By the time Greg and Cynthia made it back to The Biscuit, Norma was nearly finished bagging up all the presents.
“I’m sorry we missed your party,” said Greg.
“Yeah, well I figured you’d find some way to weasel out of it,” said Ralph.
“Ralph! They had to check on Edsel,” said Norma. “How’s he doing?”
“Pretty well—considering,” said Greg.
“He’s going to be in a lot of pain for a few weeks,” said Cynthia.
“So, he won’t be able to work for a while,” said Norma.
“Knowing Uncle Ed, this is probably the only way he would ever take some time off,” said Greg. “Too bad he can’t enjoy it.”
“What does he need time off for?” said Ralph. “All he cares about is tinkering around with those old cars. It’s his whole life.”
Greg didn’t appreciate his dad’s attitude toward Edsel. But he had a point. Edsel probably loved working on cars as much as Greg enjoyed teaching music and directing choirs.
He thought about the satisfaction of hearing a student finally play a piece with accuracy and feeling. And how he could be moved to tears by a beautiful choral performance. Maybe that was how Uncle Ed felt when he got an engine tuned up just right. The purr of a well-tuned engine might be the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to his ears.
“Uncle Ed’s a great guy,” said Greg.
“Yeah, yeah, I know—he’s wonderful,” said Ralph.
“Well, you’re a pretty good guy yourself.” Greg didn’t know where that came from.
Ralph looked surprised, then irritated. “Yeah, right.”
Cynthia gave Greg a look that said ‘keep going—you’re on the right track.’
“No, I mean it,” said Greg. “I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but you worked really hard to provide for our family. I know you were disappointed when I quit my job at the shipyard after only two weeks. I hated that place. But then I thought about how you worked out there every day for over thirty years. I don’t know how you did it.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” said Ralph.
“Well, anyway, I just wanted to thank you for that,” said Greg.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, Cynthia spoke up. “So, did everybody enjoy the party?”
“Oh, yes, definitely,” said Norma. “Although, I had to help Ralph blow out the candles.”
“I could have done it,” growled Ralph. “You didn’t give me much of a chance.”
“I knew it was going to take a lot of breath to do it,” she said.
“Honey, you’re always saying I’m full of hot air,” said Ralph, “and then when I had the chance to prove it, you wouldn’t let me. That’s just like you, though—always butting in.”
“Well, sure,” said Norma, “you probably could have done it yourself… but there were just so many candles.”
“Alright, Miss Smartie-pants.”
“I had to go to three different stores to get all those candles.” Norma snickered.
“I’m gonna get your candles,” said Ralph grabbing for her arm, and barely missing it as she jumped back.
Greg couldn’t believe it. Ralph had nearly smiled. He was glad to see that his dad was finally happy. Maybe he’d been happy for a long time. Greg might know if he had bothered to stay in touch.
*
“Angie?”
She dropped her magazine on the floor and jumped up from the chair. “Hi, Edsel. How do you feel?”
“Like a Cadillac fell on my chest.”
She laughed.
Edsel started to laugh—then he felt a twinge in his chest. He winched and grabbed his ribcage, which only served to exacerbate the pain.
“That must really hurt,” she said.
“You ain’t trickin’.”
Trick was Edsel’s standard curse word substitute. She had not heard it in a while. “But the doctor says you’re going to be fine. He said it would take a few weeks for the pain to completely go away.”
“Thanks for saving my life.”
“You’re welcome. I’m just glad I happened to walk over to the shop when I did.”
“You must have gotten there right after. You came over to make sure I was getting dressed for the party, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I’m sorry I made us miss it. What about Greg? Did he and Cynthia go?”
“They tried to catch the end of it. They were up here for quite a while.”
“So, I made them miss it too. I really feel bad about that. I was hoping it would be a chance for Greg and Ralph to get some things off their chests.”
“I know. But it wasn’t your fault. It was an accident.”
Edsel had a odd look on his face.
“Edsel?”
“No, it wasn’t an accident. Somebody released the jack on purpose.”
“Oh, no.”
“Yeah. I heard them walk in, but at first I thought it was you. So, I called out, but nobody answered. I was about to roll out from under the car when it suddenly fell on top of me. The oil pan slammed right into my chest. And those ‘77 Coupe De Ville’s weigh over 4,000 pounds. The pain was excruciating. And I could barely breathe. Then I guess I just passed out.”
“When I found you there—I thought you were dead.” A tear dripped down her face. “Then, when I saw that you were still alive, I was afraid you had gone into a coma.”
“A coma? Nah, that’s just in the movies.” Edsel hadn’t seen Angie cry in a long time. And she never cried because of him—it was always because of Clifford. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.”
“What? You didn’t make me sad. I’m happy.” Tears ran down both checks. “Can’t you see?” She smiled.
Maybe this was the right time to tell her how he felt about her.
“But we’ve got to figure out who did this to you,” she said.
“How are we going to do that? I didn’t see them.”
“You couldn’t even see their legs or their feet?”
“I could have. I didn’t even look, because I really thought it was you. Even when you didn’t answer I figured you were just trying to get me to come out from under the car.”
“I think I might know who did it,” she said.
“Who?”
“Remember those two women from that band—the ones who were trying to get me to hire them to play at the restaurant?”
“The ones I ran off?”
“Yes. One of them was here earlier. Greg and Cynthia and I had gone for coffee while we were waiting for you to be moved to your room. And when we got here the nurse told us a young woman with long black hair had been standing beside your bed when she walked in. Then we realized that we had just passed that woman at the elevator.”
“Really? The tall blonde did look kinda mean. But the short black-haired woman seemed sort of innocent.” He paused. “So, you really think she’s the one who dropped the car on me? And then came here to—”
“—I don’t know. But I’m not going to be comfortable leaving you alone until whoever did this is caught.”
Angie took his hand in hers.
There will never be a better time, thought Edsel. “Angie? I need to tell you something.”
“Okay. Is this the same something you were about to tell me last night after dinner?”
“Yes. And I’m just gonna say it.”
Angie was not about to interrupt.
“I love you, Angie.”
“I know, Edsel. I love you too.” She reached down and gently brushed his hair back with her hand. “I’ve always loved you.”
“No. You don’t understand. Not that kind of love. Not a best-friends kind of love. Angie, I want to take you in my arms and kiss you—on the lips. I want to take off all your clothes and make love to you. I want to go to bed with you every night and wake up with you every morning. And I want to do it every day for the rest of my life.”
Angie’s tears were beginning to flow freely again.
He went on. “But if you run out of here screaming at the top of your lungs, I’ll understand. I just had to finally say it.”
She sniffled. “Oh, Edsel. I love you too—and not just as friends. I want you to take my clothes off and make love to me. I want to be in your bed every night.”
“Oh, God, Angie.” He took her hands in his.
“I listened to my dad. I did whatever he wanted me to do because I knew I was all he had. And it was my fault that my mother died.”
“That’s not true, Angie.”
“Yes, it is. I took his wife away from him the day I was born. So, it was my job to make sure he was happy.”
“It wasn’t your fault that your mother died.”
“I know that now. But when I was a teenager it was different. I couldn’t stand to disappoint him. He was so upset with me when he found out I had been secretly dating you.”
“I know—I was such an ogre.”
“No, you weren’t. Not at all. But you were 26, and I was only 18.”
“Well, he didn’t have to break us up forever. I would have waited for you.” He looked into her beautiful, caring eyes. “What am I saying? I did wait for you.”
“Oh, Edsel.” Not today, but soon, Angie would have to tell Edsel her long-held secret. And she knew that after he’d heard the story, he might not want her in his life at all—even as a friend.