"Tiffany was the apple of everyone's eye," Cathy said. "At family events, she'd perform for us. When we were in public, people would stop me to tell me how beautiful she was. Then, when Lake was born, I could hardly walk ten minutes without somebody gushing over them. Lake hated the attention, though, always hiding behind her big sister."
"Lake was shy," Tiffany said. "Who would've guessed?"
"She wasn't shy." Cathy looked thoughtful. "She could go up to anyone and start a conversation. It's just that she endured people fawning over her, whereas you, honey, ate it up."
"Not much has changed." Charles patted Tiffany's upper back, leading her into the restaurant.
The hostess took us to a table in the middle. Charles set down a yellow and red gift bag with "Congratulations!" printed on the side.
"Should we have brought a present?" I asked Tiffany.
Cathy turned to me. "Don't worry. I didn't even know Charles had anything planned."
He sat at the head of the rectangular table and wanted Lake by his side, so I took the chair next to Cathy, across from the girls.
"Champagne for the table," he said as the hostess turned to leave.
"I'll let your server know," she said. "Does everyone have ID?"
"They're twenty-one," he said. "Just bring a bottle of your best."
The hostess hesitated before walking away. "Yes, sir."
Lake's eyes twinkled. "Dad?"
"You'll be an adult soon. One glass won't kill you." Charles leaned his elbows on the table, giving her his full attention. "You've earned it. I'm so . . ." He swallowed, as if holding back tears.
I glanced at Tiffany as she sank in her seat, fiddling with the corner of her cloth napkin.
Charles shook his head at the table. "I just need a moment to collect myself. I'll be more articulate when we toast."
Tiffany opened her menu with flourish. "Can we get anything, Daddy?" she asked.
"Anything you like, princess." He put on a pair of glasses and, reading over the specials, said, "You should order the porterhouse, Manning. It's unlike any you've ever had. I guarantee it."
It was the most expensive steak on the menu. I'd never seen the man in such a good mood. In fact, I wasn't sure he'd ever addressed me by my first name before. "That sounds great."
Tiffany noticed, too. She ran her foot up the inside of my leg, waggling her eyebrows at me. "You want to get oysters, babe? I hear they're an aphrodisiac."
"Tiffany," Cathy said under her breath. "Don't say things like that at the dinner table."
Lake focused on her menu, her cheeks reddening. Well, it'd been over two months since I'd gotten out. Lake had to suspect her sister and I were having sex. Maybe she was still the same wide-eyed girl I'd known, but she was definitely less naïve than she'd been when I'd left her. Hell, she'd been headed down that path the week we'd spent together at camp. She'd taken her top off in front of me. Lake knew about sex. Maybe she'd even come close with one of the boys at school.
I'd wring the motherfucker's neck.
The unbidden thought made my necktie feel tight and the words and prices on my menu blur. I tugged my collar, downed some water, and took a breath. I had no right to think that way. None.
A server appeared with champagne and five glasses. "What are we celebrating?" he asked, popping the cork.
Charles gestured at Lake. "Tell him, honey."
"It's dumb," she said. "I made honor roll. But so did, like, a hundred other students."
"You are not like a hundred other students," Charles said. He picked up his glass and stood, waiting until all our flutes were filled and raised. He turned to Lake. "I know I've pushed you. I know you've worked harder than your friends, read more books, gone the extra mile for the plus on the end of your 'A' when an 'A' alone would've sufficed."
Charles swallowed, inhaling through his nose. His hand shook, and his eyes watered. "I'm so . . . so . . . "
Tiffany pretended to read her menu but glanced up when her dad's voice broke.
"Oh, honey," Cathy said, reaching out to hold his hand.
He picked up the gift bag and passed it to Lake. "I'm so proud. And I knew you could do it."
Lake looked confused, but it was then I realized this wasn't about the Principal's Honor Roll or even Student of the Month. She peeked in the bag, then up at her dad. Instantly, her eyes also watered. "Are you serious?"
He nodded. "Congratulations, sweetheart."