Where the Deer and the Antelope Play

"Alan with a kid...or two. Ahem, wish you well with that."

"Haven't you ever thought about it, Ian? Having kids?"

"No, not really. The way my dad was with my mom...I just don't think I'd want to bring a kid into a situation like that."

"Your parents divorced, right?"

"Dad had a problem with commitment. He didn't see the need, so he put Mom through hell. I guess I got it from him, my wanderlust. That's why I'll never settle down."

"Ian, you're not your dad. You're single and you've told me in the past that you don't go out with married women. There's nothing stopping you from, ah, settling down, if you find the right person. I think you could be a great husband and dad, if you'd try."

"I don't know. That would be a huge change."

"True, but you can do it if you really want to."

A knock at the front door interrupted our discussion. Vince and Jeremy came in and we convened in the family room with beer, nachos, and wings.

It was, without a doubt, the most sedate bachelor party I've ever attended. No strippers, no lap dances or blow jobs—not even any X-rated videos—but we had fun talking and Vince, in particular, had some interesting stories from their high school days about Alan and some of their adventures together.

We played darts and pool in the basement, but by 10:30 or so when I started shuffling the cards, Alan yawned, the other two yawned, and I laughed at them. "You country boys would have a really hard time keeping up in the city."

Surprisingly, they all agreed and the party broke up soon afterward.

When they were gone, Alan said, "Good night, Ian. See you in the morning."

"Night, Alan. Sleep well."

My phone buzzed as I was saying it, so I looked at the incoming text. My eyes widened. "Sophie."

Alan rolled his. "Well, you have the key. Be really careful if you go out." With a chuckle, he added, "And drive safe, too." He headed off to bed, leaving me alone to ponder whether I wanted to respond.

As much as I liked Sophie and as much as I'd wanted to do even more with her, I realized my heart just wasn't in it. The excitement of seeing Candy earlier in the day after so many years apart, the buildup of hopes, and her crushing revelation were too much.

Feeling myself something of a cad, I typed her a note:

Hi, Sophie,

Thanks but I have to decline. We're trying to make sure Alan doesn't back out tomorrow but that he's not so drunk he can still show up for the ceremony to say "I do."

Sweet dreams,

Ian

Okay, a huge cad, lying to her like that, but it was done. I put the phone on the bedside table and was getting into bed when it dinged again.

"Please, Sophie," I muttered to myself, "please don't be begging. If you send me a picture of those wonderful twins, or more, I don't know if I'll be strong enough to resist."

I picked up the phone to see what she'd sent, whether a message or a tempting gift but was surprised to find neither. Instead, it was from Livia.

Ian, u awake?

Hi! What's up?, I typed.

Nobody but me round here. Nes crashed and Candy called her husband and crashed, too. What about u guys?

I sent our status and she replied with a LOL. Want 2 talk?

I debated for about a second before dialing her number.

***

Liv and I talked for over an hour before we signed off. As much as I thought she was great and deliciously sexy in person, a wonderful potential mark in the Game, on the phone she was engaging and just plain fun, which allowed me to avoid focusing on the naughtier endeavors I might have been envisioning, or even attempting, if we were sitting together in a restaurant, a car, or Nessa's hot tub. Not that I would have objected to any of those...

"Thanks, Ian. I've really enjoyed talking with you tonight and getting to know you better. I apologize but you're really not the type of guy I thought at all."

"What do you mean?" I asked, dreading her answer.

"Oh, just a, well, a self-assured user who's only interested in what's in it for you. After your checking me out at the car rental place and our ride to Alan and Nessa's wonderland, I figured you'd have been hitting on me, but you've been a perfect gentleman. I really appreciate that and hope we can talk again sometime."

I was stunned, realizing she'd pegged me exactly but was completely misjudging me now. Yes, I'd avoided my usual Game while on the phone with her, but that didn't mean that would continue tomorrow at the wedding or beyond. "Uh, thanks. I'd, ah, like that, too. Sleep well, Livia."

"You, too, Ian. Good night.

***

Chapter 6

Saturday, October 17th

The wedding was beautiful, with Nessa and Alan being successfully married and me spending a good part of the ceremony admiring Livia without trying to make it too obvious. Unfortunately, I wasn't too successful, but she smiled brightly each time she caught me, making me hope it was okay.

