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What Ifs
Zanehadtakena shower and was nursing a second cup of coffee when he heard a honk from outside. He opened the door to find Dani and Levi in his old, red Chevy pick up. Dani leaned out the window. “You ready?” Dani asked. “You can follow us to my aunt and uncle’s. No telling what I might have to do after dinner for the wedding so I don’t want you stuck there just because I am. I swear, between Aunt Lu and Mrs. Wade, you’d think we were getting married in St. Paul’s Cathedral with twenty attendants each and a formal sit down dinner for 1,000!” She blew a red curl out of her eye in exasperation.
“I’m ready. Let me grab my keys.”
Ten minutes later they were pulling up to a red brick ranch next to the United Methodist Church. A tiny woman with a bright white updo stood in the carport with the arm of a large, raw-boned man around her. They smiled happily at the trio as they parked in the driveway.
Dani and Levi both hugged the small woman, Levi lifting her off her feet and swinging her around causing her to giggle like a girl. “Put me down, Levi Cooper, you’re gonna get a hernia.”
“Aww, Miss Lu, you don’t weigh much more than a feather!” Levi said to her as he placed her back on her feet and held out a hand to Eustace, Dani’s uncle.
Eustace shook his hand warmly. “Good to see you, son. Haven’t seen you around enough lately.”
After Dani had hugged her aunt and uncle, Zane stepped up with his hand outstretched to greet the couple he had gotten to know last year when he had consulted on Miss Lu’s case after her stroke. He genuinely liked the couple and envied the loving relationship they still had after 42 years of marriage.
Lu swatted his hand away. “Psst, what’s that? We’re family. Give me a hug.”
Zane obliged and Eustace stepped up and patted him on the shoulder. “Good to see you again. Glad you could make it for the wedding.”
Just then Miss Etta stepped out onto the carport. She had been hired as a caregiver and cook for Dani’s aunt and uncle while she was recovering but was now a part of the family. She still stayed to help so Lu didn’t overdo. “C’mon in this house. The food’s gonna get cold,” she scolded but with a wide smile on her face.
“We can’t let that happen!” Dani agreed. “I’m starved!”
They all filed into the dining room and took seats at the big farmhouse table that was already strewn with bowls and platters of food. “See what I mean?” Dani asked Zane pointing to the spread. “An army. And I have no willpower when it comes to fried chicken and mashed potatoes!”
Zane laughed. “I’m so glad I could be here to save you from yourself,” he joked, placing a napkin on his lap and eyeing the spread appreciatively. His heart warmed at the scene, and he felt lucky to be included in this close-knit family time. His smile faltered as he felt the loss of not having Maggie there with him. She should be here with us. If I hadn’t fucked everything up so badly, she’d be by my side here like Dani is for Levi and Lu is for Eustace. He rubbed his chest where his heart suddenly felt like a lead ball in his chest.
Dani saw his Levi’s expression darken and gave her Uncle Eustace a pointed look. He had noticed the sudden change as well. Eustace wasn’t a man of many words, but Dani knew he didn’t miss much. She’d spoken to him before they’d left for the house and explained what was going on with Zane and Maggie. She had hoped he might have some idea of what she could say to her friend to get him to let go of the notion that he was helping Maggie by staying away. She had thought it might be good for he and Zane to have a little man to man chat after dinner and he had agreed to try.
Too soon, the platters and bowls were almost empty and everyone was moaning.
“I don’t know how you guys eat like this all the time,” Zane said rubbing his belly. “I’m so full I may pop.”
“Oh, Aunt Lu,” Dani cried in mock horror, “I’m never going to fit in my dress now.” She looked to Levi, “We’re going to have to postpone the wedding, honey.”
He grabbed her waist and pulled her to his lap. “Not on your life, darlin’. If you have to put on a muumuu and get rolled down in a wheel barrow, you are meeting me at that alter!”
Everyone laughed good naturedly and started getting up to clear the table. Lu took a plate from Eustace’s hand. “Give me that. Why don’t you take Zane and Levi out to survey the estate while we clean up?”
Dani grinned and her aunt nodded sagely toward her. Her uncle always got out of dishes by ‘surveying the estate’, even though the estate was a quarter acre of lawn in the middle of town. Levi had been inducted into the club when they had gotten engaged. She hoped her uncle and fiancée could talk some sense to Zane.
Eustace opened the extra refrigerator in the mudroom and handed out beers before stepping outside onto the car port. “Cheers, boys,” he said as they clinked glasses. “Nothing better than a little walk around after a wonderful meal.”
Zane and Levi’s heads bobbed in agreement. “Lu and Etta really outdid themselves,” Zane said. “I’m so glad Lu is doing so well. I know she’s worked really hard.”
“That she has,” Eustace agreed. “I can’t tell you how afraid I was this time last year. Don’t know what I’d do without that little woman in there.”
“Y’all have been married forty-two years if I remember correctly, right?” asked Levi, though he knew the answer. He’d never forget the anguish on Eustace’s face when they’d brought Lu to the emergency room unconscious after a fall in the kitchen a few months after her stroke.
“Just about forty-three, now,” Eustace confirmed. “And I wouldn’t trade one single day of it. The love of a good woman like Lu is worth any temporary pain or sufferin’ you might have to go through. Not many men understand that anymore and it’s a crying shame, it is.”
Levi and Zane traded a look. “I nearly lost Dani for good thinking I was saving her from all the bad shit in my past. If I had just trusted her to begin with, we could’ve been together all these last eleven years.”
Eustace patted him roughly on the shoulder. “But you got your head out of your ass eventually, son, and that’s what matters. Can’t say I was too happy when you came sniffin’ around again after you done broke her heart all those years ago, but I was wrong. I’ll be proud to hand her over to you on Sunday.”
“Thanks, Eustace. That means a lot to me,” Levi said, his lips quirked up in a small smile. He’d waited a long time to win Eustace’s approval and trust again.
“What about you, boy? What’s this I hear about you and our Maggie being on the outs?” Eustace asked, turning his attention to Zane.
