Page 61 of Broken Rules
“You’ve never shown me this,” Savannah said, handing the box to Nonna.
“Some places are too painful to visit, so we’ll have to make this a quick trip. This is from Thomas. If ever I had a soulmate, it was him. We adored each other, although his parents never supported our match. He was from old money out of Stockbridge; whereas, I was just the daughter of an immigrant bus driver.
“When he was called away to war, he promised to write to me, but he never did. I thought he had met someone or had realized his parents were right. I never heard from him. Then a year after the war ended, I was reading a paper about a young man who had hung himself. It was him. Without thinking, I raced across town to his house and confronted his mother. She was sitting on her living room floor, heartbroken and gripping a stack of letters.” Nonna closed her eyes against the memory and took a deep breath before she continued. “Come to find out he had written to me and often, but he had sent my letters along with his family’s assuming they would get to me. But of course, I never received them. And when he came home, and discovered I was married, he was too heartbroken to go on.”
Savannah gasped. “Oh Nonna!”
Tears shone in her faded blue eyes. “Love is so powerful. There is no greater force. But it is also infinite and that is what Thomas couldn’t see. There was more love out there waiting for him. And there is love out there waiting for you. Don’t give up on love like Thomas and I did.” She pointed a gnarled finger at Savannah. “Unless he isn’t worth it. You’re not broken up over anidiotalike some of the men you’ve dated?
“Nonna!”
“I’m too old to mince words.”
“Trust me, you’d like him.” Savannah wiped the tears from her eyes. “Did you and Nonno love each other?”
The old woman’s eyes crinkled at the edges when she smiled. “With all my heart...when he wasn’t driving me crazy.”
Savannah stood up and wiped her cheeks. “You’re right, Nonna. I won’t give up.”
Her grandmother smiled. “That’s my gal.”
Savannah tucked the blankets up around Nonna’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Goodnight, Nonna.”
“Goodnight, Savannah.”
“You’re my woman.”
“You’re my gal.”
Savannah stretched, feeling the warm morning sun on her face. She sat up, and breathed deeply. The screened walls invited the fresh smell from her grandmother’s perennial garden that bloomed brightly, even amid a wild tangle of weeds.
Straightaway, her mind filled with concern for Damien. She swung her legs off the daybed and stood. Tiptoeing past Nonna, she headed into the kitchen. Amanda should be there within an hour. She put the coffee on. Nonna was not a morning person. A trait Savannah had inherited. They would both prefer to stay up late and watch movies and sleep the morning away. But that morning Savannah couldn’t delay. Damien might be waiting for her at her house. She remembered her nonna’s words...Never give up on love.
“Nonna,” she called, leaving the kitchen and crossing the living room to her grandmother’s bedside. “It’s time to wake u—” Savannah drew a sharp breath.
Nonna’s cheek was ice cold.
“Nonna!” Savannah pulled the blanket down and pressed her hand to her grandmother’s still chest. “No,” she cried and dropped to her knees. “Please, Nonna. Please don’t.”
She didn’t know how long she sat there, holding her nonna’s cold hand and praying for her to breathe, to live, but eventually, Amanda came in.
Savannah looked up and met the nurse’s gaze. Her face crumpled. “She’s gone.”
Amanda dropped to her knees and pulled her close. “Oh, Savannah, I’m so sorry.”
Her heart ached. “She died in the night. I was just out there, sleeping. If I had known, I would have lain with her. I would have held her.” A sob burst from her throat. “She wouldn’t have died alone.”
Amanda held her close. “She wasn’t alone. She had her gal close by.”
“But I didn’t get to say goodbye,” she cried.
Amanda pressed a kiss to her forehead and rocked her gently. “This isn’t goodbye. She’s a part of you. You’ll never lose the sound of her voice or the smell of her soft perfume.”
Savannah nodded through her tears. She knew Amanda spoke the truth, but, at that moment, it did nothing to soothe her heartache. Pulling gently free from Amanda’s embrace, she sat again beside her nonna and held her hand.
“I’ll call the hospital,” Amanda said before she left the room.
Savannah couldn’t speak. She forced her head to nod while she continued to look at her grandmother’s beautiful, peaceful face. She leaned close and whispered. “I love you, Nonna. You’re my woman.”
