Page 38 of Three Not-So-Little Words
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Some Good Old-Fashioned Naked Fun
Drew
“Hey, buddy! I missed you!” I tell Colton as he jumps into my arms.
After latching onto my neck, he says, “Missed you too.”
Natalie’s mom, Sandy, walks up the path leading to my front door, carrying Colton’s overnight bag as well as a giant stuffed panda bear.
I cock one eyebrow at her. “Really?”
“He wanted it,” she defends.
“He wants a lot of things.”
“Eh, I’m Grandma. It’s my job to spoil him.”
“Fair enough,” I laugh. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
I put Colton down so that I can help Sandy with all the stuff. After I set it down, I ask, “Do you want some tea?”
“You have tea?” She sounds shocked.
“Of course. I always had it on hand for Natalie. I guess the habit just stuck.”
Sandy’s smile fades a little, but she tries to hide it.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I shouldn’t have brought her up.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t be sorry. I never want to stop talking about her. That’s how we keep her memory alive.”
Sandy was never local to us, so she was never around all that much. When she was, I appreciated how involved she was with Colton. Lord knows my parents aren’t good for anything, so I have kept my son as far away from them as possible. I’m grateful he has one grandparent who gives a damn.
I tell her, “I don’t have a teapot, so the microwave will have to do.”
“Tsk, tsk.” She points her finger at me. “Natalie is probably rolling over in her grave right now.”
“Oh yeah. She always made sure I had a kettle on hand. Unfortunately, it didn’t survive the move.”
I finish making her tea and set it on the table in front of her. “Did you two have a good weekend?”
“Oh, we had a blast. I forgot how much I missed that kid.” She stirs her tea. “I also forgot how exhausting it is.”
That gets a loud laugh out of me. “Yeah, he can be a handful.”
She waves her hand as if pushing the statement away. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m just a little out of practice.” She gives a quick wink before sipping her tea.
I take a seat at the table across from her and lean my elbows on its surface. “You know, Sandy, while I appreciate your offer to take Colton every weekend, if it becomes too much, you don’t have to. I’d understand.”
She’s already shaking her head back and forth. “And while I appreciate you looking out for me, that little boy is all I have left in this world. Well, and you.” She smiles. “Didn’t mean to leave you out.”
“Hey, I get it. He’s much cuter than me.”
“First, I lost Natalie’s dad, and now, I don’t have her either. I’ve learned exactly how precious time with your loved ones is. So, I will soak up every second with Colton that I can.”
“I get it. But the offer still stands if you ever need a break.”