During the recessional, she gripped my arm more intimately than she had during our practice run at the rehearsal, and her smile brightened my own. As we passed, I noticed Candy, standing on the groom's side, beaming at both of us, making me wonder if Livia had told Candy and Nessa of our late night discussion. When we stopped at the back and the attendees started making their way out of the seating area, Livia's arm remained tucked in mine, unlike the bridesmaids and groomsmen. As people passed by, Gayle Carlton, Vince's wife, was giving out cute little handmade reminder invitations about the upcoming reception at the Shaggy Buffaloes Lodge.

"Over here, everyone!" called the photographer, who started directing us for all of the group photos. As much as I was enjoying feeling Livia's touch and smelling her subtle perfume, I felt a bit sad when the photographer lady wanted to do some shots with Nessa and her attendants, meaning that Livia had to let go of my arm and move away. More photos of the ladies followed, and then more with Alan and the guys, followed by even more snaps of the entire group. I suspect most of us were ready to shout "Enough!" by the time the lady called it, but Alan and Nessa looked happy so we all smiled and hoped the photos would turn out okay.

Having been in a few weddings over the years, I'd been rather disappointed to learn from Alan that there wouldn't be a limo for the wedding party from the reservoir to the reception.

"Ian, do you have any idea how hard it is to get a limousine in Ashantie County?" he'd laughed. "No, I'll drive Nessa in my truck, and you can drive her SUV back with Livia, Candy, and Uncle Horace, okay?"

I'd reluctantly agreed at the time, but now, I was happy to see Livia approaching the SUV, realizing that we could ride side by side. That turned to surprise, however, when she went to the driver's side. "Nessa asked me to drive her car back with you guys," she said, holding up the twin of the key Alan had given me. With a shrug, I opened the door for her and Candy, and then went around to the passenger side.

Uncle Horace was reaching for the door handle when he saw me, but he switched to the rear door. "Why don't you ride up there. Wouldn't want to stand in the way of...ah, progress," he whispered, smiling.

The first mile or two was driven in silence, with Livia watching the road, me mostly watching Livia, and Candy and Uncle Horace's eyes boring into my back. When Candy said something about how pretty the wedding was, I looked around to speak with her only to see her smile and her eyebrow go up as she glanced from me to Livia.

"Yeah, that was the prettiest wedding in Bettleys Corners in years," volunteered Uncle Horace, "and there were more Bettley and Sizemore kinfolk gathered than I've seen in that long, too. Far as I know, I'm the last one of us with the Bettley surname, but Alan's got a number of third cousins on the Bettley side and even more on the Sizemore—"

He prattled on about one cousin or another until Livia turned into the lodge parking lot. I went around and opened the doors again, and Livia took my arm as we went inside, and Candy did the same with Uncle Horace.

I was smiling and I think Livia was, too.

***

My smile lasted maybe two minutes after we got inside the lodge.

Livia and Candy went to see Nessa, so I looked around the hall, trying to find Alan, but I saw Sophie first and my smile went flat. It turned to an outright frown an instant later when I saw Bart standing next to her. Her own smile dissolved when she saw my frown, and I saw her turn to Bart, pat his arm, and then come my way.

"Hi, Ian! I couldn't make the wedding but Mr. Perkins let me off early so we could come to the reception." She leaned in and tried to give me a kiss on my cheek, but I turned away, took her arm, and led her outside.

"Sophie, what the hell's going on? You broke up with that jackass and now you bring him to Alan and Nessa's wedding reception after what he did? What are you thinking?"

She nodded, looking sad. "Ian, I'm so sorry. I actually came over to apologize."

"Why? For allowing yourself to be used by that...that idiot?"

"Ian, please, listen. After we swapped texts last night, I got a phone call from Talisa Bagett. She's the girl I thought that Bart had...messed around with. She told me that she lied about Bart doing it. He'd paid her $50 to do it."

"What? You believed that and even brought him to this reception?"

"There's more to it and I think you need to know."

"Oh, boy! I can't wait," I replied with the sarcasm dripping.

