Neecie looked tired, and Bliss bit her tongue to keep from telling her so. “Come on back here and have some coffee. I think I’ve still got some pralines, too. Or would you rather have tea?”
Her friend didn’t say a word. Instead, she mutely followed Bliss into the kitchen, then dropped into the nearest chair. Bliss poured two cups of hot tea and set them on the table. Before Bliss knew what was happening, Neecie began to cry.
“Everyone in town thinks. . . Oh, Bliss, it’s such a mess. I just want to keep things going the way they are because that’s the easy way—I’ll admit that—but I don’t think the Lord will let me do it.”
Bliss kept silent despite the questions swirling about in her mind. Instead, she reached for her napkin and dabbed at the tears streaming down Neecie’s face. “You’re not exactly making sense, honey.”
“So when he called me to tell me, I said nothing,” Neecie continued, “and did nothing. And now he’s back, and I’m in a fix.” She lifted tear-filled eyes to meet Bliss’s gaze. “I don’t know what to tell him. Worse, what do I tell the kids? Did you know I pulled out everything I had in savings and bought him a one-way ticket out of here? Anything to rid myself of a problem I honestly don’t know if I mind having.”
“Honey,” Bliss said slowly, “didn’t you hear me? I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”
“She’s talking about me.”
Bliss nearly fell out of her chair when she looked up in the direction of the masculine voice and saw a stranger standing in the doorway. Obviously she’d been so focused on Neecie that she hadn’t heard the bell ring or noticed the chirp of the alarm when the door opened.
Dark hair was cut close to his scalp and salted with gray, and his square jaw was clean shaven. The leather jacket and faded jeans gave him the look of a bad boy, but something in his expression conveyed the opposite.
“Did you tell her about me, Neecie?”
“Yes,” Neecie said before dissolving into tears. “She knows.”
“Wait.” Bliss rose and set her napkin on the table beside her teacup. “What do I know? Say, you look awfully familiar. Do I know you?”
“I ought to look familiar, Bliss.”
Something about the way the man said her name rang familiar. “How do I know you?”
“Remember the flaming flying bicycle?”
No. He couldn’t be. “Landon?”
The man nodded.
“Landon Gallier? You’re dead.”
“No,” he said. “I was stupid. I assure you I’m quite alive.”
Bliss looked him over once, then turned to stare at Neecie. “You were married to Landon Gallier? How did I not know that?”
Landon shrugged. “It wasn’t like we had a big church wedding or anything. Just a few folks in the pastor’s study was what passed for a wedding for us, but we didn’t care. Isn’t that right, honey?”
Neecie seemed frozen in place. Finally, she nodded.
Bliss frowned. “Still, I can’t believe I was so preoccupied with my career that I completely lost touch with people back home.”
“You were busy,” Neecie offered, “and you did so well for yourself at that hotel. Your mama was forever bragging about you.”
“She was?” Bliss shook her head. “I want you to know that I’m never going to lose touch with where I came from, Neecie. I just won’t let that happen again.” She paused to look from Landon to Neecie. “So,” she said slowly, “you were married to Landon.”
Fourteen
“Is married to me,” Landon corrected as he crossed the room to rest his arm possessively on Neecie’s shoulder. “We are still married.”
Bliss struggled a moment to sort out her racing thoughts. She’d mourned a man who was now alive. On top of that, quiet and mousy Neecie had captured the quarterback. Both facts seemed just a little beyond believable.
“I’m sorry, Landon,” Bliss said, “but I want to know the how and why of this. You have four children.” She looked at Neecie. “The kids are his, right?” When Neecie nodded, she returned her attention to Landon. “Just exactly when did you figure out you weren’t dead, Landon Gallier, and why is this woman upset by it?”
He looked down at Neecie. “What do I tell her?”
“Everything” came out as a rough whisper.
Landon sighed. “I was an idiot. A stupid drunk. I had a wife and kids, and all I wanted to love on was a bottle of bourbon. When I had a chance to travel, I took it. Then came the biggest opportunity of all. I got knocked off the rig and right into a new life.”
