Chapter 10 – Tonight We Dance

"What do you suppose, Pappy? Could Doralice be thinkin' that there's still somethin' there worth fightin' for? Is that why she kept takin' the dance lessons, even after she told me to go?"

Pappy's eyes were on me as he relit his cigar. "You must think so, or you wouldn't a brought it up with me."

I nodded my head. "I do, but it ain't my opinion that's important. It's yours."

"Well, I tell ya . . . women don't do somethin' like that without a reason. It was you she was determined to dance with at the wedding. Why would she want to do that if there weren't no hope for nothin' but a dance? Nope, boy, I think she's still prayin' . . . that there's a way to work this all out . . . sounds like she wants you to open the door. You slammed it in her face once before . . . it's up to you to get it open again. You got the nerve to do that? Is this the one you can't live without?"

The answer to that question was an easy one. I prayed to God he was right . . . and it wasn't too late for me and Doralice. I'd lived through the preceding twenty-nine days, I had to find a way to live through one more night. And I hoped with every ounce of breath in my body that Pappy and me were right about the woman I loved.

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I was up early the next day, taking a bath before everyone else had a chance to, nervous as a cat. I dressed in the crème colored frock coat, with the gold and silver waistcoat and a brand new silk shirt I'd bought just for tonight. When I ordered the new clothes, I was buying them to replenish my wardrobe and wear to the wedding, but as I got dressed I came to the conclusion that I was wearing them strictly for Doralice. I saddled and rode Blue into Little Bend, about an hour before the festivities were supposed to start.

I went to Maude's house, as agreed upon the last time Cristian and I had spoken. The wedding and reception were being held at the saloon itself; that's where Maude and Doralice were gettin' ready. But Cristian and me were at the house.

"How you feelin'?" I questioned the groom, and he asked me the same thing. "Pretty good," was my response, and he nodded his head.

"You happy with the answers you got from your father yesterday?"

"I am." Pappy was giving the bride away, but he'd be in a little later and would meet the ladies at Maude's. "How was Doralice this morning?"

"She seemed . . . peaceful. "

"This should be a happy day for her. To see you and Maude get married . . . she's been a big booster of yours for quite a while."

Cristian nodded. "Maude and me were lucky. She's been on our side from the very start." He walked over to the window and looked out nervously, then turned to ask me a question. "Bart, what are you going to do?"

"Me, Cristian? I'm not gonna do anything. I'm gonna stand up there as your best man and watch two of the finer people on the face of the earth marry each other. And I'm gonna be happy when it's all over."

"You know what I mean. What are you gonna do about Doralice?"

"I ain't gonna do anything, Cristian. The lady's got a mind of her own and she already knows what she wants outta life. And it don't look like that includes me." That wasn't at all what I had in mind, but it was all Cristian needed to know. This was his and Maude's wedding day, and they didn't need to be anticipatin' trouble of any sort.

He reached out and shook hands with me. "I'm sorry to hear you say that. You're one of the better men I've ever met out here, and I was hoping . . ."

"So was I."

There was a knock on the door, and I went to answer it. Pappy stood there with a grin a mile wide on his face and I swear, if I hadn't known better I'd have thought he was the bridegroom. "What are you doin' here?" I asked him.

"Oh, just came down to see if either of you was havin' second thoughts about anything."

"Come in, Beauregard!" I heard from behind me, and Pappy did.

"You're a lucky man, Cristian. That is one fine lookin' woman you're marryin' tonight."

The attorney laughed. "Don't I know it. And she's lucky to have a good friend like you. Thanks for everything you've done for us."

We stood around and talked for a few minutes; then it was time for Pappy to get back up to the saloon. I walked him to the door. "How is she, really?" I asked, meaning, of course, Doralice.

"She's gorgeous, boy. And nervous as a mouse in a roomful of cats. I do believe you're right. Just play them cards and don't throw away that queen."

I smiled at my father. "Yes, Pappy. You take good care of both of 'em. We'll be right down."

I closed the door behind him and turned back to Cristian. "You ready to go?"

"Yes, sir. Ready as I'll ever be."

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I stood next to Cristian, who stood next to the preacher, and held my breath as the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen walked down the aisle. The saloon was packed and Doralice could have been the bride herself; she wore a creamy gold dress and carried a bouquet of yellow and gold flowers. She looked right at me and attempted a smile when she got to her place up by the makeshift pulpit and all heads turned to see the bride.

Maude had outdone herself. Her dress was a pale, pale yellow and she carried an armful of white lily-of-the-valley, which she handed to Doralice when Pappy got her to the preacher. I don't remember anything that was said; you know how weddings are. I was too busy staring at the maid-of-honor and praying with every fiber in me that Pappy and me were right; that all I had to do . . .

Once they were pronounced man and wife, the floor was cleared and Little Bend's own band set up and got ready to play. The beer and whiskey were flowing and Randy and the other bartenders brought the food out from behind the bar; the tables had been moved back to the far corners of the saloon, and I went looking for Doralice. When I found her, she was having a conversation with Aaron Miller and his wife. "You did a beautiful job with the gowns, Mrs. Miller," I congratulated the seamstress as I kissed the back of her hand.

Then I turned to Mr. Miller. "I'm sure you did as good a job teaching this lady to waltz, Mr. Miller." I reached out my hand for his pupil and continued, "Shall we go see?" just as the first dance of the afternoon started. Of course, it was a waltz.

Doralice hesitated, and for just a moment my breath caught in my throat. Then she smiled and took my hand. "Why thank you, Mr. Maverick. I'd be honored to dance with you." We weren't the only couple that spun out onto the floor, but she was the only one I could see.

We danced the first dance, and it was glorious. She'd done well with her lessons; you'd never know that the woman hadn't been waltzing her entire life. I held her in my arms gingerly, as if she was a china doll that would easily break, and watched her face as we swirled around the floor. I could hardly breathe, and I understood just what Pappy meant about knowing that I couldn't live without her. When the music started for the second dance she stayed right where she belonged, in my arms. "Bart, we need to talk," was the only thing she said.

I pulled her close against me; I wondered if she could hear my heart beating the way I heard hers. I reached down and kissed her, and her response was hesitant at first. "I love you," I murmured in her ear, and kissed her again. This time there was no hesitation, and there was no one in the world but the two of us.

"I love you, too," I heard her whisper back.

The music stopped and I led her to a table in the back of the saloon. Once we were seated I grasped her hands in mine and poured out my heart to her. "I can't . . . I don't wanna live without you. I was so thoughtless before . . . ain't nothin' in the world more important than you."

Then Doralice asked me what was probably the most crucial question she could have asked me. "Not even poker?"

And I didn't hesitate. "Not even poker."

I looked into those aqua eyes and wondered if she believed me. It was the most honest answer I'd ever given anyone in my entire life. I'd laid out everything right in front of her, and whether I lived or died was entirely in her hands.

"I don't . . . I don't wanna live without you either." She smiled at me, the way I'd first seen her smile down in Mexico, and I knew that we'd be alright. We had some things to work out, but I knew we could. "But Bart, there's so many things we need to talk about . . . so many things we should get straight between us."

I stood up and pulled her up with me. There was nothing I wanted more than to hold this woman in my arms, to feel her body pressed against mine. I smiled back at her. "Shhh, we've got the rest of our lives to talk, my love. Tonight we dance."

The End

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!