Page 49 of Why We Break

HANNAH

“Hey, Gramps! How ya holding up today?” I ask, making my way into his room after leaving Thanksgiving at Caroline’s.

“Hey, Hannah Banana! I guess I’m okay for an old bastard like me. They had to change up a few of my meds, and you know how that messes with me sometimes. But enough about me, how are you?”

“Oh, I’m good. I brought you some of Margaret’s desserts. Everyone told me to tell you they said hi,” I tell him, holding up the Tupperware that Margaret insisted I bring with me. “The pie is good, but the cookies are to die for.”

“Hand it over,” he says eagerly, holding out his hand. “That last batch of cookies you brought didn’t last through the night. I shared some with Gladis, and we both ‘bout made ourselves sick on ’em.”

I laugh as he yanks off the lid and takes out two of the cookies, inhaling them both before I can even sit down.

“I’ll let her know they were a hit,” I say, settling into the chair across from him.

“How’s that bakery of hers coming?” Gramps asks, putting the lid back on the container and throwing it out of his reach before adding sheepishly. “Gladis will be furious if I eat them all without her.”

“It’s coming along. Seth’s offered to help out a lot over the break, and she’s hoping for an opening around the end of the spring.”

“Seth’s a good guy,” Gramps says, nodding in approval. “I’m sure he’ll have her up and running in no time.”

“Yeah, and Mayor Brian asked her to do a pop-up at Deer Valley Inn through the holidays too so that’ll be going soon,” I add.

“Oh, that’s great. I know Brian’s got his hands full, but he and his cousin Bridget have put a lot of work into that place over the last year since his momma passed. Gladis was telling me that they were featured in some hotshot wedding and winery magazine this week. It was the talk of the town at Bingo night.”

“Oh, I haven’t heard that, but that’s awesome. Margaret’s really excited to do some holiday specials too. I’ve lost track of how many recipes she’s tested out for the next few months.”

“Well, tell her if she ever needs someone to sample them, I’m completely up for it. And, tell her once she opens, she needs to add delivery too. This place will keep her in business,” he says enthusiastically.

“Okay, Gramps, I’ll tell her, but I’m not sure the nurses will like y’all eating all that sugar.”

“Listen, I’m almost eighty years old and I’ve had more surgeries in the last couple years than I ever wanted to have. So if I want to eat some cookies, that’s what I’m gonna do, ya hear me, Hannah Banana?” he says, shaking his finger at me, causing me to roll my eyes at his dramatics.

“Fine, fine,” I tell him, holding up my hands in surrender. “I’ll pass the message along for you,”

“Thank you. Now, have you been keeping an eye on this weather? The girl on WKOA said we could be getting some serious snow over the next few days. Can you believe it? It hasn’t snowed here in years.”

“Yeah, I heard something about it, but you know they say this all the time and we never get any. I think it’ll be fine. It’s still football season for goodness sake,” I tell him before adding, “at the game last Friday, we were literally in shorts.”

“Well, I know, but just promise me you’ll pay attention. The farm is enough work without all that extra chaos.”

“I’ll watch it,” I promise.

“Good. And if you need help, I’m sure Will would be happy to come help you. The two of you worked so well together that summer. I always thought y’all would end up together, but judging by the fact that you can barely stand to be in the same room with him, I guess I was wrong.”

I’d just raised my bottle of water to take a sip, but as soon as the words leave his mouth, I can’t resist rolling my eyes. “Not this again, Gramps. Are you gonna bring this up every single time I visit?”

“No, but will you at least explain why you’re trying so hard to act like there isn’t anything there?” he asks, and I have to look away at the confusion on his face.

“Gramps, I don’t know what you think you saw, but there’s never been anything there,” I tell him.

The lie gets caught in my throat, and my gramps gives me a disbelieving look like he knows I’m full of shit, but he lets it go.

“Like I said, I guess I’m wrong. And that’s fine. I just want you to be happy, Hannah. I know it probably wasn’t how you saw your life going and I’ll never forgive my son for giving up the opportunity to be a dad to you, but you’ve made this old man so proud to call you his. Just promise me that you’ll let the right person in when it’s time. I know you think you have to hold it all together, but it’s okay to need someone. Just promise me you won’t shut everyone out forever.”

I feel my throat tighten at his words and tears fill my eyes, but I push them down. Reaching over, I grab his hand and squeeze it, before saying, “I promise, Gramps. I love you always.”

He smiles and pulls me around the table to hug me. “I love you too.”

I hug him back, and eventually he pulls back, leaning back in his recliner. We sit there for a while, talking about everything from the farm to the Iron Bowl and the upcoming semifinals Springside will be playing in next week, but all the while, I can’t stop thinking about what he said about Will.

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