Show Me the Danger: The Past Life - Book 2 Page 5

  “Yes, Daddy,” he replies. “We all going to be together.”

  “That’s right,” I answer. “We’ll talk more about it later, okay? But this is exciting news. Be excited!”

  Both boys shake their heads up and down happily, then prance over to where Ali, Roddy, and Marjorie are standing for a round of celebratory hugs. I follow along to get in on the action, then motion for Liam and little Will to join us. The string ensemble begins to play Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem to meet the festive mood. Liam is becoming a country music fan in his old age, so it’s actually kind of perfect.

  “Hey, Uncle Liam,” I say when he reaches the place where we’re standing. “You have an announcement to make, too, don’t you?”

  “That, I do, buddy,” he replies as he sways back and forth to the music while little Will bounces and giggles on his shoulders.

  “Are you ready to make it now?”

  “Sure, might as well,” he replies.

  “Want me to take Will?” I ask.

  “No way,” Liam answers, smiling up at our baby boy. “We’re having too much fun together. Will’s my little buddy now. We’re a pair.”

  “Okay, well, I’ll situate the microphone for you then,” I say.

  “Let’s do it,” Liam confirms.

  He gives a nod to the band leader, who directs the other musicians to gradually lower the volume. Then he steps up to the mic and smiles a huge, warm smile. I have a much better idea what the announcement will be than I did when my in-laws stepped up to the mic. But just because it lacks the element of surprise doesn’t mean I’m not every bit as excited about Liam’s announcement as I am about Marjorie and Roddy’s. I can’t wait to have my uncle in town more often. And I look forward to getting going on our business plans.

  “Hi, friends,” Liam says over the microphone. Will laughs and coos cheerfully, garnering oohs and aahs from the crowd. Everyone loves a happy baby. “I have an announcement of my own to make.”

  “Yay!” Ali cheers. She’s enjoying the wine and the good news and is loosening up now. I think we’re all right there with her.

  “I’ll get right to it,” Liam begins. “I’m retiring from the Air Force and moving to Ithaca so I can go into business with my nephew, who also happens to be my best friend, George Hartmann. That is if he’ll have me.”

  My eyes fill with tears upon hearing this. It chokes me up.

  “You bet I will,” I reply, hugging my uncle tightly and patting him on the back.

  The crowd claps and smiles along with us.

  “How soon?” Ali asks.

  “I’ll buy a house while I’m still on leave after we get back from Tahoe, then I’ll return to D.C. for a few weeks to wrap some things up. I’m hoping to be moved to the Empire State by Halloween. I want to take my great-nephews trick-or-treating this year.”

  “Awe, Liam,” I say as my eyes continue to produce water. “That’s so good. I know they can’t wait. Hell, I can’t wait.”

  “Hey, we can house hunt together,” Roddy calls out from the other side of the room.

  “You know it,” Liam affirms.

  I lean in close to my uncle to ask the question on everyone’s mind. “And Estella?” I ask, quietly enough that he doesn’t have to answer for the mic if he doesn’t want to.

  “We’re separating for a while,” my uncle says, still swaying to Kenny Chesney’s song and smiling. He doesn’t step away from the mic, but the other guests don’t seem to be paying close attention. I assume they know what we’re talking about and want to give him some privacy.

  “I’m sorry,” I say.

  “No need to be,” he replies. “It was a mutual decision and I’m at peace with it. Estella and I will either find our way back to each other or we won’t. My future is right here, nephew, with you.”

  Before I lose my composure altogether and become a sobbing, sentimental mess, Nicky comes along and saves me. The band moves on to a rendition of Hooked On a Feeling by Blue Swede and the excitement in the room jumps up another few notches in response to the catchy tune.

  “Hey there, brother,” Nicky says. Sara is standing in front of him and he has both hands resting on her shoulders. “Can we get in on this announcement action?”

  “Are you moving to Ithaca?” I ask jokingly. I know Nicky wouldn’t leave his successful architecture firm in Manhattan. Or would he? Luis could find a good teaching job around here.

  “No, we’re not,” Nicky says. “Not right now anyway.”

