He dropped in on his mother the day after he introduced her to Gwen. They sat in the breakfast room, each with a drink he’d made them: Jack Daniels on the rocks with a splash of water and for her with a lemon peel in it. “Cheers,” he said, and she said “Cheers,” and they drank. “So, Mom, tell me what you think of her,” and she said “What do I think? I think she’s wonderful and perfect for you and you for her. She’s charming, precious, elegant, very intelligent, and with such a sweet face and voice. I always wished I had a voice and complexion like hers.” “You have a nice voice. What’s wrong with your voice? And your complexion? It’s still smooth and you hardly have a line.” “Thank you. And you seem to like her parents. That’s a good sign,” and he said “Oh, what they went through. Before they came here they lost everyone in World War II but her mother’s father. To tell you the truth, her coming from people like that I find very attractive about her too.” “So you like that she’s Jewish? Because before you only went out and got serious with Gentile girls, or since you were in college,” and he said “There’s been a Jewish girl or two in there, but it’s fine.” “What I hope she doesn’t end up thinking is that you’re too old for her. More than ten years. That’s a lot.” “You and Dad were nine years apart,” and she said “And when I met him, and I was much younger than Gwen, I already thought of him as a middle-aged man. Something else could work against you. That you don’t have a profession but writing, which is a wonderful thing to do but it so far barely pays you enough to live on for one. If those don’t bother her, then everything should go well between you. I’ve got my fingers crossed. I already foresee myself feeling toward her as if she were my own daughter. I was that impressed by her at our lunch and saw immediately what sort of person she was — the best sort. So I’m warning you,” and he said “Oy, I knew this was coming.” “Listen to me. Don’t do anything stupid to lose her. You’re reaching an age where it won’t be so easy finding another girl like her, especially one with so many child-bearing years left. You want to have a family, don’t you? You’ve spoken of it enough, so I assume you still do. You’d be reducing your chances by getting a woman your own age or one a few years younger. You’re not going to get married right away. That could take a year or two and a child a year more, and two children — well, you figure it. So you’re fortunate she fell for you, or is starting to, and I can only hope and pray it gets even better and lasts.” “Come on, Mom, it can’t be that bad for me. There are plenty of terrific women out there,” and she said “If there are, then how come you always choose the wrong one? Maybe with the exception of Diana, who I liked, but that relationship was bound to fail — she was simply too capricious, which this one doesn’t seem to be. I like it that she gives you a look that she adores you. That can also stop, with a few mistakes by you, so anything you can do to help make it work, do.” “I knew you’d like her. I don’t know if she adores me, like you say, or what she really thinks of me, although she is showing some very nice feelings and seems to like being with me.” “Does she call you if you don’t call her?” and he said “What does that have to do with it? We speak to each other every day on the phone, even if we see each other that day. So yes, she does. And it’s not a case of if I call, then she makes the next call, and then I make the one after that, and so on. We call when we want to, which is a lot. Anyway, I’ll try not to screw it up, I promise.” “It’s for your benefit, you know. Mine too, of course, that I want you to finally be settled with someone so nice, but mostly yours.”