Page 35 of Without You

Vic leans over, looking at Deacon laughing, she too obviously knew what her father was going to suggest.

When everyone agrees, a waiter returns and quickly writes down the easy order. Looking to Bill first, he asks, “Can I get you all any drinks?”

“Fellas,” he calls across the table. “Beers?”

We all agree in unison, when he looks to Victoria for an answer.

“No beer,” she informs him. She continues to muse over the drinks menu when Elaine pipes up. “What about if we share a bottle of Chardonnay?”

Bill’s face lights up at Elaine’s request, and I wonder if this is the first time in a long time she’s truly allowed herself to enjoy the company around her.

I catch Victoria sneaking a look at Hayden before nodding at her father. “Chardonnay sounds great.”

“Mom, Dad,” Bill addresses his parents. “Same as us?”

“I’ll have a beer,” Mr. Sutton Senior says.

“He will have no such thing,” his wife says. “His blood pressure has been high the last few days and the last thing we need is a trip to the emergency room.”

“Can’t a man grow old on his own terms?” he huffs. “It’s just one damn drink.”

Bill’s parents continue to bicker, while Bill discreetly turns to the waiter, telling him to add a large pitcher of water for the table to the order.

While everyone waits for the food, we split up into our own conversations. Hayden and Deacon are lost in a conversation about work, and Victoria alternates trying to settle Lia down, and prying information out of me I’m not really willing to give.

“Why are you still working at that dive bar?” she asks.

“It’s hardly a dive,” I bite back. “And I like it there.”

“You’re wasting away there.”

“I get out of the house. I talk to people,” I state matter-of-factly. “That’s more than what I actuallywantto do most days.”

She rolls her eyes at me just as the waiter returns with everyone’s drinks. He offers to pour the chardonnay, but Victoria stops him. “That’s okay, I’ve got this.”

“Can you hold Lia for a second?” she asks me.

Scooping the little girl off her lap, I place her on my own. As soon as the extra weight has been lifted, Victoria stands, immediately capturing everyone’s attention.

She leans over the table, grabbing Elaine’s wine glass. Pouring a generous amount of the yellow liquid, she hands it back to her mother and nestles the glass bottle into the ice bucket.

“So, I wasn’t sure if I was going to do this today.” Rubbing her hands together, she glances at Hayden. In sync with one another, he too stands and walks around the table to stand behind her. Giving her shoulders a squeeze, she nods in what I assume to be understanding.

“I figured it’s very rare that we ever get together like this anymore,” she starts. “Things change and time moves so fast.”

“And while today will always be the hardest day of the year for us, it feels right to maybe try and change that by announcing Hayden and I are going to have another baby.”

The table erupts in surprised gasps, chairs scraping against the tile floor, as each and every one rushes to hug and congratulate the expecting couple.

When Victoria announced she was pregnant with Lia, Rhett had just been told his cancer returned. It was bittersweet, being happy for his sister, and being sad because he wasn’t really sure what the future would bring.

Lost in my memories, I bury my nose in Lia’s hair, holding her tightly. I wish he was here for this. I wish, and not for the first time, that he was the one here instead of me.

I don’t have anyone who would miss me the way his family misses him. My parents wouldn’t mourn, I wouldn’t miss out on being an uncle, and Rhett… well, Rhett would have all these people helping and supporting him to move on without me.

The bustle dies down, and I find myself staring at Deacon and Victoria’s exchange. He’s beaming at his sister, and I find myself wondering if I’ve ever seen him look so happy. His smile is wide, baring his straight, white teeth, his raised cheekbones giving way to the small lines around his eyes.

He looks so content. Relaxed and at ease, laughing with his sister. The sight is a rarity, and it’s just so beautiful to see.

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