After several largely futile attempts to force herself to eat, Beth excused herself and told Maggie she was headed for the ladies’ room. The Dillons had brought in a row of luxurious Porta Johns that resembled fancy marble bathrooms, complete with dressing tables and baskets of toiletries. Midway across the tent, Beth was just maneuvering around a dancing couple when she saw Bill framed in the main entrance to the tent. Aghast, she paused, uncertain of whether she should turn and run or move forward. She chose the latter course and hastened to intercept him.
At this same moment, Ben Senior also spied Sampson, as did Beth’s siblings, even Ruthie, who paused in her dancing to stare.
“How dare he?” Ben Senior said, as he started to rise.
Leonora grabbed his arm. “No, Papa. Let her handle it.” She caught the eye of Ruthie, who nodded, circling around the edge of the tent toward the couple.
Ben and his brothers rose as one, but before they could move an inch, Maggie raised her hand. “No, leave them be. This is one time when the Morgan boys’ intervention is not required. Your sister’s strong. She can handle it.”
“That bastard has a lot of nerve showing his face after I told him to stay away from her,” Ben said as Maggie put her hand on his forearm.
“Ben Morgan, if you move one step, I’m leaving and taking Emma with me.”
Her husband sat, as did his brothers, but if looks could kill, Bill Sampson would be dead as a doornail.
“Jerk,” Robbie said, shaking his head.
“If she starts crying, Mags, all bets are off,” Kyle said, slapping his napkin on the table.
“Okay, we all agreed,” Sam said. “If she cries or he makes any false moves, we whup him good.”
“Spoken like a true cowboy,” Maggie said. “Where’s Harley, anyway? We’d better make sure he’s corralled.”
“Ruthie’s got him,” Robbie said. “They’re together over there, ready to pounce if needed.”
Beth reached Bill just as he spotted her. She cringed, wondering if her brothers were watching. “Bill, what in the world are you doing here?”
“I was invited, remember?” Except for the dark circles still under his eyes, he looked especially handsome, hair trimmed, with a new tie and green dress shirt. He wore a beige linen suit he had recently purchased for their ten-year anniversary this coming fall. They had planned a trip to the Grand Canyon and a fancy dinner at their favorite restaurant in Flagstaff on their way.
“Do you know what my brothers will do if they see you?”
“I’m not intimidated by the Morgan boys.”
“Well, you should be.”
“I see them at the table. It appears Maggie has called down the posse. You look very beautiful, my darling.”
“You don’t get to call me that anymore,” she said, thinking how comforting it would be to fall into his arms and erase the past week from her memory.
“One dance and I’ll go,” he said, extending his hand as strains of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” reached them.
“One dance,” she said softly, and took his hand. It would have to be this song!
Rose found her brother just extracting himself from conversation with Ollie and Taft. Lang pointed to Beth and Bill and said, “Is that who I think it is dancing with Beth?”
“You met him, I thought?”
“Only for a second.”
“He’s a nice-looking man,” she said, smiling at her brother. A little jealousy won’t hurt him, she decided.
Bill drew her close and Beth stiffened, pulling back.
“Sorry,” he whispered. “Force of habit.”
They moved slowly, in tune like the long time couple they were, familiar with each other’s rhythm. Dancing was something they both enjoyed, and many Friday nights they went to one venue or another, trying everything from contra dancing to swing. One of their favorite spots was a lounge that featured ballroom dancing where patrons moved and swayed to the music of the 1930s and 1940s.
Beth closed her eyes and let herself be led, giving body and soul over to the music. Let go of the hurt and quarrels for three minutes. Let yourself be happy and at peace.
As Lang watched them, his chest tightened to the point that he wondered if he were having a heart attack. Beth looked blissful, the haunted, scared face of the past week fallen away. She was in the arms of the man she loved. She loved Bill Sampson, not him. Disgusted, he turned and left the tent. He grabbed a bottle of champagne from the bar and walked out into the night. If he had remained, he would have seen the change in Beth as the last strains of the song reached her. Tears filled her eyes as she opened them, stop swaying, and gazed up at Bill.
“I loved you, Bill, with all my heart. I never doubted for an instant that we would grow old together.”
“We still can, Beth. Please forgive me. That’s what I want. To grow old with you. To love and cherish you. If you want to get married, let’s do it. Now, tonight, tomorrow, next week, whenever you say. I was a stupid fool for not asking you sooner.”
Beth stared at him, almost feeling sorry for him. She reached up, and her hand caressed his face as she ran her finger along his square, handsome jaw. “It’s over Bill. I’m not coming back. We can sell the condo or you can buy me out. Let’s find a time to talk in a few weeks, when you decide.”
“Oh, God, no, Beth, please don’t say that. I’ll do anything.”
“There’s nothing to do. It’s gone. My love for you is gone, and it’s never coming back. I saw Skyler that morning, but I also saw you and your face. There was something there that I’ve never seen. An aliveness, a vitality. Go back to her. Make it work. We’re over. Goodbye.”
Not waiting for his reply, she turned her back and walked away, straight to the table with her family. Bill watched her go, then turned and left.
No one at the table said a word. Maggie took her hand, and Ben’s arm circled her shoulders. As Ruthie and Harley left their post and crossed the room to join them, Emma crawled down from her seat and came to sit on her aunt’s lap, her tiny arms wrapped around her waist. Beth rested her head on Emma’s curls and wept.
Ben Senior started to get up, but Leonora stopped him again. “Let her be, Ben. She’s okay, and her brothers and sister are looking after her. There’ll be time for her Mama and Papa when we get home.” Ben Senior kissed his wife and nodded, sitting back down.