Page 154 of Always Us

“Someone must’ve told him it was okay.”

“But who—”

“Jade, it doesn’t matter. Let’s just be happy those two are back together.”

She gets a huge smile on her face. “This is so great! We’re going to live next door to them again this summer, but in Santa Barbara, which means I’ll be able to see Grace all the time. This is like a Christmas gift!”

“Yeah, it is.” I kiss her.

My dad walks up behind us. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but Garret, your grandmother is going home and she wanted to say goodbye before she left.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Jade and I follow my dad to the main part of the house. My grandmother is waiting in the living room. At least she’s saying goodbye this time.

“Dad said you were leaving,” I say to her.

“Yes, I need to be going.” She walks up to me. “Goodbye, Garret.”

I hear my dad behind me. “Jade, I want to show you something. Could you come to my office?”

“Um, yeah, okay,” she says, realizing he wants to give my grandmother and me a moment alone.

They leave and my grandmother stands there, looking uncomfortable. She keeps glancing at the Christmas tree, then back at me. “It was good seeing you, Garret. Have a safe trip back.”

“Grandmother.” I pause until she looks at me. “Are things always going to be this way?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” She stands up straighter and looks at the tree again.

“Are you going to keep treating me like a stranger instead of your grandson?” I can’t believe I asked her that, but I did because I really want the answer.

“Garret, don’t say such things. I don’t treat you like a stranger.”

“You barely speak to me. And when I was here a few weeks ago, you didn’t even say goodbye.”

She doesn’t respond.

“Grandmother, I know you don’t want to be this way. You didn’t treat me like this when I was a kid. And I see you with Lilly. You act like a grandmother to her, but not me. I know you only treat me this way because of him. Because he told you to. But he’s gone now. You don’t have to be like this anymore.”

She nods.

I pull her into a hug, a real hug, and keep her there. “I love you, Grandmother.”

I’ve never said that to her, but it’s true. I may not have loved my grandfather, but I love my grandmother. I know deep down she’s a loving person. That part of her comes out when she’s with Lilly. And I know last Fourth of July, she didn’t show up here because she wanted to watch the fireworks. She showed up because she knew I’d be there and she wanted to see me. My dad told me that later.

I feel my grandmother’s arms tighten around me. “You’re a good young man, Garret. I know you’ll do well in life.”

She can’t do it. She can’t tell me she loves me. Those words just aren’t said in the Kensington family, at least not by my grandparents. But at least she said something positive to me and gave me a real hug.

She releases her arms and I step back and see her forcing out a smile. She walks around me to the foyer and I follow behind her.

My dad hears her coming and walks out of his office with Jade. “I’ll see you after your trip, Mother.”

She gives him a quick shoulder hug. “Yes. I’ll call you when I get back.”

“Where are you going on your trip?” Jade asks her.

“To London. Just for a few days, to see an old friend.”

---