  “I’m mostly joking,” I reply.

  “I know. So am I.”

  “Although we’d love to have you,” I clarify.

  “I know,” Nicky says again. “And we appreciate that. Our announcement isn’t quite as life-changing.”

  “All announcements are welcome,” I say as I look down at Sara and give her a wink. “Go ahead, Nic. Step up to the mic.”

  The musicians take their cue and reduce volume again. They seem to be getting a kick out of providing a backdrop for all the happy announcements.

  “Hi everyone,” Nicky begins. “Family, friends…”

  “Whooo,” Luis shouts out in support of his husband.

  “My daughter, Sara, has something special she’d like to share,” Nicky says, then looks down at his little girl proudly. “Go ahead.”

  Sara pulls the microphone carefully down to her level and smooths the front of her pretty dress before she begins. The flower on the front is every bit as lovely as she described it.

  “I want to say that I got into a new school,” she proclaims, leaning back a little and clapping. The crowd claps with her and smiles. Luis grins so big with pride at his daughter that his face looks like it can barely contain the expression.

  “A Montessori school,” Nicky adds. “It goes all the way through eighth grade, so Sara will be there for several years. They focus on experiential, hands-on learning with a global slant. It seems like a great fit.”

  “I’m excited,” Sara adds.

  “Congratulations, my sweet Sara,” Ali shouts.

  Those two have a special relationship. Sara is always especially grateful for Ali’s attention. In response to the congratulations, Sara leaves the microphone and runs over to jump into her Aunt Ali’s arms.

  “Such good news tonight,” I say into the mic. “Anyone else have something to share?” I ask, looking at Duke and Jen.

  They glance at each other and Jen blushes. Duke waits for her, but seems ready to shout the news from the rooftops the second his fiance gives the okay. Ali is too preoccupied with Sara to notice, but Isabel Madera does. I guess it makes sense. She’s a physician who treats pregnant women. She is trained to spot the signs. She places a hand down gently on Jen’s shoulder and gives it a squeeze for support.

  “Alright,” Jen says to Duke. “I’m ready.”

  He grins, then takes her hand and lifts it high into the hair as he escorts her to the microphone. Ali cocks her head to one side when she sees them up there together. She looks puzzled. I guess Jen was right about Ali not noticing anything the other day at lunch. Or, at least, she didn’t realize that Jen is expecting.

  “What’s this?” Ali asks, looking at her friend. Jen smiles and winks, then places her hand gingerly on her lower abdomen. Ali’s own hands shoot up when she gets it, one covers her mouth and the other covers her heart. “Oh, Jenny,” she mouths as tears well up in her eyes.

  “My fiance and I have a bit of news to share,” Duke begins. He takes a long, deep, joyful breath then raises his clasped hands up as if giving thanks to the heavens while tears fill his eyes.

  “We’re pregnant!” Jen blurts out.

  The group of us erupt into the loudest, happiest cheers of the evening as Ali runs to embrace her friend.

  “That’s the best news yet,” I say. “Huge congratulations to you two.”

  “Thanks, man,” Duke says. “I’ve dreamed of being a father for as long as I can remember. And you know, we have an obligation to fill out tha
t basketball team you and Ali started.”

  We all laugh happily.

  “I thought something was off with you, Jenny,” my wife says. “Is it morning sickness?”

  “Yes,” Jen says. “Terrible morning sickness. It’s a good thing I’m not teaching any classes at the college this summer. I’m barely making it through each day without staying in bed all the time.”

  “How far along, if you don’t mind sharing?” Marjorie asks.

  “It’s early,” Duke says. “Baby Hale is due in March. Just in time for March Madness. I’m telling you, this is a basketball baby.”

  Jen pushes him away from her playfully and shakes her head from side to side as the crowd laughs and claps. Duke is a character.

  “Mid-March,” Jen confirms. “Right around St. Patrick’s Day.”

  “What a beautiful time of year to welcome a baby into our circle,” Ali says.

  Ethan and Leo skip up to Jen and hug her, then they pat her belly gleefully.

  “There’s really a baby in there?” Ethan asks.

