Wade crossed the room, poured two mugs full of coffee, and handed one off to Jessica.
揟hank you,?she said with a nod. 揑抣l have a Daisy waffle this morning, and Risa, please know how much we all appreciate you doing this.?
揂nd I appreciate having a job and a place to live that抯 not filled with stress,?Risa said as she poured batter into the waffle iron.
Oscar and Mary Nell came into the kitchen and set their umbrellas in the corner. Mary Nell pulled her shoulder-length hair up into a messy bun and secured it with a pencil. 揑 love the smell of fresh rain, and Lord knows we need it to settle the dust on the road and the parking lot, but it plays havoc with my hair.?
揧ou抮e not getting a bit of sympathy from me,?Oscar said with a deep chuckle. 揑 almost hate seeing the day we open the bar. I抦 getting spoiled to us all having breakfast together and talking about our day.?
Wade glanced around at his newfound family and sent up a little silent prayer of thanks. Then he realized that he had just thanked God for something for the first time since Danny was killed, and a tiny measure of peace filled his heart. He wasn抰 replacing his brother with all these people, but in their own way, they were each helping him to get past the anger he抎 been harboring.
That抯 a good thing. Danny抯 voice was clear in his head. Anger robs you of happiness and joy.
Risa handed Jessica a plate with her waffles on it and turned to Wade. 揥hat would you like??
揅innamon, please, with powdered sugar on the top,?Wade said.
His life had changed so much since that night he抎 come out to the old church to get away from town. The parking lot had been his getaway place ever since Danny had died. It was far enough from town to escape the noise of traffic, and he could sit on the tailgate of his truck and look at the stars. Sometimes, a summer night breeze brought the pungent smell of the river up to him, and a few times, he could have sworn he heard a fish flopping in the water. That had to be his imagination, he thought, since the river was so far away. But the very idea of a big catfish stirring things up brought back memories of times when he and Danny had gone fishing at the dock after dark.
揈arth to Wade!?Oscar nudged him.
He left the past with a jerk and returned to the present, wondering what he抎 missed. 揝orry, was someone talking to me??
揧ep,?Lily answered. 揥e were talking about making a decision on the name of the bar so that you or Jessica can call Mr. Yandell this morning.?
揥e抳e all cast our vote for Danny抯 Place,?Daisy said. 揝o no matter what you decide, majority will win anyway. Oscar still maintains that it will be called the Old Church.?
揟hank you all for this.?Wade抯 voice cracked. 揑t means a lot to me. Danny always wanted for us to own a bar. He wanted one on the beach, but he would be honored to know that敆he stammered, then regained a measure of composure棑that he抯 being remembered this way.?
揟hen it抯 all settled. The formal name is going to be on the papers as Danny抯 Place, but we all know what everyone is going to call it,?Oscar said. 揜isa, I want one of those blueberry waffles. Can I do anything to help you??
Risa handed the next waffles out of the grill to Wade and nodded. 揟hanks for the offer, and yes, you can put on another pot of coffee.?
揑抣l do it,?Mary Nell said. 揧ou don抰 want Daddy to make coffee. He makes it so strong it will melt the enamel off your teeth. And soon as you get Dad抯 waffle done, you are going to sit down and let me make one for you while I decide what I want.?
揑 won抰 argue with you.?Risa handed Oscar his waffle and took her place at the table. 揑抣l have a plain one with maple syrup. I say we make tiki drinks after work today to celebrate the formal naming of our bar.?
揥ith umbrellas and fancy glasses??Lily asked.
揑抣l pick them up when I go to the store later,?Wade offered. 揂nd the liquor to make them.?
揊or us, too??Daisy asked.
揤irgin drinks for you two,?Risa answered.
Wade sat down beside Jessica and took time to look around the whole table at each of his friends. Apart from Oscar, they had all come back home with baggage, but with each other抯 help, they were unpacking it梠ne piece at a time.
Wade waited until everyone had left that evening to get into his truck and drive to the cemetery. He sat down in front of the tombstones and ran a finger over his brother抯 name, Danford James Granger. 揑抦 back, Brother, with some news that will put a tear in your eye if you can hear me. The team decided to name the old bar after you. It抯 officially Danny抯 Place, but I want you to know that Oscar still says it will be called the Old Church. I hope not. I want people to remember you and completely forget what that building was in the beginning.?