“Hi, baby,” Selma said. “How was your fun time with Grandma and Kirsten?”
“So much fun. Kirsten taught me how to braid hair, and Grandma let me stay up late.”
“She did, did she?” Selma eyed her grandmother playfully.
“By thirty minutes. And we were finishing a movie,” the woman replied.
Selma put Gia down and asked, “What are you doing right now?”
“We were about to eat. Want me to have them make you something?”
“I ate at the airport. But I can join you two.”
“Kirsten is here. She’s eating with me,” Gia announced.
“Why don’t you go over to the table with Kirsten, then. I’ll go upstairs to change and come back down in a minute, okay?”
“Okay.” Gia ran off like she always did.
“So?” Grandma asked.
“So?”
“How was it?”
“It was good. Thank you for watching her.”
“It was good? That’s all I get?”
“It was really good?” Selma asked more than said as she held on to her roller bag, thinking about how Drew had held on to the same handle when she’d dropped her off at the airport, refusing to let Selma take an Uber this time.
“Selma, you know what I’m asking here.” Her grandmother crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her right foot.
“Grandma, it was fun. We had a good time. Drew’s great.”
“And?”
“And what? Just tell me what you want me to say here. I want to get out of my airport clothes and find a cup of coffee.”
“Honey, did you tell her?”
“Tell her what?”
“That you like her. Did you tell Drew Oakes that you like her? And not just as a friend you go visit from time to time, but as someone you’d like to date and… you know…”
“Grandma!” Selma laughed. “No, I didn’t tell her that. Why would I?”
“Because it’s how you feel.”
“Even if that was true, I can’t just tell her that.”
“Why not? I told your grandfather how I felt first. If I hadn’t, that man would have married Mae Trousseau instead of me.”
Selma smiled at her grandmother, loving the old stories of how she and Grandpa had gotten together.
“Drew is just… She’s Drew.”
“That’s her name, dear. It’s got nothing to do with who she is.”