Page 58 of Requiem

We’re all laughing as Philip whips me around in a dazzling spin that makes me dizzy, but impresses, nonetheless.

“Wow, Philip, I had no idea you can dance!” I marvel.

He gives me his big, kind smile.

“My mama raised me right,” he says, suddenly lowering me into a deep dip.

“Hey! Stop making me look bad!” I hear Matthew call from the sidelines.

The band has moved on to a slower song by the time I’m upright again. ‘Moonlight in Vermont’, I think.

“Oh, this is an oldie but a goodie!” Phil murmurs appreciatively, pulling me a little closer for the low-key melody. He hums a few bars of it under his breath. “You’re too young to remember this,” he observes.

“Oh, I know it, it’s just been a long time since I heard it. Hey, how are you feeling?” I ask, my tone turning more concerned. “It hasn’t been that long since the surgery. Should you be out here … doing stuff like this?”

“Like what? Dancing with a beautiful woman?”

He makes this sound lecherous and I swat him on the arm. “Dancing with a married woman, Mr. Tonka!”

“Oh, of course! Good thing you reminded me,” he chuckles, then becomes more serious. “I am. Feeling better, that is. And you’re right, I shouldn’t be able to be out here dancing. But it’s a sign that the surgery was a success. If I were having balance problems, it might be a sign that there are still problems with my ears. But so far … so good!” he says, dropping me into a deep and unexpected dip.

I laugh and snort all at the same time. Definitely not my most ladylike appearance. He brings me upright again after a few moments and we return to our gentle glide around the parquet tiles laid in the grass, my long silvery dress swishing around my ankles with every spin.

“How’s David?” he asks after our first full rotation.

“Wonderful! He’s so funny and sweet … when he’s not being cranky and horrible,” I laugh.

“I hear he met some Walton fans when you were on tour,” Philips says, gently approaching a topic he’s clearly unsure about.

“Yes he did,” I confirm, giving him the confidence to continue.

“How was that? For you, I mean?”

He’s never come right out and said it, but I’m certain that Philip knows Jeremy is David’s biological father. Maybe from something Brett said. Maybe Matthew. Maybe he just saw the resemblance between the two of them and put it all together. I don’t mind. This man is a gentle soul who has genuine affection for my family.

“To be honest with you, Philip, it was pretty horrifying,” I admit. “I was totally blindsided by Trudy Corrigan. I had no idea she’d be there, or I would’ve made sure David was back at the hotel with Natalie.”

“Why? Would it have occurred to you that she would recognize him?” he asks, genuinely curious.

“Of course, she’s a mother. And a grandmother.”

“So?”

“So, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’d recognize my own grandchild, even if I didn’t know he existed! It’s not just a physical thing, it’s an instinctual thing. You know how it seems like some mothers have eyes in the back of their heads? They do! I call it the ‘Spidey Sense’ but some people say it’s a mother’s intuition.”

“Huh,” he says looking down at me with great interest. “Still, maybe it’s best that you were blindsided. Sort of just tearing the Band-aid off, if you know what I mean. It had to happen sometime, and it might have been better this way, rather than you agonizing about it forever.”

I think about this for a moment as we circle the floor again.

“Yes, you’re probably right about that. Still, it was really … unsettling.” I sigh with exasperation and roll my eyes. “Oh, who am I kidding? It was terrifying, Philip!”

“I’m sure it was! Have you heard from her since then?”

I shake my head.

“No. We were both pretty emotional and we decided it would be best to take some time to consider things. She’ll be here next month to help Maggie with some of the wedding plans. We’re going to get together then.”

“And what about your big day?” he asks.

“What big day?”

He’s looking at me expectantly and I suddenly realize what he’s referring to.

“Oh! The CD release party? Yeah, that might as well be a wedding,” I groan. “The guest list gets longer every time I turn around. They’ve changed the venue twice now to accommodate everyone. I tell you, Philip, I’d just as soon skip it.”

“No, no, don’t say that. This is huge, Julia. You need to revel in this, because these moments are few and far between for most of us. Enjoy the spotlight for once,” he says with a grin.

“You’ll be there, won’t you?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world!” he says emphatically.

“Afraid I have to steal her back, my friend,” Matthew says, gently cutting in on us. “The lady and I have to make the rounds and be on our way.”

“Madam, it was my honor,” Philip says, giving me his most chivalrous bow.

“The honor was all mine, kind sir,” I return with a gracious bow of the head.

“Good night, Philip!” Matthew calls over his shoulder as he puts his hand on the small of my back and leads me off into the cool breeze of early fall.