Justin opens the door. Joy hides behind Charlie. 

Suzy looks at Walt. “It doesn’t matter. We haven’t seen her in months, so you better be excited to see her!”

Angela is in the doorway, holding 4-year-old Grace in her hands. 

Suzy’s right. It doesn’t matter what happened or who Ethan is. I haven’t seen my daughter in months. In my mind, she’s still a teenager. What a woman she’d become!

“What’s up, fart-face?” Angela asks Justin. 

“What’s up, ass-face?” Justin hugs her, then kisses Grace’s forehead. “Hey, Grace! Does your mother use words like that all the time around you?” 

“Angela!” Suzy hugs her tightly while Justin goes out the door. “Welcome! Welcome!” 

“Hey, Mom,” Angela hugs her back. “Ethan couldn’t make it. Job, you know. Maybe next time.” 

Suzy disconnects uncomfortably. “Yeah. No problem.” 

“Look who I found!” Justin returns with Tommy on his arm. “Oh, he’s so grown-up! Tommy, have you met your niece, Joy?” 

Joy is hiding behind Charlie. Charlie says, “I’m not Joy, she’s Joy.” 

Angela hugs me, “Hey, Dad. Good to see you! How’s the you-know-what?” 

That catches me off-guard. I hadn’t given a thought to my Alzheimer’s over the last few months. “I, uh, I, uh, I don’t think I have it here.” 

“What? At home?” Angela spots Joy. “Oh, my god! Justin, she’s so beautiful! Didn’t get that from you, then!” 

“That’s the second time you said that!” Joy comes out from behind Charlie in an accusing finger aimed at her new aunt. “You don’t talk to my Dad like that, ever!” 

Angela raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised. Joy continues, “Besides, he’s beautiful! He’s the most beautiful man that ever was!” 

I think Justin, Suzy, Angela, and I all have the same reaction. Justin is a great many things, but that is not true about him.

Angela nods. “You are absolutely right, Joy. I’m sorry I said that. I was just teasing him, you know? That’s the way brothers and sisters behave, you know?” 

“I don’t know,” Joy says simply. 

“Right. Yeah. So, I completely apologize. Justin, I will never call you fart-face again… in public.”

“Wonderful,” Justin says with a smile on his face.

“Joy, can we start again?” Angela leans forward and whispers conspiratorially. “Want to see something cool?”

Joy hesitates. Then she nods. 

All right. Off to a much better start this time. 

(To be continued…) 

—Told by Grampa Walt