Ray may have to spend a lot of time on his knees.” Alana took a sip of her wine. “God Almighty, this is terrible.”
“Maverick says all we get is nonalcoholic everything since the reunion is held in the cafeteria. No drinking on school property,” Bridget told her. “So Rachel is psychologically drunk or else she had her fair share before she got here. And why would Billy Ray have to do some praying, or were you referring to kinky sex?”
“Nope, I was talkin’ about praying for sure.” Alana set the rest of her fake wine on a table. “His mama, Trudy, is super religious and would have an acute cardiac arrest if she found out he’d slept with Rachel Freeman. That girl has always had a horrible reputation, and lies flow out of her mouth like hot lava from a volcano.”
Alana caught Pax staring at her and pointed at her glass of wine. He returned the greeting by holding up a can of root beer. Why? she mouthed.
He shrugged and started her way. When he was close enough he set the can on a nearby table and opened up his arms for a dance. “School rules, even though most of us in this room are adults. I asked Billy Ray about why we couldn’t have real alcohol, and he said that the alumni committee is mainly made up of older people now. Except for him, none of the younger folks want to step up and be a part of it. But he also said there’s a keg in the back of his truck and plenty of red plastic cups right beside it. And that Bubba Joe has a private little bar set up in the old bullpen for anyone who wants to buy a real drink.”
“Leave it to Billy Ray and Bubba Joe.” She walked into his arms and the two of them began a smooth two step to “Lost in this Moment” by Big & Rich.
“Whoever was on the music committee got the songs right at least. Remember when this one came out?” Pax buried his face in her hair. “I’d pretend I was dancing with you around the kitchen floor with a mop.”
“That’s sweet,” Alana said. “Did you really want to dance with me?”
“Oh, honey,” he groaned.
“No one can hear us,” she told him. “You don’t have to pretend so well. And FYI, darlin’, Rachel still has hopes of hookin’ up with you when”—she did half a shrug—“when we get our divorce.”
“No thanks,” Pax said. “What makes you say that, anyway?”
“She was about to ask me outside for a catfight when Bridget came up with that awful wine. I’m going to get elected to the committee, and believe me, we’re going to have the next reunion somewhere other than the school, even if we have to put it on ourselves out in the sale barn,” she said. “This is ridiculous. We might as well have it in the church fellowship hall.”
The song ended and “Don’t Blink” by Kenny Chesney began. Alana listened to the words and tears dammed up in her eyes. The song talked about a man over a hundred years old being interviewed. His advice was that you shouldn’t blink because time goes so fast. She couldn’t hold the tears back when the lyrics talked about the love of his life lying in the bed dying, and said to take every breath God gives for what it’s worth. She was sobbing when she heard the words saying that when the hourglass ran out of sand that she couldn’t flip it over and start it again. She was so glad that Pax was holding her and she could bury her face in his shoulder so everyone around them couldn’t see her crying.
* * *
“Don’t cry, darlin’.” Pax lifted her face and wiped away a tear with the pad of his thumb. “I know exactly what you’re thinkin’. The time is going by so fast, but I’ll be with you until…”
In that moment he wanted to say that he’d be with her until they were married fifty years like the song said, but he couldn’t promise that.
“Until Daddy is gone and we get an annulment or a divorce?” she said.
“Until you are ready to be on your own,” he said. “I’ll stay with you longer than the day after.” He stopped at that, but the week after, the month after, the year after, went through his mind.
“Thank you.” She leaned back and locked gazes with him. “I might