come with us, too?”
So they sorted themselves out and got on the road. Meredith climbed penitently into the back of the Peugeot.
“We’re so glad to see you,” Philippe said, praying for wisdom for driving safely and for talking with his daughter.
“I’m glad to see you, too.”
“We’re going sailing now, but are we going home together tonight? Are you free of alcohol?” Philippe asked.
“I’m doing ninety meetings in ninety days in AA.”
Philippe felt exasperated. What about today? He carefully filtered any annoyance out of his voice.
“And today?”
“I was going to ask John if we could come back early enough for an eight o’clock meeting. I forgot to ask him before we left.”
So she hadn’t been totally responsible, but then again, it had been a shock to everyone to meet like that.
“We’ll find a way to get you back by eight,” he said.
“Thanks.”
He looked at her in his rearview mirror. Her face was downcast.
“You get to see me dash around a boat today, weighing anchor and belaying the mains’l,” he joked, and he watched her. She smiled faintly, then returned to her pensiveness.
She’s returned to us sadder but wiser, I hope, Philippe thought.
“Mom and Dad, I have a sponsor, I’m going through the Twelve Steps,” she said. “I’ll be doing amends eventually. I’m sorry, very sorry.”
Philippe saw her face crumple. She was crying in the back seat, and he didn’t know what to say. His own emotions were roiling, mostly feeling anger at her stupid behavior. The tension all over his body made it hard to think, to sense what she needed him to say. Well, there couldn’t be anything wrong with the basics.
“I love you,” he said.
“I’m pregnant.”