Neecie began to wail, and Landon knelt to embrace her. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I’ll use that plane ticket if you want, and no one has to know.”
Bliss gave Landon a pointed look. “Neecie, do you want him to go?” When she said yes, Bliss rested her hands on her hips and gave him her most intimidating look—the one she used to reserve for kitchen help on their way to the unemployment office. “All right. Landon, I wonder if you might consider coming back another time. Obviously Neecie’s not ready to talk to you right now.”
Landon’s handsome features contorted into what might have passed for anger, and Bliss felt the oddest slice of fear race through her heart. A moment later, he was smiling, no trace of the other emotion visible.
“What in the. . .”
Bliss turned around to see Bobby standing inches away from the door, his face white and his fists clenched.
“I was on my way to the post office and thought I might come by and take you to lunch,” Bobby said. “I circled the block in time to see someone who looked an awful lot like my dead best friend, Landon Gallier, going into your shop, and I figured I’d check it out for myself. How’ve you been, Landon?”
“Oh, you know,” Landon said as he hung his head. “I do okay.”
“You always did, although coming back from the dead’s a bit extreme, even for you.”
“I deserve that.” Landon shook his head. “In a sense, the man I was did die—in more ways than one.”
“I’m listening,” Bobby said.
“I wasn’t the man I should have been. I was a lousy husband and a lousy father. When I woke up in that hospital with no name and no past, I decided I’d been given a second chance.” He swallowed hard. “I figured Neecie and the kids were better off without me. I believed that until I met the Lord. That was four months ago. I’ve been trying to get the courage to come back ever since.”
“Why did you come back?” Bob asked. “Why hurt everyone like this?”
He looked at Neecie. “I don’t want to cause anyone any more pain. Neecie knows I’ve offered to disappear. I certainly don’t deserve my family after what I’ve done.”
“It’s not about what any of us deserve,” Bliss said.
“She’s right,” Bobby said. “Because if you got what you deserved, I’d already have slugged you, Landon. I’m glad you’re alive, but I’m not so sure when I’m going to understand it.”
“I want to do the right thing by Neecie and the kids. With Mom and Dad gone, there’s no one else in this town who matters to me, other than maybe you two.”
Neecie’s weeping intensified, and Bliss ached to comfort her. Instead, she remained where she was and watched Landon embrace his wife.
“Landon?” Bliss finally said. “Do you have a place to stay?”
Landon nodded.
“Then you need to go there. Neecie obviously can’t handle any more tonight. For that matter, neither can I.”
“But, I—”
“Landon, go.” Bobby’s stance changed, accentuating the difference in size and temperament between the two men. “Bliss has already asked you, and now I’m telling you. Let’s go.”
Clearly the balance of power in the Landon–Bobby friendship had changed. Bliss watched in amazement as the former leader of their trio surrendered.
Landon paused, then nodded slowly. “I don’t mean you any harm, Bliss,” he said. “I just want my wife and kids back.” His hand moved
to caress Neecie’s hair. “Neecie, we can be a family again. I’ll do anything you ask to make that happen. I’m a different man now. A new man. The Lord saw to that. I can take that airline ticket you bought me and use it for a second honeymoon for us if you’ll have me.”
Neecie dipped her head and began to wail.
❧
“Let’s go, Landon.”
This time it was a demand and not a question. Bob had enough experience with women to know that when the water-works started, a sensible man did all he could to stop the flow; then, failing that, he bailed and let the womenfolk handle it.
Besides, if he stood here another minute, he wouldn’t be responsible for his actions. Any man who would walk out on a life that included a loving wife and great kids didn’t deserve anything but a solid slug between the eyes and a swift ride out of town.
He watched his formerly deceased buddy kiss the top of his wife’s head, then give Bliss a quick hug. “I’m sorry to see you under these circumstances. I’d have preferred to get reacquainted under better conditions.”
