Tegan

If success was measured in smiles, the party was a huge success. Brad’s uncles, aunts, and cousins were in attendance, as were people from their church, the neighborhood, and a few of Bradley and Deann’s classmates from school.

And, although it wasn’t an MC function, the men, throughout the course of the evening, all stopped in, one by one, and paid their respects.

My heart had never felt such warmth.

Everyone, at some point, was smiling.

Peyton and I had the place decorated with glittery gold from top to bottom. A huge “50” and “Happy Golden Anniversary” hung over the center of the shop.

The best part was that after winning a fifteen-minute-long argument with Crip, we used paint rollers to roll glue onto the south wall – in the shape of letters – and then tossed $100 worth of gold confetti against it. The five-foot tall hand-made letters glistened from the strobe lighting we’d placed on the floor below.

“Bradley and Deann 4-Ever”

After seeing it, Crip was disappointed he didn’t come up with the glue idea.

“This is something,” Brad said. “Seeing all of these people.”

Seeing him in a tuxedo was the highlight of the evening. I admired him for a moment, and then looked around the shop. “It sure is.”

“You two did one hell of a job,” he said. “And you look beautiful.”

Hearing him say it made me feel special. He could tell me a thousand times, and I’d never get sick of hearing it.

“Third time tonight you’ve told me that,” I said “Thank you.”

“I might tell you again. I love that little black dress. It does wonders for your already great ass.”

I blushed a little. “Thank you, again.”

“Look at this shit.” He motioned toward the center of the shop. “They’re dancing. Kind of.”

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.

“About?”

“I’m going to pick you up. Just don’t flop around.”

“But--”

I cocked an eyebrow. “But nothing. I’ve been handling your old wrinkly penis and wiping your ass for over a month. You can let me do this. We’re going to dance. Just follow my lead.”

I slipped the sling off of his left arm, and then slid my forearms under his armpits.

I lifted him from the wheelchair. “Lean against me. I’ll hold you up. There’ll be no weight on your feet.”

He did as I asked.

“What’s this song?”

“Jackson 5’s I’ll Be There,” he said.

“I like it.”

“I’ve always liked it,” he said. “Think that’s why Brad put it on this list.”

Slowly and cautiously, we swayed back and forth to the music. I did the best I could, while making sure I kept his weight off the floor.

In no time, my arms began to ache, as did my legs, and as much as I felt that each second might be my last, I somehow managed to make it to the end of the song.

I stumbled to his chair, lowered him into it, and stood up.

The crowd began to clap. Before long, everyone was clapping. And then, they began cheering.

I leaned over and put his sling back on.

“Take a bow, kid.”

I performed another curtsy.

“Kid, you made my night.”

I nodded, still out of breath from our dance. “And you made…mine.”

“The third thing…”

I looked at him. “Yes.”

“Make me a promise.”

“Okay.”

“Keep him safe,” he said.

“Okaaaaay.”

“I mean it. I saw what you did on the porch. Keep him out of trouble. I love that boy. I really do. Promise me you’ll keep him safe.”

I stood there, fully knowing the promise would only be good for the amount of time that Brad allowed me to be a part of his life, and no longer.

“It’s a tough one to make,” I said. “It depends a lot on him.”

“Depends on you not giving up, too.”

“Agreed. But I’m like you, Bradley. I’m stubborn.”

“Well,” he said. “You don’t have to make it now. But when you’re ready, let me know. It’d mean a lot to me if you could keep an eye on him. I trust you, and I don’t trust many.”

“I’ll think about it, and I’ll let you know,” I said.

“Not until you’re ready.”

“Go spend some quality time with the man you love,” he said. “I’m going to spend some with the woman I love.”

I grinned and then turned around.

Brad was standing in the same place. I walked up to him, gave him a kiss, and reached for his hand.

“According to Bradley, the number four most memorable moment in a man’s life is when his son and his soon to be wife plan a shindig like this. I’m supposed to tell you that.”

He nodded. “Soon to be wife, huh?”

“That’s what he said.” I liked the thought of it, but I shrugged, so he wouldn’t think I was crazy.

“What are the first three most memorable moments?” I asked.

He took a long breath, let out a sigh and then reached for my other hand.

He locked eyes with me. “Number one is when a man kisses the woman who will later be his wife for the first time. Number two is, when those two people get married. Number three is when those two people have a child. And number four, I guess, is when that child plans something like this.”

I smiled a genuine smile. I didn’t want to, it just happened. “I love your dad.”

“So do I.” he said.

“Words of wisdom from Bradley’s vault,” I said. “I look forward to them.”

“I’ve been hearing him spout wisdom for a lifetime,” he said. “But it’s just been about a month since I started listening to him.”

I thought about what he said for a moment, and then I grinned.

“I’m glad you did.”

“So am I,” he said.

Then he kissed me.