"Bart has been in a couple of plays with the Creek City Theater Company so Mrs. Nolan paid him to do it. She's friends with Nessa in their county women's group and Nessa had told her that you were a dentist and would be here for the wedding. The day before, Mrs. Nolan called Nessa again and asked what Alan was going to do to keep you entertained while you were here. Nessa mentioned that you guys would be playing golf in Creek City on Thursday afternoon and would probably be eating at the Pit since it's Alan's favorite place. Mrs. Nolan set it up, having Bart show up and wait outside until you guys had time to eat dinner and then pretend to get hurt."

My anger flared. "A fucking setup."

"Yeah. She'd be able to show you the dental office in hopes that you'd like it and maybe buy it, or be excited about spreading the word that it was available to your dentist friends. She's been trying to attract a dentist and buyer for months but hasn't had any luck, so she's getting desperate."

"Why the fucking subterfuge?" I asked, really angry on how they'd played me and how it was all so obvious now. Bart's ineptitude suddenly made sense; he wasn't trying to hit me, he was playing, rather poorly, a role. "I could have put her in touch with several dental programs to spread the word to recent or upcoming grads if she'd just come out and told me—"

And then it struck me. "And you helped!"

"No, Ian, I didn't know! Please believe me. If I had, I wouldn't have let it happen. Talisa was feeling guilty; we'd been friends since kindergarten, so she called to come clean with me and apologize last night, and then I called Bart, who admitted everything and begged me to forgive him, not for fucking Talisa, which he didn't really do after all, but for using me to try to trick you."

"And, after our time together, you just let him off?"

She was staring at her feet. "No, not entirely. I told him I was going to tell you, that he had to apologize to you in person, and that he had to give the money Mrs. Nolan gave him to the Ashantie County book mobile service for new books for kids. He didn't like the first, wasn't very happy about the second part, and he's totally pissed about the last one, but I told him if he wants to get back in my good graces, that's what it would take."

I broke a grin as Sophie told me of her conditions and Bart's reaction to them but then took her arms in my hands as I looked sternly into her eyes. 'Sophie, why are you telling me all of this?"

"I like you a lot, Ian, and could see being your girlfriend if you were to live here, but I know you don't, and, after this, you never would. More than that though, I don't like what they tried to do to you, the way they tried to trick you and use me to help do it. I'm really sorry. I don't like seeing people be used, and believe that apologies and making amends are important when they are. Do you want to talk to Bart now?"

I thought about what she said, realizing that most of the time my activities didn't hurt anyone, but, every now and then, they did. That girl in the dentist office some months back, for instance. I couldn't even remember her name—Maggie? Molly? Something like that—but I probably owed her an apology based on what she'd said. Yes, I could be mad, but it wasn't like I'd never done something myself.

"No, I don't want to talk to him, not at all," I grumbled with a sigh. "Though if you're serious about getting back together with him, I guess I should to make him live up to your T&Cs."

"Tee and cees? What's that?"

"The terms and conditions of you getting back together with him."

She giggled. "See, I knew I liked you, Ian, even before I found out about your tongue. Ahem, but don't mention that part, okay? Bart and I were broken up then so he doesn't need to know anything at all about that."

***

Bart hemmed and hawed for a while, but he apologized and confirmed what Sophie had said. He seemed quite regretful over it, but I suspected that it was more because he'd be missing the $250 bucks Mrs. Nolan gave him for his lousy acting job than actual sorrow for his actions.

He was being really nice to Sophie, though I suspected that they wouldn't last long if they were to ever marry. As much as I liked her, I felt bad about that, but if she wanted to make her bed with him, there was nothing I could do to keep her from sleeping in it.

There was milling around and talking for a few minutes before time came for the first toast. Uncle Horace told a fun little tale that I could see, from Alan's expression, had come from his own adventures rather than Alan's, but the crowd laughed and when Horace made the turn for the toast, it went together well and there was generous applause.

The D.J., a local radio personality, was master of ceremonies, so he thanked him and invited everyone to have a seat so the caterers could start serving. I made my way to the front table and was both surprised and glad to see my name card again positioned in the seat next to Livia's, with Alan on the opposite side.

"You okay? You didn't look too happy talking to that girl and guy a few minutes ago."

"You could say that. That was the guy whose tooth I supposedly hurt, but he faked it." I told her the story but was surprised when she was smiling instead of sharing my anger. "What?"

"Oh, just the games people play. Think about it for a second; if it hadn't happened to you, you'd think it was pretty funny, too, right?"

