Winning Dixie Read online

  “For real,” Dixie assured him.

  Wade’s mother stepped forward and kissed her son on the cheek. “I’m so proud of you for doing this.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  Dixie led the boys over to the other transplant recipients and told them these were their donor’s sons. There were handshakes and hugs and tears. And the inevitable laughter that comes when children are involved.

  “You got my dad’s liver?” Tate asked Mr. Bates.

  “Yes, son, I did, and it saved my life, so I’m mighty grateful to your dad.”

  “Listen up, folks,” Pops said loudly to their little group of family and friends. “Wade’s done a fine thing, getting this memorial built for the folks who deserve to be remembered. We’re all proud of him for doing it, proud of Jimmy Don for deserving it. Now, that’s enough of this gloomy-Gus sad stuff. These two young folks, Dixie and Wade, are getting married tomorrow. I say we go get us a good supper over at the diner, then rest up for the big day.”

  Wade leaned over and whispered in Pops’s ear. “Good going. Thanks.”

  Pops, with Ben and Tate in tow, led the way out of the park and down the block to Dixie’s Diner. Trailing behind the large group of McCormicks and Harrisons, way behind, Wade and Dixie held hands and gazed into each other’s eyes.

  “I love you,” he told her.

  “And I love you,” she answered.

  “Let’s get married tomorrow.”

  “Yes. Let’s.”

  And they did.

  ISBN: 978-1-4592-1831-4

  WINNING DIXIE

  Copyright © 2006 by Janis Reams Hudson

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