or the night because he wanted to go and eat cake. Since he didn’t have a daughter, he couldn’t go unless she took him.
Lou cut her off when she heard the comments. She brushed Sarah’s hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “You know what, sweetheart? John is not going to be able to take you because of his broken ankle. He can’t even walk well with those crutches, much less dance.”
Sarah immediately pouted up and tears filled her eyes. Mrs. Wester reached for Brody’s hand and said, “Will you take her for me, Brody?”
“Me? Mom…I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
Lou broke in as well, shaking her head. “We wouldn’t want to impose.” Her eyes met Brody’s with a look of apology.
Mrs. Wester lifted her eyes. “Broden, will you take her for me?”
“When is it?” Brody grumbled.
“In a couple of weeks. But really. It’s not necessary.”
“I’ll do it.” He looked Lou in the eye with a resolved look, winked at Sarah, and turned to his mother. “Does it make you happy?” He smiled into her eyes with the question on his face.
“You’ve always made me happy, son.” She patted his hand absently. “Now, you’ll make Sarah happy, too, which directly affects me as well.”
“It does, does it?”
“Yes. It does.”
Brody and Lou stood in the kitchen later that evening. Brody reached for a beer and popped the top.
“You really don’t have to do it. I don’t know why your mom put you on the spot like that but we won’t hold you to it.”
“Lou, I’m going to take her. I don’t know much about kids but I think I can pull this off.”
“Brody…”
“Lou!” he interjected. “Would you shut up and let me take her, please? I just promised my dying mother I would do something, and you’re damned well going to let me do it.”
Lou’s lips compressed into a thin line. “If you say so.”
“I say so,” was his response as he took a swig from his beer bottle.
He pointed to his beer. “Want one?”
“No, thanks. I don’t drink.”
“Lou, you need to learn to let your hair down a little.” He stepped over close to her and said softly. “You don’t drink. You don’t smoke. You don’t have sex.” She gasped. “Sorry,” he continued with a casual shrug of his shoulders. “But it’s true. You have to start living your life and stop trying to unlive hers.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Sure you are and you do it so well.” He placed an arm around her shoulders and led her outside. As they walked through the door, he whispered in her ear, “Stop pouting.” She elbowed him in the ribs in response. He grunted loudly and laughed.
“What’s so funny, boy?” Jeb asked, looking up from his game of checkers with John. They could barely see the game under the porch light.
“Lou packs one hell of a punch, Jeb.” He rubbed his side as he sank down into a chair. Lou perched herself on the porch rail and hooked her feet through the slats. The moon was high in the sky so Sarah was already in bed. The crickets chirped a quiet song and the horses could be heard talking to one another in the distance.
“God, I love it out here.” Brody broke the silence.
Sadie smiled and patted his arm. “Then maybe you’d like to stay for a while. We sure have missed you.”
“Sooner or later, Sadie, I have to get back to the real world.”
“It doesn’t get any more real than this,” Lou stated, her head flung back, wind blowing her hair gently.