Page 2 of Roses and Skulls

“So, about this boy problem.”

I groan, shoving my spoon in my float. “It’s not a problem.”

“Why don’t boys ask you to dance? You’re a very pretty girl.”

My cheeks heat at his compliment. “That’s not the problem.”

“Oh, so there is a problem. Admitting it is the first step to finding a solution.”

I stick my tongue out at him and he laughs, throwing his head back. “Really? You shouldn’t have to ask why no one wants to dance with me.”

He runs his fingers through his snowy white beard. “They’re scared?”

“Uh, yeah,” I answer. “Dad literally made Davie Johnson piss his pants when he asked him for permission to take me to winter ball in eighth grade. Nobody wants to risk that kind of humiliation.”

Grandpa laughs again.

“I’m doomed to be a crazy cat lady.” I roll my eyes up to stare at the ceiling. “Oh, wait, no, that will never happen because my parents won’t even let me have a pet because it might die and then I would be sad, and we can’t have that.”

He grabs my knee and turns me so that we are facing each other. “Honey, I know your parents are a little overprotective, but they have good reason to be the way they are.”

“Which is?” I know he isn’t going to tell me. No one tells me anything.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love my family. But they are annoying when it comes to protecting me. I can’t even sneeze around my mom, like literally, I can’t do it. Because if I do, I’ll find myself in the waiting room of Dr. Langley’s office. She’s crazy. Crazy, crazy.

Don’t even get me started on my dad. Every day, it’s like playing a game of twenty questions which will be the first thing on my agenda once we get back to the warehouse. I already have my answers down. No, no one touched me. No, I didn’t drink anything. No, nothing, I swear. Yes, I stayed close to a teacher the whole time. Yes, I took Lanie to the bathroom with me every time. No, I didn’t give my phone number to anyone. Yes, I’m going straight to bed. And on, and on, and on. You get the picture.

I shouldn’t complain. My life is good… the best. I’m surrounded by people who love me. What more could a girl want? I’m so lucky in fact, I hate to even wish for anything more.

But I do. I just want one dance, with someone other than Lanie. Just one lousy dance. Before I graduate. It’s never going to happen though. I’m sure of it.

I try to turn back to my root beer, but grandpa isn’t done. “Someday, a boy is going to come into your life, and he isn’t going to be afraid of your dad. Nothing will stop him from stealing your heart. Not even Dirk.”

Now, it’s my turn to laugh and shake my head. “Grandpa, you tell the best jokes.”

“I do but I’m not joking here, sweetheart.”

“I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t intimidated by him… or mom.” I shove a spoonful of ice cream into my mouth, pulling it out with an exaggerated pop.

“I’m not saying he isn’t going to have his work cut out for him, but he’ll find you and he won’t let anything get in his way. He’ll see you’re special.”

“Special enough to risk losing his nuts?”

Grandpa spits root beer all over the counter, slapping his palm down on the bar. “Oh, girl, I love you. So much like your mama.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m nothing like her.”

“Oh, you are. You just don’t see it yet. You’re the best of both of them.”

Grandpa gets quiet, a faraway look appears in his eye. I finish my ice cream, watching as he mindlessly works on his. “You okay, grandpa?”

He blinks a few times before turning to me. “Just fine, honey. You ready to head home? Your mom and dad will send out a search party if we take much longer.”

I nod, getting up and putting our glasses in the sink.

He grabs my hand as we walk back to the pickup. “Be patient with them. They love you more than anything… we all do.”

“Yeah, yeah, the Skull’s little MC princess,” I tease, wrapping my arm around his and snuggling into his side. “Thanks for the pep talk and the ice cream.”

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