  “Yes, there is,” Jen confirms. “We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet though.”

  “It’s a girl,” Ethan proclaims.

  “How do you know that?” I ask.

  Jen looks stunned.

  “I just do,” Ethan says, then shrugs his shoulders and runs off to do more dancing. “It’s in my thinking,” he adds from a distance.

  “How about that?” Ali says with a smile.

  “We’ll know soon enough. An ultrasound is scheduled for next week,” Duke says. “Although I’m not sure if they can tell the baby’s sex this early.”

  “Usually not this early, but soon,” Ali adds.

  “We have a lot to talk about,” Jen says to her friend. “We need to compare notes.”

  “We’ll do it, Jenny, my dear,” Ali replies. “I look forward to it so very much. I will be right here for you for anything you need during this pregnancy.”

  When it’s time for a new song, the band takes a cue and moves on to something more sentimental. They’re good. Their rendition of Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder begins and Duke takes the mother of his child to the dance floor area for a slow dance.

  I don’t waste any time scooping up my beautiful bride and joining our friends on the dance floor. Roddy and Marjorie join us, too, followed by Nicky and Luis. Ethan and Leo move amongst us doing their own made-up dances as Sara follows along behind them as best she can. Malcolm still seems a little shy as he stands next to his dad watching us, but he’s beginning to perk up. Liam has shifted Will back down to his hip and is swaying back and forth with him while they watch the dance floor together. Will looks like he’ll be ready to go to bed soon. Isabel stands nearby, and she and Liam are chatting. Everyone seems happy. I know I am. What a fabulous evening we’re having. I can’t get over all the wonderful news. It’s better than I could have conjured up in my wildest dreams. I wish Mom had been here in time to make her announcement with the others though. I hate that she’s missing this.

  When we’ve danced up a hearty appetite, we sit down to dinner on the screened porch out back overlooking the lake. We all fit comfortably at the two long farm tables Ali has placed side by side. They’re decorated with blue and white plates, shiny silverware with wooden handles, and twisted burlap napkins. The catering team serves us an array of scrumptious dishes including lobster, crab legs, and scallops, along with corn on the cob, brown rice, and vegetables on the side. Wine continues to flow as we partake in the deliciousness.

  We talk together and we laugh. We congratulate each other on the good things happening. The sun sets as we finish eating, so we light tall candles to add to the ambiance then place them amongst the bouquets of flowers while we wait for dessert. The setting is absolutely gorgeous. We pose for pictures together and snap them with our smartphones. Then we walk down by the lake and gather in Adirondack chairs around the outdoor fire pit as our conversations grow deeper. The kids play in the grass nearby until the little ones conk out in our arms.

  Later, we put the youngest kiddos to bed, then revisit the dance floor to cap the night off with more choreographed moves. Just as I suspected they would be, Taye and Malcolm are remarkable dancers. They show off several dance numbers, and we enjoy watching them. We take turns performing routines, but we let Taye and Malcolm have more turns than anyone else because they’re fantastic at it. Once us old folks get tired, Malcolm offers to teach Sara what he knows and the two of them happily move around in front of the musicians for what feels like hours more. We pull up chairs to watch them as we continue to chat and enjoy each other’s company.

  Before the musicians pack up and go home, they ask us what song we’d like to hear for the last dance of the night. They tell us to make it special. Ali and I look at each other and hold each other’s gaze for a minute as we think about what to choose. Then we turn towards the band leader and, in unison, request the same song: The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra, for our dear departed John Wendell.

  We don’t dance. Maybe it’s because we’re tired. Or maybe it’s because we know something better is coming. Instead, we sing out loud together. Ali and I begin, then Roddy and Marjorie join in. Soon all the adults are lending their voices for an impromptu sing-along in my grandfather’s honor. It’s imperfect and perfect all at once. I know John Wendell would have loved it. I hope that he somehow hears us, wherever he is. I hope he knows how much he’s cherished. And how much he’s missed.

  Once we’ve sung our hearts out, capping the night off in the most meaningful way, Isabel, Duke, and Jen leave to head home, while the rest of us turn in.