"You're probably right. But remind me to never visit a production put on by the Creek City acting group. If Bart's acting is any indicator of the company's skills, they'd be awful."

"You ever do Broadway? Go to shows, I mean?"

"I've been to several, but it's not my favorite thing."

"So what is?"

"What's what?"

"Your favorite activity?"

I looked at her, not sure if I should admit to it, but something in her eyes and her expression told me she'd get it. "Spending an evening with the right girl."

"How do you know when it's the right one? The right girl?"

With my Player mentality, the right girl was always the one who'd agree to go with me, to her place, my place, or some place, for a little fun. The right girl was the one who'd say "yes," often repeatedly, while driving me wild. That was the truth, but not the truth that Livia wanted to hear. I shook my head slowly. "Sometimes I can just tell, but, too often, I don't have a clue."

There was a hint of a smile on her face as she slowly nodded. "Isn't that the truth, for the right guy as well as the right girl. I hope we both find the right one for us someday.

Alan leaned over toward me and asked, "What are you two whispering about over here?"

"The right person," I replied and Livia nodded.

"And how lucky you and Nessa both are to have found that right person in each other," Livia said, stretching the bounds of our discussion a bit but bringing a smile to Alan's face. He leaned over to whisper to Nessa, they smiled lovingly at each other, and Livia smiled at me.

***

The music started after dinner, the traditional toasts from Livia and me to the couple, and the cutting of the cake. Alan and Nessa had the first dance, a Viennese-style Waltz, and they did it with a style and sophistication that said this wasn't something they'd decided on the spur of the moment. Livia was smiling as she watched intently, with a happy tear rolling down her cheek. Her hand grasped my arm and gave me a little squeeze without even realizing she was doing it as she continued to watch the lovebirds do their dance.

I was smiling, too, of course, thinking of how many times Nessa must have made Alan practice to get those steps down to where he knew them by heart and appeared to actually be living them rather than remembering what was next. As they came to the finale, I slid my other hand over and lightly touched Livia's. She started, realizing then what she'd done, but still watching them, I leaned close and said, "Livia, may I have the first dance?"

There was great applause for the newlyweds then, and we stood to join the rest of the gathering in giving them a standing ovation. Nessa looked radiant as she held Alan's arm on the floor and he waved to get everyone's attention.

"Please, everyone, join us for the next dance."

The DJ, a guy who made sure everyone knew his name was Chocktaw, echoed this, and started a mid-paced song that allowed everyone to dance close if they chose or with a bit of separation if they wished.

I looked at Livia expectantly. "Please?"

"Sure," she said in reply, and I took her hand and led her onto the floor.

She stepped into my arms and we began a simple box step at first before adding a turn when we became comfortable with each other.

"You're good," she said, smiling up at me.

"I used to think so, and to think I was a lot better than Alan, but after seeing him tonight, I'm not so sure."

"It's all in practicing with the right partner."

"If that's the case, I now feel like the best dancer in the world!"

She laughed heartily, but glanced away. I was enjoying feeling her against me as we continued through the song. When it ended, a popular dance song started, and Livia drew back but continued to dance with me to it. Now, instead of feeling her body move against mine, I watched, admiring her beauty and the way she moved.

After the fourth song, she leaned close. "Break for a drink?"

"Sounds good," I called, glad to continue with her.

We got a glass of wine, and made our way over to the side to watch the dancers on the floor. There were Alan and Nessa, looking happy as clams together. Candy was dancing with Uncle Horace, and there, to my surprise, Sophie and Bart looked like they were made for each other. He was, I noticed, standing straighter and less stooped than before. Maybe he'd adopted that particular stance as part of his persona when he was trying to trick me. Maybe, just maybe, the young man was a better actor than I'd given him credit for. Suppressing a chuckle, I looked away and found myself looking into Livia's eyes.

"You can go cut in, if you'd like," she said, glancing at Sophie.

"No, I'm good right where I am...if you're okay with it?"

She gave a little grin and then a happy little nod before leading me back out on the dance floor. After the next two dances, we found ourselves ignoring the tempo of the music, just holding each other close and swaying in the comfort of the other's arms. I closed my eyes after a bit, and enjoyed smelling the scent of her hair.