dinner with the boys (m)

Sam is home for a brief weekend visit before heading back to New York and then down to Florida with the baseball team.  My husband books dinner for the four of us to celebrate my birthday on Saturday night although my actual birthday is Monday.  It's the first time the four of us have gone out in a long time as we are scattered all over the place with activities, work, etc.

We decide to go to Davio's, a hip, but elegant, Italian restaurant in Boston.  One of my mother's favorites.  T and I have a gift certificate from my brother, J, who gave it to us in September 2009 for our 25th wedding anniversary.  Has it been that long since we've had a chance to go out together?  I remember my mother was excited about this because we always took her with us when we went there, usually once per year and just before Sam went back to college in the Fall.

The whole family is looking forward to being together.  I wear my mother's necklace, a gold heart on a beautiful gold chain.  I want her there with us.  Sam notices the necklace and gives me a kiss.  It speaks volumes.

Dinner was great.  My husband raises a glass to toast my mother.  The boys look handsome.  T looks thinner ( I remember not showing my weight loss until I hit 25 pounds).  The food is excellent, as always.  We talk about school, sports, colleges, life.  A relaxed evening.

The bill comes and we try to guess how much it is.  The big question: will the $250 gift certificate cover everything?  Only one alcoholic beverage.  The rest were bottled waters and iced teas.  I look at the total: $314.

3-14.  My birthdate.

I took the bill for a souvenir of a memorable evening with my 3 boys.