Chapter 14

“So, you’re still pissed because I butted in on your date with her in the fucking ninth grade!” said Donald. Leah was sitting across from us smirking.

“You know, honestly, I have to say I am. You have no idea how much I was looking forward to that date and the making out afterwards,” I said. “So, yes, guilty as charged,” Donald was shaking his head.

“Unbelievable!” he said.

“Yeah,” I said.

“No, no, no, what’s really unbelievable is that she’s still in your orbit this many years later. And you killing those two losers for her. That’s what’s unbelievable,” he said.

“Hmm,” I said.

“But, Leah, you say the guy who highjacked his used to be wife set you up with him?” said Donald.

“Yes, and I have to say, I owe the man for that. My new husband and I are a good fit. He is way an improvement on the one I had before,” she said.

“That goes double for me,” I said.

“But you still get along with her, I mean Stephanie?” said Donald.

“Yes, more or less. She looks down on us, but I can’t say I really give a shit anymore. Since the accident, we’ve talked and come to kind of a place where I can stand to be around her, so long as it’s not too often. And, it hasn’t been,” I said.

“And, you say you saved her and their kid? And, you got messed up because of that,” he said.

I just shrugged.

“And all he did was give you a job! He shoulda given you a million bucks!” said Donald.

“She offered me a million before the accident. I essentially told her to forget it.

“I did take the job, not the one I have now , but a different one in Tucson. Well, I kinda had to. A con has a hard time getting by once you tell the employer that you been inside. And, he pretty much leaves us alone,” I said.

“Anyway, you say I can have a job tending bar?” he said.

“Yeah, it’s minimum plus tips. You won’t get rich, but you’ll get by. And, I’ll see to it that you get a good introduction. I know the owner at the Hard Hat real good. It’ll work out for you,” I said.

We talked for a goodly length of time. Covered a lot of history, his and mine, and even some of Leah’s experiences including her time in Perryville. But then I drove the man back to the motel he’d be shacking up in until he could get some money together to get a decent apartment. Talk about strange shit: me helping the guy who made a career of fucking me over in high school.

I got the invitation, not in the mail, but in person, and yes, by her, Stephanie Halstead. I could tell by the envelope package whatever it was what it was.

“Thought I’d deliver this in person,” said my ex-wife.

“And hello to you, Missus Halstead,” I said. I was smiling, but suddenly she was not. Well, actually, she hadn’t actually been smiling to begin with.

“It’s the wedding invitation?” I said.

“Yes,” she said.

“So, we actually are invited,” I said, and it wasn’t a question. She gave me an actually dirty look.

“Of course, you are. You’re her daddy,” said Stephanie Halstead.

“Hmm, we’ll be there. Anything else?” I said. She was still standing in the doorway.

“Well, no, I guess not,” she said.

“Okay, then, thanks,” I said. And I shut the door on her. She didn’t knock or press the buzzer again. I supposed she left. I just dumped the invitation in the trash. I knew we wouldn’t need it to get in. And, I already knew when and where the ceremony would be held. I didn’t need a piece of ceremonial garbage dirtying up my table.

“I heard,” said Leah, coming into the room. “So, we really are going.”

“Yes, I keep my promises. They just offer me money: money which I would never take. The job yes, I have no real choice, but even that ... one of these days,” I said.

“Hmm,” she said. “Maybe you should have taken the money. I’m sure it would be a lot. Enough to start your own business, right?”

I laughed. “Way more than that,” I said. She raised an eyebrow.

“You said, she offered you a million,” said Leah. “I mean that is a lot.”

“Yeah, and she did it without telling him. I think she did tell him after she made the offer, but I don’t know that for sure,” I said. Leah Nodded.

“So, it may not have been real anyway?” she said.

“Oh, it was real all right. He offered me fifty-million and that offer is still on the table,” I said. “Well, I think it is.”

“How much did you say?” she said. I laughed.

“I’m not kidding. His price to forgive and forget all of the bad stuff,” I said. “There will never be enough money to cover the cost of all of that. I just wanna get by and have a decent life, make a decent life, for us, you and me,” I said.

“I don’t want to seem obvious, but with fifty-million if it is real...” she said.

“Never,” I said. “You want it, ask him for it. But on the day that you do, you and I will be quits, immediately quits.” She looked down.

“Sorry,” she said. “I know the stuff you’ve gone through was pretty bad. I’ve been inside too.”

“Yes, yes, you have,” I said, and I smiled my apology.

We were early for the ceremony. I wanted to make sure that we could find seating in one of the back pews. We were lucky; we got the seats I wanted: left side second to the last pew, far left seats. People were still coming in and searching for their ideas of the perfect seats. Somebody tapped me on the shoulder.

“Jack,” said the father of the bride. “She’d like to see you.”

“Who” I said.

“Barbie,” said Herbert.

