Page 10 of Eternally London

“I’m so glad you guys could come out a day early,” she says. “I mean, we obviously didn’t need to do a big rehearsal dinner since we’re just having a little backyard wedding. But it will be nice to hang out with you,” she says to me.

“Where are Dixon and Ev?” I ask.

“They’re down the hall, in the bathroom. They’ll be right out.”

Sarah has just finished her thought when the pitter-patter of little feet sounds against the wood flooring.

“Yo!” my three-year-old nephew, Evan, screeches when he sees me.

He takes a flying leap into my arms, and I hug him tight.

“Hey, little buddy. How’s my favorite guy?”

“Guess what, Yo?”

Evan’s nickname for me from when he was a baby and couldn’t pronounce L sounds has stuck.

“What?” I ask him.

“I went pee in the potty,” he says excitedly.

“That’s awesome, little dude. But haven’t you been going pee in the potty for a while?” I ask as I set him down on the ground.

“Sometimes, I pee my pants.” He says without a care in the world.

“Well, okay.” I chuckle.

Dixon comes from around the corner. “It’s not that he can’t make it to the bathroom in time. Just, lately, he’s too engrossed in his Mega Blocks creations to take a break for such trivial things like potty breaks. It’s a phase,” Dixon says with a shrug. “How are ya, man?”

He reaches his hand out, and I take it in mine. Then, he pulls me into a hug, slapping my back with his free hand.

“Good. Really Good. You?”

“Couldn’t be better.” He releases me from our manly embrace and turns his attention toward London. “London! How are ya, hot stuff?” Wrapping his arms around her, he lifts her off the ground and spins her in a circle.

“Great,” she answers with a squeal of laughter.

His face continues to wear the warm smile that I’ve come to associate with him. He still reminds me so much of Cooper. Their sense of humor, laughter, and larger-than-life personalities are identical. It can’t be a coincidence that Dixon came into my life just as Cooper left it. Though they are similar in so many ways, it’s the manner in which they befriended me that’s so astonishing. They saw something in me when I couldn’t see anything of value in myself, and they worked their way into my life, despite my resistance. My stubborn nature would never have let me admit that I needed someone. But neither of them waited for an invitation. They created a door, and then they changed the trajectory of my life for the better.

“So glad you guys could come over. We’ve got some steaks to grill out. How does that sound?” he asks as he sets London down.

“Great. I’m starving,” I say.

“What’s all this?” He points to the baskets that fill up the kitchen island.

“They brought us some muffins, baby,” Sarah answers.

“Well, sweet,” he says with a wide grin and a nod before he walks over to the refrigerator. “Can I get you guys anything to drink?”

“Water’s fine,” I answer.

“Water would be great,” London says from the floor where she’s kneeling, holding Evan in her lap.

He’s twirling her long brown locks between his fingers, staring up at her with such awe in his gaze.

I know the feeling, buddy.

Sarah grabs a tray of food and drinks. “Let’s go out to the deck,” she says.

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