  As promised, Marjorie and Roddy keep the boys upstairs and I make love to my wife once more. We fall asleep exhausted from the party, but in a state of pure bliss. It seems like every little thing in our world will be alright.

  3

  Life Expands

  It’s a bright, beautiful morning when Ali and I wake up to the sounds of Roddy cooking something in the kitchen. I say a silent prayer of thanks to the powers that be for allowing us this simple pleasure. I didn’t mention it to anyone, but in the back of my mind, I was nervous about getting through the night without incident. The last time we had a big group celebration with guests staying here at the house, we were rudely awakened to the intruder breaking into our house and trying to take Ethan out. Maybe I have a bit of PTSD from that experience. I’m still rattled by the fact that I wouldn’t have gotten there in time to save my boy if it hadn’t been for the dream about Dad and the mysterious yell which no one heard but me. I’m tremendously, sincerely grateful for whatever supernatural aid allowed for the save. But a part of me is afraid because it feels outside of my control. What if something else happens and I can’t make the save on my own? I can’t help but wonder if supernatural aid is a reliable safety net. This kind of thing is new to me. My inclination is to record and keep data, yet I know enough to realize that’s not the way supernatural aid works.

  When Marjorie hears us talking in the bedroom, she knocks on our door to ask if little Will can nurse. It’s nearly ten o’clock now. We’ve slept in. Ali pumped enough breast milk to get our baby boy through the night, but supplies are dwindling and he’s getting hungry. I’m still in the buff, but Ali’s decent, thanks to a white cotton sleep shirt she put on at some point during the night.

  “Good morning, lovebirds,” Marjorie says when we tell her to come on in.

  She’s probably calling us lovebirds in reference to our frequent lovemaking sessions. Surely, she knows that some intense lovemaking took place last night given the sexy dress Ali was wearing and the fact that Marjorie and Roddy kept the boys upstairs with them overnight. But I can tell that the reference makes Ali uncomfortable. I’m not sure how Ali ended up so private about sex, given the fact that her parents are essentially old hippies. But somehow, she did. She doesn’t like any public discussion of our sex life. I, on the other hand, would make love to my wife right out in the open if it wou
ldn’t offend anyone. I have zero issues with the world knowing how much Ali and I enjoy each other sexually.

  “Hey, Marjorie,” I say. “Good morning.”

  “We made it,” she says, winking at me. “All is quiet and peaceful in the Davies-Hartmann household this morning.”

  Marjorie has her long, red hair tied back behind her neck. She’s wearing short-sleeved, silky pajamas which are silver with white polka dots and trim. She looks radiant and beautiful for any woman, not just a woman of her age. I’m struck by how close the color of little Will’s hair is to his grandmother’s. Those recessive genes make for striking colors, at least in this family.

  “That’s spectacular news,” I say as I sit up, situate a pillow behind my back, and tuck a dusky blue quilt from the top of the bed around my waist.

  I love that Marjorie is so intuitive. I have much to learn from her. I really appreciate her being connected and in tune. I almost feel like she’s a secret weapon with superpowers. I’m a big comic book and superhero fan, so I can’t help but think about the X-Men when I see someone who seems to have an extraordinary ability. Maybe my mother-in-law is our very own mutant of sorts.

  “For sure, Mom,” Ali adds. “Bring me my sweet baby.”

  She sits up in bed and situates pillows on her lap for little Will to lounge on. She’s still tired and sounds a little groggy.

  “Are our guests awake yet?” I ask.

  “Just us and your kiddos so far,” Marjorie replies as she hands the baby to Ali. “But I’m sure the smell of Roddy’s scrumptious breakfast will drag the others out of bed soon.”

  “I’m sure you’re right,” I say.

  Marjorie turns to leave the room, but I have something I want to tell her.

  “Hey, Marjorie,” I begin. “You’re good with dreams.” Interesting how that came out as a statement rather than a question.

  “Sure,” she replies. “Do you have one you want to share?”

  Ali looks at me curiously. I would have told her about my dream first, but haven’t had a chance yet. I know she won’t mind if I tell her and her mom at the same time.