“Thank you, Joe,” Donna said almost defensively, her body relaxing once she decided he wasn’t kidding.

Joe figured it was his plan for the rest of the day that empowered him to speak kindly to Donna. After he’d kissed Bee good night and returned to his room down the hall at the Robert Johnson House, he’d made a quick decision to extend his East Coast trip for at least another week. He’d used his iPhone to send an e-mail to his ex, Rachel, warning her that he’d be making an unexpected voyage to see Cynthia in Maine. Then he booked a room for himself at a hotel in Portland. He’d left a voice mail for his business partner, who, luckily, was also his best friend and wouldn’t stand in the way of his seeing his daughter. He also called Sarah to tell her about his plans.

She’d just returned from the concert. Her voice was raspy, as if she’d been yelling all night.

“It was weird. They didn’t play ‘Last Night,’” Sarah told him. “I guess they’re sick of it, but I still like that one.”

“That’s lame,” Joe had said, stealing one of Sarah’s favorite words. “Listen, Sarah, I’m going to stay out here a few more days and drive up to see Cynthia. I mean, I’m on the East Coast, right?”

“That’s such a good idea, Joe,” Sarah told him, her tired voice cracking. “I mean, I miss you, but Cynthia’s going to be thrilled.”

“I don’t know about that,” Joe responded, as he climbed into his hotel bed alone, shaking his head as he remembered that he’d hoped to have Vicki with him.

“She will,” Sarah had assured him. “Cynthia’s a teenager. She’s not allowed to let you know when she’s happy.”

Now Joe was at breakfast with the adults, and he didn’t hate the company. He peered to his left. A few tables away, Bee stabbed at her hash browns with her fork and popped some into her mouth. Across from her, her new husband, Matt, slowly sipped from a glass of orange juice.

Joe eyed Jimmy Fee, who sat next to Bee. Across from Jimmy was his girlfriend, a beautiful albeit trashy-looking woman who still wore her eye makeup from the night before. She was covered in a tank top and an off-the-shoulder gray sweatshirt that reminded Joe of the cover of his old Flashdance record. He accidentally made eye contact with Jimmy, who gave him a gentleman’s nod. Not knowing what else to do, Joe nodded back and looked back down at the remnants of blueberry muffin on his plate.

“How long will it take you to get to Maine?” Donna asked, causing Bee’s father, Richard, to look up, surprised.

“You’re heading up to see Cynthia?” Richard asked.

“I’m banking on ten hours,” Joe said, not giving his brother the satisfaction of hearing an explanation for his change of plans. “No matter when I leave, I’ll get stuck around New York.”

Ignored, Richard went back to his eggs.