Page 18 of Broken Grump

“I’d be happy to take one of those,” Bernie mutters.

“No. I’m fine. Thank you, though.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Sam says through grated teeth.

To add insult to injury, I soon trip over my own feet and lose hold of one of the handles.

“I got it!” Bernie announces before catching the rolling device in the parking lot.

“Thank you,” I swallow my pride.

***

We bid our temporary farewells, although they make me dread the more permanent ones in the days to come.

Luna and I head up to our dingy apartment, and after hitting the lights, the mildew smell soon hits my nose.

Ugh. At least I won’t miss this place.

But unlike me, this is all that Luna has known, so she doesn’t scoff or turn her nose at our humble living situation.

“Hey, Tunes,” I call after her after she starts to run toward her room.

“Yes?”

Sitting down on the hand-me-down couch, I pat the spot next to me. “Come here.”

She abides, and I tuck her unruly hair behind her ears.

“So, as you know, we said goodbye to Abuelo Sal this weekend.”

“Yeah. I’m really sorry I didn’t want to go, Mom.”

“Oh, that’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”Honestly, kiddo? Same.

She bounces up and down a little while sucking air through her teeth. “I should’ve been there, though. I’m family.”

“Sweetheart, it’s fine. I promise.” We already had our own little memorial before I left for California. We buried his favorite beard comb in the backyard of our building. He made me keep it on hand in case he visited Arizona.

With a sigh, she says, “Okay.”

“Anyway.” I swing my legs up and sit on them. “Some things did end up happening.”

The skin between her eyebrows gets all wrinkly. “What kind of things?”

I hesitate but then let it come out like word vomit, “Well, Abuelo left me everything. So, we’re moving to California.”

Now, she looks especially confused. “But youhateCalifornia.”

My stomach drops, and I’m regretting being so candid with her about my past. “I don’t hate it.”

She crosses her arms. “No, that’s what you said.”

I blink slowly before explaining, “It’s just that a lot of bad things happened to me back there. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad place. And you’re going to love it. Instead of this place, we’re going to live in Abuelo’s mansion.”

“This isn’t fair! I don’t want to live in California!” she yells.

Her reaction is fair and to be expected.

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