“Maybe another time, Landon.” Bliss patted Landon’s shoulder, then slipped out of his embrace. For a moment, Bob’s old feelings of jealousy surfaced.
“Yeah,” was Landon’s gruff reply.
“How’d you get here?” Bob asked.
“Bus.” Landon looked past Bliss to Neecie. “Even when I hated myself enough to disappear, I never stopped loving you, Neecie Gallier. Not one day went by that I didn’t love you, but I knew it was better for all of you to have a happy memory of me rather than for anyone to know the truth about me.”
Neecie didn’t move. Didn’t say a word.
“Landon,” Bliss said softly, “please go.”
“All right.” Bob pointed to the door. “Time to go. You and Neecie can talk about this when she’s ready. You hear?”
With only the slightest nod to let Bob know he agreed, Landon stuffed his fists in his pockets and headed for the door. Only after Bob had his buddy outside in the truck did he realize Landon was crying.
“Not you, too,” Bob said as he reached into the console and grabbed a handful of fast-food napkins.
“Sorry. I was just thinking about how my wife bought me a plane ticket and told me to disappear. That’s what she said when I called her and told her the truth about where I’d been the last ten months. She told me the kids didn’t need me anymore and neither did she.” Landon swiped his face, then wadded the napkins and tossed them on the floor of the truck.
“Hey, pick that up.” He pointed to the mess at Landon’s feet. “What do you think this is, your mama’s house?”
Landon snorted a laugh. “If I’d tried that at my mama’s house, she would’ve shot me.”
“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing. And I’m a much better shot than your mother was.” They drove in silence for a minute. “Where are you staying nowadays?”
Landon leaned back and stared out the window. “New Iberia.”
“Then that’s where I’ll take you.” He watched out of the corner of his eye to see Landon’s reaction. All he saw was defeat. “Or is there somewhere else?”
“If I said my house, it wouldn’t matter, would it?”
“I can’t take you out there, and you know it.” He paused. “Unless the kids already know you’re back, too.”
“No, they don’t have a clue. I’ve respected Neecie’s request to stay away from them.” He continued to stare at the passing scene. “I guess maybe that’s best. What do you think?”
“Best for a kid not to know his daddy’s alive?” Bob drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, then signaled to turn at Evangeline Street. “No, I can’t say as I believe that.” He made the turn, then gave Landon a direct look. “You can have a future with your wife and kids, but you’ve got to do it the right way.”
Landon shook his head. “What would you know? You’ve never done anything wrong in your life.”
“That’s not true. I’ve done things I’m not proud of.”
Landon pointed to Bob’s forehead. “Like whatever altercation landed that between your eyes?”
Bob touched the goose egg he earned that morning. “No,” he said with a grin. “This one I am proud of.”
Giving Bob a look of disbelief, Landon pointed toward downtown. “If you’d take me to the bus station, I’d sure appreciate it.”
“No.”
Landon gave him a startled look, then reached for the door handle. “I suppose I deserve that.”
“Wait.” Bob shook his head. “I won’t take you to the bus depot, but I will take you back to New Iberia. You do still have a place to stay there, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Until the end of the month, anyway.” His old friend fell silent. “I wonder,” he finally said, “if I could ask you something. A favor before we leave Latagnier.”
“What’s that?”
He swung his gaze to stare at Bob. “Would you drive me by my house?” He shook his head. “I mean, Neecie’s house.”
Bob thought about the request for a moment. “I don’t know, Landon. What if someone sees you?”
He pointed to his watch. “School’s in. No one should be home.”
Grudgingly, he made a U-turn, then headed out toward the Gallier place. It didn’t take long for him to reach the road leading to the home he’d done sleepovers in as a child more times than he could count.
“The old place looks good. Neecie must’ve hired someone to do the yard.”
Bob grunted but said nothing. Landon wasn’t really talking to him anyway. Sometimes a man needed to do things alone, even if he was in a car with other people.
