“You know perfectly well what I mean. He’s not as robust as other boys his age, though I have to say, a month or so on the beach seems to have given him more color, more stamina. I think we may be in for a growth spurt. So, back to the subject. Does Charlie have good friends at school?”

“He has a few. And if you’re asking if he has conflict from time to time, the answer is yes. I think all small boys in thick glasses have those struggles, which is why I won’t allow things like Facebook. I’ve heard too many horror stories.”

“I think it makes sense for him to consider a change. You should discuss it with him. His opinion counts the most, I think. But—you come to work here every morning and leave every evening. It’s convenient. More important—if Thunder Point can produce an MIT scholarship student they deserve more credit than I’ve given them.”

“But Winnie—I work here. I don’t live here.”

“I’ve spoken with Troy. Charlie would be allowed to attend based on that fact. Now, before you want to discuss that this employment is at best temporary let me suggest that my time might not be as short as people think. That’s my expert opinion.”

Lin Su smiled at her. “And would you mind explaining your wonderful theory?”

“Not at all. I’m trying to catch up with my daughter after years of bossing her around and making her do everything that was important to me rather than what was important to her. I’m making great progress—I think she’s starting to actually like me, hard as I make it sometimes. That’s one reason. Another reason—she’s carrying my grandchild. I’m not giving up a chance to know that baby without a fight. I might die, but it’ll be heel marks all the way. And three, I might miss my old body and find the handicaps that come with ALS to be perfectly terrible, but I can cope as long as I have my mind. And by God, I have it. I think the lot of you should be warned—I might hang around for the next two grandchildren. And Charlie’s graduation from Harvard.”

Lin Su smiled at her. “I agree, stubbornness has played a crucial role in life expectancy.”

There was the sound of footsteps on the stairs and the women stopped talking. Charlie came onto the deck first, Frank right behind him. Charlie plopped his backpack on a deck chair. “I gotta get my Nikes,” he said, running through the house and out to the car where he kept extra clothes and necessities.

“Hi, Frank,” Lin Su said with a smile. “How are you?”

“Good. Excellent. I’m going to take Charlie up on that ridge and show him the flora and where we go to watch whales. I won’t be here when they migrate in a couple of months, but I can show him the spot.”

“The ridge?” Lin Su said. “The flora? The whales?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Frank replied.

“There are bugs up there. Pollen. Bees and plants he hasn’t been around. He has a lot of allergies. And asthma.”

Charlie was back, sitting down to put his shoes on. “We’ll go slow. If I get out of breath, we’ll stop,” he said.

“But is this a good idea? You’ve been doing so well! Why tempt fate?” Lin Su said.

“Because tempting fate is fun,” Charlie replied.

“Do you have your—”

“Inhaler and EpiPen? Do you ever get tired of asking me that? You think I want to blow up like a blowfish right before I die?”

“If he has to even pull the inhaler or EpiPen out of his pocket, I’ll bring him back off the ridge. But insect life is dying off up there with the cooler temperatures and the bloom has died down. But there are still some great species to see. Plus it’s a good steady hike and an amazing view.”

“I’ll be fine,” Charlie said.

“Of course you will,” Winnie agreed. “Have your cell phone?”

“What am I going to do if I wheeze up there? Call home?”

“I just wanted you to take a few pictures if you see anything interesting. It could be a while till I get up on that ridge to see for myself.”

“Right,” Charlie said, grinning. Then without any further conversation, he was scrambling down the stairs.

“Don’t worry,” Frank said. He put his backpack on the chair beside Charlie’s. “Can I leave this here?”

“Sure,” Lin Su said. “Please be careful.”

“We will, but it’s not dangerous. It’s a path, that’s all. He gets shots, he said. He shouldn’t have any problems.”

When Lin Su was alone with Winnie again, she sat down a little weakly.

“You should have that conversation with Charlie about going to school out here. He needs a little more freedom, a little challenge.”

“He has plenty of freedom!” Lin Su snapped. “I’ve been leaving him alone while I work for the last two years.”

“And I bet it’s driven you crazy. It would be better if he had a little more freedom while you’re nearby to nag him constantly.”

Lin Su scowled. “I think it might be time for your nap, Mrs. Banks.”

Winnie laughed. “Not on your life.”

* * *

Grace was amused by the amount of entertainment Winnie was getting out of her new friend Charlie. Any other daughter might’ve been jealous, but Grace was pleased. Charlie took some of the heat off her, absorbing all of Winnie’s opinions and objections and interfering. And because Winnie wasn’t his mother, he could take them in stride and dismiss them.

So, the dinner table was occupied with animated conversation about Charlie’s trek up on the ridge with Frank. He took a lot of pictures with his cell phone and, he announced triumphantly, he had not wheezed or had any allergic reactions.

Grace had brought home a pan of Carrie’s lasagna, garlic bread and salad, what she called a perfect Winnie dinner. Anything Winnie could stab with a fork or lift with her trembling fingers worked very well for her.

“I used to have a chef, you know,” Winnie said to Charlie. “And guess what? It wasn’t any better than this.”

“Isn’t having a chef kind of like someone else’s mother making dinner?” Charlie asked.

“Not quite as good as that,” Grace said. “Chefs are more in love with the art of their flavors and their presentation than what you really like. I asked for mashed potatoes for years but they didn’t come into fashion until a few years ago.”