Page 14 of An Introvert's Guide to Life and Love
“He wasmarried.”
I grimace. “Seriously?”
“Separated from his wife, but yes. One day she just showed up at his place. Just straight up let herself in with her own key.”
“That’s awful. Did she know about you?”
“Not specifically.” Carmen glowers and picks up the pace so we’re basically power walking. “She saw me sitting on the couch and said something to Edgar about having another one already.”
I groan.
“Yeah. But this was the first I’d heard ofher. So I was like, What the hell is going on? But they went and started bickering like an old married couple—which they are!”
“Forget him,” I say. “You can do so much better.”
“I’m never uttering the name Edgar again.” Carmen tosses her hair and asks what’s new with me.
You know, just inherited a cottage and a fully grown grandpa from my dead grandma… same old, same old…
“Well…” I say. My phone pings in my pocket, and I check it automatically. It’s an email from the therapist, Shauna.
Hi Mallory,
Unfortunately, cancellation within 24 hours of the appointment time incurs a $100 fee. And from everything you told me during our call, it’s my professional opinion that Leonard would benefit greatly from counseling, if only a few sessions. If you can encourage him to attend the appointment, it would be a win-win. If not, you can send the money via check or PayPal.
All the best,
Dr. Mellors
“Seriously?” I mutter. Reluctantly, I open Paypal and send her the money.
Carmen glances at me. “What’s wrong?”
I pick up the pace, pumping my arms. It feels good to get the blood flowing. “Some stuff has happened…”
I fill her in on all of it.
“Let me get this straight.” Carmen pants as we zoom past a group of moms pushing strollers. “You’re attempting to do welfare checks on your grandpa from across the country. Don’t even get me startedon scheduling him an appointment without asking him first. And you have this house that needs tenantsandrepairs? And you’re just going to take this Daniel guy’s word for it without laying eyes on himorthe house?”
She raises an eyebrow at me. She’s gorgeously flushed with a glowy sheen of sweat on her cheeks. Meanwhile, I have reason to suspect that I look like an overripe tomato with frizzles of hair framing my face.
“Well, it sounds bad when you say it like that.”
Of course she’s right. I had no business making that appointment for Gramps, but I don’t know how else to help him from afar. And the house situation is a mess. I can’t spend ten grand that I don’t have to fix up a house that I haven’t even seen in years.
“You shouldbethere,” Carmen says.
“Excuse me?” I say, even though my brain was clunking toward the same realization.
“See what’s wrong with the house. Spend time with your grandpa. Get to know him, otherwise you won’t be able to do shit.”
“You’re eloquent, as always.”
“I’m right, as always.”
I slow to a stop, breathing hard with my hands on my hips. I gaze out at the murky depths of the lake.
I can see how it will unfold: Gramps will be annoyed that I’m intruding in his life, he’ll be surly because of the therapy appointment debacle, and I’ll feel like a useless lump. I’ll meet with the property manager, he’ll explain what’s wrong with Pebble Cottage, and I’ll just nod and accept it, because I won’t understand anything he’s saying. And then I’ll shell out money I don’t have to pay for the repairs, because what choice do I have? I can’t let the house fall apart.
