Page 108 of Rough

I looked toward the makeshift dance floor. As Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get it On played over the speakers of the sound system, Deann held onto the arms of Bradley’s wheelchair, and they danced.

She pushed him back and forth as he faced her, and then, she gripped one arm of the chair, and twisted it in a circle as she popped her hips to the beat of the music.

“You mother’s a good dancer.”

“Pop is, too,” he said. “It’s sad he can’t right now.”

Dressed in his tuxedo, he was grinning from ear to ear. “I think he is. In his mind. Look at him.”

Brad grinned. “He’s having a blast. I’m telling you, though. I was worried last week. That heart attack? I was afraid he wasn’t going to make it.”

“I knew he would,” I said.

“Oh, really?”

I nodded. “Yep.”

He shot me a look. “How?”

“I think love is that strong.”

He hugged me, and then gave me a kiss. “I think you might be right.”

I watched them smiling at each other, and thought of how many years they’d been together. How many times they’d played Scrabble. Kissed. Held hands. Shared a meal. Shed a tear. Said, I love you, and, after all of those years, and all of those experiences, good and undoubtedly bad, they were still just as happy as they were when they met.

“I am right,” I said.

The song ended, and Bradley started looking around the crowd. His eyes met mine, and he motioned for me to come to him.

“I’ll be back,” I said. “I’m being summoned.”

I stepped in front of his wheelchair. “Need you to do two things for me, kid. Maybe three.”

“Okay.”

He curled the tip of his finger toward his cast. “Come here.”

I braced myself on the arms of the chair, and leaned over him. “Yes?”

“First one is this. I need you to tell Brad what the fourth most meaningful moment in a man’s life is.”

“Fourth?” I wrinkled my nose and let out a laugh. “What are the first three?”

“He knows ‘em. And, that’s why I’m telling you number four. Now he’ll have to tell you the first three. Number four most memorable moment in a man’s life is when your son and his soon to be wife plan a shindig like this. Thank you.”

I stepped back and cocked my hip playfully. “Soon to be wife? You’re taking a few liberties with that statement, are you not?”

He did his best to shrug. “I got a feeling about you two. Just tell him what I said.”

“Okay. You said I needed to do three things. What are the other two?”

“Number two is this. Dance with me.”

I curtsied. “I’d love to.”

As the song started, I leaned over him.

“Don’t argue with me,” I said.