Page 11 of Mad Love

“And men?”

“What about them?”

“Don’t tell me a cutie like you can’t snag one.” She points a finger. “Especially not when a beast like your brother can find a girl.”

I chuckle and look down. “I haven’t exactly been baiting that hook lately.”

“Well, why not?” she pauses. “Are you a lesbian? It’s okay if you are, honey. I won’t judge. In fact, a few of my favorite memories from my youth include me and my friends experimen—”

“No,” I cut her off. “No. Not a lesbian, Grams. I’m just… very busy with work.”

“Well, if you ask me, it’s about time for you to start getting very busy in the bedroom.”

I blink. “Grams…”

“How old are you?”

“Uh…” I think hard. “Twenty-six?”

She kisses her teeth. “By the time I was your age, I had a seven-year-old.” She points a wrinkled finger at me. “Find a man, toss up your legs, and start making some babies.”

I cringe at her words. “Grams. Please, no…”

“I’m not saying it’s required,” she says. “There are many perfectly happy people out there without children and I respect that. However, in all the years I’ve mentioned this to you, you have never said the words, Grams, I don’t want children. Until you do, I reserve the right to bug you and your mother would have done the same.”

“And why aren’t you bugging Elijah about this?” I ask.

She cackles. “Oh, I will.”

I breathe a laugh. “Grams, I…”

The words linger on my tongue, but I can’t seem to force them out. Nailing down a man and firing out kids is something reserved for normal people with normal lives. I’ve never thought twice about that but now that Snake Eyes is gone…

“I’m not ready for that kind of thing yet,” I say.

She smiles. “Okay. I won’t mention it again… until next year.”

I nod, offering her a little hope. “Maybe next year.”

“Lily!”

My grandfather walks in with his arms outstretched. I instantly laugh at his baggy golf pants and the silly hat hanging off his head.

“Hey, Gramps.”

I stand up to hug him and he gives me a weak squeeze. He’s aged the most between them but they’re still so warm and spry. Not nearly as cold and decomposed as their doctored death certificates claim they are.

When you join Snake Eyes, you’re dead to the world. Our grandparents already buried our mother and father. We weren’t going to make them go through that again.

We couldn’t leave them at the lake house by themselves for various reasons, among them being Gramp’s deteriorating health, so we put them here under new identities. Attachments are dangerous in our line of work and we didn’t want anybody using them against us. They’re as dead to the world as we are. It’s the safest thing for them and they’re happy here. They’d be happier if we visited more often but doing so would only draw suspicion.

“How long will you be staying this time?” Gramps asks as he takes a seat next to Grams.

“A few days,” Elijah answers. “We’re both cashing in on some vacation days.”

“Good for you.” He stops to slap Grams’ hand. “Oh, we should introduce him to—”

“That new nurse!” she says over him.

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