Pulling the truck to the curb in a spot several houses down, Bob threw the gearshift into park. “You’ve got one minute,” he said.
He glanced over at the house. Neecie had kept it up fairly well since Landon left. Other than the fact the shutters looked as if they could use a coat of paint, the place didn’t appear much different than before he left.
Landon reached for the door handle, and Bob hit the lock. “Oh no you don’t, pal. I said I’d drive you by. I didn’t say I’d let you out.”
“Fair enough.” He leaned back again and closed his eyes. It was hard to miss the fact that he swiped at his eyes with the back of his sleeve. “Funny how life turns out, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean?” Bob turned the truck around and aimed for the highway.
“I mean, things sure didn’t end up like we all planned, did they?”
“No,” Bob said slowly.
“I had plans of playing in the NFL. I was going to take Neecie on the ride of her life. The best hotels, the best cars, the best clothes.” His laugh sounded hollow in the enclosed space. “It sure didn’t turn out like that, did it?”
“It could have.” Bob gripped the wheel. “It’s all about what you choose to do with what you have. And it’s about who you choose to follow.”
He looked less doubtful than Bob expected. “I know.” Landon paused. “All those years we were friends, all that time growing up here in Latagnier, well, I envied you, Bob. I can tell you that now.”
He hadn’t expected that.
“Me? Now that’s a laugh. I was the fat sidekick. The shadow. You threw the touchdowns, and I took the hits.” Bob took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “And no matter what, you were the one who always got the girl.”
“And there were a whole lot of girls, weren’t there?” He toyed with the door handle. “I always suspected Bliss might have had a thing for me.” Landon shrugged. “I could’ve done something about it—almost did once, not all that many years ago.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah,” came out like a long sigh. “It wasn’t to be. Besides, I always knew you were in love with her. I’m a creep, but I’m not that big of a creep.” Another chuckle. “That’s not exactly true. I was that big of a creep—once. Neecie thinks I still am. I never knew if she heard about the time I called Bliss in Austin
thinking I was going to make up for lost time. I probably shouldn’t tell Neecie now.”
No response was necessary. Bob did, however, press a little harder on the gas pedal. The sooner he got Landon to New Iberia, the better—for both of them.
They rode for several miles in silence. Bob tried to pray, but the anger seethed too close to the surface. I’m working on this, Lord, was the best he could come up with. Just let me get through this without punching the guy.
Not soon enough, they arrived in New Iberia. Following Landon’s directions, Bob ended up parked in front of a ramshackle A-frame with a sign out front declaring it the Harrison House.
“Home, sweet home.” Landon’s hand reached for the door handle; then he froze. “You’re going to think I’m really stupid.”
“I already do, Landon.”
His former friend ducked his head. “Yeah, well, here’s the thing. I had my getaway completed. I was living the high life all boozed up and miserably happy. There was just one problem.”
Bob’s urge to slug Landon caused him to grip the arm of his seat. “Neecie and the kids?”
“No,” he said. “Actually, it was something your dad used to say. Remember when he’d let us tag along out at the airfield? He always said, ‘Boys, if you don’t learn anything else in life, you need to learn that who you are is who you are no matter who’s looking.’ ”
Despite himself, Bob chuckled at Landon’s ability to mimic Pop. “Yes, he still tells me that.”
“Well,” Landon said slowly, “he’s right. You really are who you are. Running from that doesn’t change anything, except maybe to make things harder for the people who love you.”
“Yeah, you definitely did that.” Bob clenched his fists.
“I’m going to fix what I can and let the Lord do the rest.” Landon paused. “And if I have to leave, I have to leave. I just want those I care about to know how sorry I am.”
“Yeah, you’re sorry all right.”
“I deserved that,” Landon said.
“That and more.”
A long moment of silence fell between them. Bob knew better than to voice his thoughts, and Landon obviously felt the same. Eventually, Landon reached over to clamp his hand onto Bob’s shoulder.
Wedded Bliss Page 13