Morrie turned and slammed his palm against the wall, giving a whoop.
Jack dropped his head and stared in his lap.
Colt ignored Morrie and called, “Jack.”
“Out,” Jack muttered.
“Dad?” Morrie called.
“Out,” Jack repeated and they both heard it.
Colt looked at Morrie to see Morrie was looking at him. Without another word, they walked out.
Ignoring the fact that they left Jack in the office crying, something they’d never seen in their life and something they were both pretty fucking happy they hadn’t really seen then, Morrie asked Colt, “You wanna beer?”
“Nope, got shit to do.”
Morrie scooted behind the bar and Colt stopped at the side of it.
“You told Sully?” Morrie asked.
Colt’s felt his brows draw together and annoyance hitting him. “Before I told you and Jack?”
“Just askin’,” Morrie muttered.
“Shit, Morrie, seriously?”
“Already did best man duties at one of your weddings. I figure –”
One of his weddings?
“Don’t fuck with me, Morrie,” Colt warned.
“You two are close.”
“Yeah, close enough for him to be in the wedding party. Shit, Morrie, you’re gonna be my fuckin’ brother-in-law.”
Morrie’s head jerked as this knowledge dawned on him then he grinned. “Yeah.”
“And you’ve been my best friend since I was five.”
Morrie’s grin got bigger. “Yeah again.”
“So don’t fuck with me.”
“Dude, be cool,” Morrie said, still grinning.
Colt shook his head and rapped his knuckles on the bar, moving to leave. “Gotta go.”
“Colt, wait,” Morrie called, Colt stopped and turned to his friend, “I’m happy for you.”
Colt nodded and smiled. “Thanks, man.”
“I’m happier for her,” Morrie said quietly and Colt felt his neck twist.
“Right.”
“Thank you for bringin’ her back.”
“Morrie.”
“I missed her, man.”
“Morrie.”
“Dad did too.”
“Stop, Morrie.”
“Dude, just sayin’ –”
Colt cut him off and put an end to that particular conversation. “You’re welcome.”
Morrie nodded then declared, “If you don’t play ‘Mony Mony’ at the reception, I’m boycotting.”
Colt moved to leave, shaking his head again. “I’ll make note of that.”
“And ‘Shout’,” Morrie yelled at Colt’s back, Colt lifted a hand a flicked out his fingers, “and ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’,” Morrie went on and Colt stopped and turned to him.
“It’s a wedding reception, Morrie, not a fuckin’ 80’s flashback.”
Morrie’s eyes swept the bar and when they hit Colt he was grinning again.
Colt reckoned about fifty cell phones were now being dialed. He was still shaking his head when he walked out the front door and he didn’t care that news was right then sweeping town, not at all.
*
Colt sat on the top of picnic table at Arbuckle Acres Park, his feet on the bench and he watched his mother walk up to him, as always, clutching her purse.
When she got close, he called, “Hey Ma.”
Her smile was small and hesitant, as always, when she replied, “Hey Alec.”
He watched as she sat on the bench by his feet, her eyes to the ground.
“How’re you gettin’ on?” he asked her and her head came up but her hand never quit clutching the strap on her purse.
“Where’s Feb?” she asked back instead of answering.
“Don’t know. She’s been kind of busy.”
Her eyes slid to look over his shoulder and she muttered, “She usually comes with you.”
“I needed to talk to you alone today.”
Her eyes slid back to his and then skidded over his shoulder.
“Everything okay?” she asked the sky over his shoulder.
“Everything’s good.”
“Feb okay?”
“Yeah.”
“The family?”
“We’re all fine, Ma.”
She nodded then looked back at the ground. “Your Dad’s home.”
“You told me that last time, Ma.”
“He’s doin’ good, stayin’ sober, just like me.”
“Glad to hear it,” Colt said and he was, at least he was glad to hear it about her.
“He said he wants you to think about lettin’ him come, next time you call.”
Colt shook his head. “Ma –”
“Just think, Alec. Next time we talk then you can tell me, okay?”
Colt kept shaking his head. “Don’t want you to get your hopes up.”
She looked at him and said, “Talk to Feb about it.”
“Ma –”
“Just promise me you’ll talk to Feb, please, Alec?”
Colt looked at his mother. Two months ago, Mary Colton had helped to save three lives, one was precious to him and the other two, in one way or another, meaningful to him though Melanie more so. There were a few very unlikely heroes in that town, Darryl was one of them, Mary Colton another. But both changed their earned reputations proving that deep down they had something that made those reputations false.
For that reason, he said, “I’ll talk to Feb but, you should know, even if I do, the answer is unlikely to change.”
“I know,” she whispered and her eyes yet again slid away.
“I’m askin’ her to marry me,” Colt told her and her gaze shot right back.
She was still whispering when she asked, “What?”
“Tonight.”
“Oh my God,” she breathed and her hand came to his knee.
She hadn’t touched him, not since they started to meet there at the park, almost always with Feb bringing coffees and treats from Mimi’s or a packed lunch. It didn’t matter to Feb that it wasn’t 911 that pointed them to Susie’s house, but Colt’s mother, Feb would have come with him anyway if he wanted to meet his mother. But Colt did wonder if she’d bring coffees, baked goods or packed lunches if Mary Colton hadn’t helped to save her life.
Though, he guessed she would.