Page 5 of Life After Levi

My eyes are suspiciously wet when we pull back from one another. “Finally discharged, sir,” I reply.

He doesn’t miss much as his eyes travel from the top of my head to the tip of my toes, catching on the slightly pink skin on my arm. He can’t see my legs thanks to my jeans, but I know he watched us walking toward the barn he’s apparently puttering around in, so he had to have seen the slight limp I now have.

“Levinia, this is Damien Strong, he knew your daddy,” Mr. Mathers says. “Go see if Memaw has any lemonade, please.”

“Okay, Pappy,” she replies, grinning up at me before taking off at a run toward the farmhouse.

Once she’s out of hearing range, I look at him and state, “He has a daughter.”

“Yeah, the day we got the news about the accident was the day Emerie found out she was carrying that little ‘un,” he replies. “One of the best and worst days of our lives, to be honest. She’s the spittin’ image of him at that age. Cuter though, in the way little girls can be,” he says, chuckling.

“I, uh, I’m sorry I couldn’t get here for his funeral.” Guilt is heavy in my tone because Levi was my best friend in the world and the fact I wasn’t able to come home and honor his life the way I wanted to has given me many sleepless nights.

“We knew you wouldn’t be able to, son,” Mr. Mathers says. “Now, come on, I know Miriam will want to see you.”

“Let me stop and grab something out of my car. I’ve got some things he had for you guys.”

A small hitch in his breathing is the only sign I have that he heard me as I walk back to the car to retrieve the box that I brought. Once I have it in hand, I head toward the back porch where I can hear Levinia chattering away to her grandmother.

* * *

“I thoughtwe’d gotten everything already,” Mrs. Mathers says as she carefully opens the box that’s sitting on the small table.

“Probably his trunk, but this was at the apartment we had off base,” I reply. “He would find things for you guys and keep them there so the other guys in our squad didn’t rag on him. Said they were just stuff that reminded him of home. I’m sorry I couldn’t get it to you sooner.”

Her eyes are teary, but she smiles at me while shaking her head. “No, I think the timing is just right, don’t you, Pappy?”

He winks at her then looks down at Levinia, who is now playing with some blocks. While we’ve been talking, she’s been playing, but now, she crawls onto her grandmother’s lap.

“Don’t be sad, Memaw.” She pats the older woman’s face and I suspect it’s something Miriam has done to her since it’s completely natural.

“Oh, honey, how could I be sad when you’re here?” the older woman asks.

“I have a box for Emerie as well,” I quietly admit. “Just wish it hadn’t taken me so long to make my way out here, but I’ve been overseas for the past three years.”

“Everything happens in the right time, Damien,” Mrs. Mathers replies. She starts looking through the box, small gasps and occasional giggles from her and Levinia keeping me entranced.

“Does… does Emerie still live in Possum Creek?” I question. I don’t know why I never met her during one of my other visits; probably because we were usually in and out in under two days. While I would sleep, enjoying his parents’ hospitality, he would slip off to see her for a few hours.

“She does, but she’s doing her clinical ride alongs right now,” Mrs. Mathers replies.

“Ride alongs?” I ask.

“She’s about to become a paramedic,” Mr. Mathers proudly states. “Worked her as-tail off,” he says, changing up what he was about to say when he sees Levinia staring at him.

“Mama works hard,” Levinia tells me.

“That she does, little one, that she does,” Mrs. Mathers says. “She’ll be here soon if you want to wait. I’ve got plenty so you’ll stay for supper.”

“How about we show Damien around, Levinia,” Mr. Mathers says, “and leave Memaw to her memories.”

I can tell from a quick glance that Mrs. Mathers is holding on tightly to her emotions and stand. “I’d like that. Did I hear chickens?” I ask the little girl.

“Cows too!” she exclaims, jumping up and grabbing my hand. “Come on, I show you.”

It makes me chuckle that sometimes, she’s articulate, while others, she sounds more like her age. Guess it’s because of being around her grandparents; who knows?

ChapterFour

---