“No, we, Leah and I are here for the food, and to see your daughter get hitched. And I promise, we will not embarrass anyone. Please, just give my best to her. We’ll be fine,” I said.

“Jack, really,” I said.

“No, if you ask me again, we will leave. You’re embarrassing me!” I said. He had a look, but he did walk off leaving us alone.

He headed for the front pew. I saw him talking to my ex. She seemed to get a bit excited. She turned and gave me a look, but then he said something else to her and she turned around and did what everybody else was doing: waiting for the entrance of the principals. But then ... I saw my wife get up and leave the church by the side entrance at the front of the edifice. She returned in about five minutes. I assumed she was delivering a message to my ex-daughter.

The music started to play low background music, but not the wedding march, not yet. The groom and his entourage had already stationed themselves on the steps of the altar. The crew of them were moving around adjusting their positions and talking quietly as they waited. The groom looked nervous, but not unduly so.

Mendelssohn’s Wedding March filled the air. The bride appeared, and she was super beautiful. Her dad on her right side was leading her down the aisle. I couldn’t help but be proud of her. She looked over at me as she passed down the aisle; her dad did not. Her look was stern would have been my analysis.

“You should have talked to her, Jack. It’s her day,” said Leah.

“Yes, hers, but not mine,” I said. “Her dad can talk to her. I’m here doing what I promised. I will not do more than I promised. Period!” I said. She shook her head, but she let the matter drop.

We watched as the couple got hitched. We left by the side door and headed toward the auditorium of the church where the reception was being held.

We already had seats at a table in the back as the crowd streamed in after passing through the reception line; we did not participate in that part of the show. We were seated at a table for six and soon it was filled with people neither of us new from Adam.

“We’re the Corson’s: Jason and Maribel,” said the couple who joined us at the table. They had two children with them; our table was full.

“We’re the Dansons: Jack and Leah,” I said, smiling. Words of greeting passed among us. Even by the children, very well-behaved children, I should add.

“How do you know the couple?” said Jason.

“I went to high school with the bride’s mom,” I said, telling it like it was. And, I work for the big man. The Corsons laughed.

The food was being served by professional caterers, no buffet line for this wedding, nosirree. Only the best for the daughter of the big man. Champagne was served to all by the touring servers. Liquor however was a “go get your own thing” at one of the three bars that had been set up for the purpose. Jason and I did so.

We talked the four of us. The kids did whatever kids do when adults pretty much ignored them except to see that they ate.

The prime rib was great, well, I had expected that it would be. We were having a great time. Then the elevator music that had been playing switched to dance music, and first the bride and groom did their tour, then the father of the bride and the bride did the theirs, and I watched the two of them closely as they toured the floor.

Soon many more couples danced. Even Leah and I did a go around. I was a little slow because of my leg, but I don’t think I embarrassed myself too much. Then the bride came up to me as we retook our seats at the table.

“How about a dance, Mister Danson,” said my ex-daughter. She was smiling.

“No, I’m a little bit tired. The leg you know,” I said. She did not look happy, but she waddled off rather than cause a scene.

We’d come, we’d eaten, we’d danced, and we’d finally left. My ex-wife never tried to talk to me, nor had the big man other than his first gambit while we were still waiting in the church for the festivities to begin. But that was yesterday, Saturday. Today was Sunday, it was 2:00 p.m. and my ex-wife was asking to be buzzed up. I buzzed her up.

“And hello to you Stephanie,” I said.

“Yes, hello,” she said. “Leah, around?”

“No, she out, shopping I think,” I said. I slept in today; it’s Sunday.

“Yes, I know. It’s you I wanted to talk to anyway. Would that be all right?” I shrugged. I knew what she was about, or was pretty sure I did. At any rate, I was about to find out.

“The wedding?” she said. I was right about the topic.

“We were there, like I promised,” I said. “Is there a problem?”

“She’s been crying her eyes out all morning. And probably last night too, but I wasn’t there to see that, so I’m not sure,” she said. I shrugged.

“I know it wasn’t anything I did. We hardly spoke and barely interacted at all,” I said.

“Yes, and that’s the problem,” said Stephanie.

“Why?” I said.

“You’re kidding right?” she said. “She’s your kid. You needed to interact with her, as you so aptly put it.”

“No,” I said. “But let me ask you, who gave her away. Who did the father daughter dance with her? Who sat beside her at the wedding party table?”

“Jack, you know why...”

“Yes, she’s ashamed of me. I get it. And so are you. I get that too. And so I guess is the big man.

“Look, I came, I saw, I was humiliated—again. Got anything else you’d like to say to me?” I said.

“Ashamed of you? You must be kidding. You’re my fucking hero. You know that. I’m fucking proud of you and proud to have been your wife for eight years. So put that in your pipe and smoke it!” she said.