Chapter 9
T he next few days fell into a rhythm that was getting to be so easy. Nelly watched Zander work himself to the bone and then pick himself up, sometimes tired and sometimes not. Whenever she worried about something, he would listen before responding.
Each time he would sit back and grin and say, “I’m doing better. I’m doing much better.”
“You are,” she agreed. “I just don’t want you to fall.”
He nodded. “I get that, but I can’t even express to you how much stronger I feel.”
She hesitated because she needed to let him do his thing, but it was hard because she wasn’t sure that he understood where his strength was at. So she often compromised and added, “Just a warning.”
“I know. I know,” he always said, and then he’d laugh. “Besides, everything’s so crazy right now, with the wedding. You worry about that instead.”
“It’s not that bad,” she muttered. “We’re all doing our thing.”
“Yeah, I was waiting to hear from Robin to see what was going on with Dani’s personal gift.”
“Right? She did contact the owner of the horse,” Nelly murmured. “Yet still no word back.”
“Well, the wedding is coming pretty fast,” Zander noted. “Not much time for a fallback gift—if this doesn’t work out.”
“It is, indeed, but it’s not that bad. We still have time.”
“Are people covering the flowers and stuff for her?”
“You don’t think the horse is enough?”
“If there’s a cost involved in the horse, absolutely,” he said. “But I still suspect, with this many people wanting to show Dani how special she is, there’ll be lots of room for other gifts.”
Nelly stared off in the distance. “I know she got a special deal on the cost of the flowers, but for all the food involved?”
Zander frowned. “Maybe we can donate to that too.”
“And I can talk to a couple of the people here who are organizing some of this. I’ll see what they say,” she added.
“A lot of people are here,” Zander noted, “but we don’t want people to feel that they have to donate. I’ve talked to a couple of the guys myself, and they want to. So, if the food bill is bothering her, let us help pick up that tab.”
She stared at him and shrugged. “Maybe we should just put all collections into a big pot and cover what we can cover?”
“Sounds good,” he said, with a smile.
*
After Nelly left, Zander looked at the remainder of his green drink, sighed, and tossed it back.
If nothing else, he was feeling better and stronger.
Although there were days where he woke up and didn’t want to get out of bed, he had enough energy to get out of bed and to override that sense of being exhausted.
There was a lot to be said for that too.
As he smiled off in the distance, his phone rang.
He looked down to see it was Aaron. “Hey, Aaron. I’m surprised to hear from you. ”
“There’s been an awful lot of discussion going on about something for Dani,” he replied.
“Absolutely. There has been multiple discussions here, from a horse that she used to have to maybe suggestions that we donate to the cost of the food, which seems to be bothering her too.”
“Yeah, I hear you there, but something came up, and she’ll be thrilled—when she realizes it—but it’s a problem too.”
“What’s that?” Zander asked.
“We are getting the horse for her. And believe me that’s in progress, but the owner won’t let us pay.”
At that, Zander stared down at his phone. “You mean he won’t let her have the horse?” he asked in horror.
“Oh no, not that at all. Apparently his grandson went through Hathaway House. So, once he realized who the horse was for, he’s now donating the horse to Dani as a wedding gift.”
“Oh good God.” Zander started to laugh. “And now I see what kind of problem you foresee. So many people are donating because she’s done so much over the years that they all want to pitch in and do something for her. And now we have no idea what to spend our money on.”
“Exactly. That’s exactly what I would say,” he agreed, with a laugh. “So, I will keep it in mind and will see if we can come up with anything else.”
“Somebody suggested that we put all the contributions into one pot and cover as much of the expenses as possible, so that she doesn’t feel as if anything has to go toward the wedding that she doesn’t have the money for.”
“And that’s probably a good answer too,” he admitted. “I have to admit, at this point in time, I’m a little bit out of the loop on a lot of the planning because I’m in exams,” he shared, his voice a little distant. “And even now I have to run.”
“Hey, thanks for the update, man.”
“You too. Take care, and be strong for the wedding.”
“Am I invited?” Zander asked, with a wry note.
“Everybody in Hathaway’s invited,” he stated. “Don’t ever doubt that. And, if you have a plus one to bring, she’s welcome too.” And, with that, Aaron ended the call.
And Zander was left with that phrase that almost struck terror in his heart. Plus one . Was there anything worse than having to RSVP and to say you were coming alone?