Page 57 of Nick

Iwiped my eyes for the hundredth time.I can’t believe gramps is gone. I know he was ninety-six, but he was my family. I loved him so much.

The rest of my family doesn’t care about Madison and me. They contact me when they want something, which is the only time I hear from them. They are now madder than hell because gramps left me this house. He knew I loved being here as much as he did. Mona rubbed her nose against my hand. She always knew when Madison or I was sad. “I love you, Mona. Follow me, and we’ll get some ice cream.” Mona loves a spoonful of ice cream. I asked the vet if she could have ice cream, and he said yes, as long as it was not over twice a week. So I only give her a spoonful.

I walked outside, “Madison, sweetie,” I called. She was talking to our hot neighbor. It’s a good thing I don’t do hot or anything else anymore. He would be so tempting. “I have to take the truck back. Do you want to go?”

“How are you getting home?”

“The manager said she would bring me back.”

“I’ll follow you and bring you home,” the hot guy said. I know his name because Gramps liked him a lot. He was good to my grandpa.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’ll grab my keys.” He stopped and turned toward me, “My name is Ryker Malone. I’m sorry about Vic. He was a good man.”

“Thank you. You can call me Gabby.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Gabby.” I nodded and wiped a damn tear from my eye.

“I’ll ride with Ryker,” Madison said, following him.

Ryker didn’t look too happy that he offered to pick me up. He might regret being friendly with the neighbor, but for some reason, that made me chuckle. I climbed into the U-Haul and headed down the road. I couldn’t believe we were living in Oregon again. I love living here. I should have moved back before now to spend more time with Gramps.

But thinking of Madison around my family again made me never want to move here. She’s old enough to understand how my parents and siblings were. When Gramps got sick, I knew I needed to be with him. I felt the best part of my life was gone when he passed away.

I already knew he had left me this house. I’ve known it for years, but my family members went a little berserk when they found out. First, my mother demanded to know what I said to turn him against them. It would have helped if they had visited him once in a while. They didn’t even come to see him for the last three weeks of his life. I called them every other day during the first week. After that, I stopped calling.

Let me tell you something about my life: My parents have always treated me as the outcast of the family. I am not just saying that. Even when I was little, I felt left out of most things. My mother always said it was because I was the middle child, and that’s why I felt that way. She claimed all middle children felt sorry for themselves.

I remember when I had to tell them I was pregnant, I was so scared. I knew my parents would be angry. Right out of high school, I got pregnant, and Gavin promised we would get married. I’m glad we didn’t do that. My parents refused to help me with college. They said I didn’t need to go to college since I got pregnant. I had a responsibility to my child. I knew that, but I also knew I could still attend college. Mom’s actual words were, ‘You made your bed; now you can lay in it.’

They said I was a bad influence on my sister and brother. That was their excuse for kicking me out of the house. My sister was away at college, and my brother was sixteen. I don’t know how I was a bad influence in their life. My family never said anything about Madison, my sweet baby girl. They never treated her like she was their grandchild. They ignored her existence. They saw her when she was born, and I came home from the hospital for two months before they told me I had to leave. They laughed when I asked if I could have my college money.

Gavin, my boyfriend and Madison’s daddy, stood by my side while I was pregnant. His mom and sister were excited about the baby. His parents said Gavin was too young to settle down with a family. I guess they thought since I was the one who was pregnant, I was old enough, but Gavin wasn’t. Why people thought this was all my fault was beyond me. Gavin went away to college and met a lot of girls. At the time, I was heartbroken, and I didn’t understand how someone who said they loved me could just stop loving me when they met someone else.

His mom was the one who told me Gavin was dating other girls. She said he was young, and caring for a newborn baby for a nineteen-year-old boy was hard. I did all of it without help from my family and Gavin. Gramps saved me by letting me live with him.

I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do. I had to move out of my parents’ home. Gramps told me to come to him. That’s what I did. I packed up everything I owned and moved out. It was just clothes, a few trinkets, and baby clothes. I bought my car when I was sixteen. I saved my own money and paid for it myself. I never went back home, not once. I stayed with gramps until Madison was three.

I was always writing songs. I would sing my songs to Madison and gramps. He was always telling me I would be famous one day. I sent one of the songs I wrote to Trisha Yearwood. She loved it and invited me to come and see her. I was afraid and nervous, but gramps said this was my chance. So I agreed, and Madison and I went to visit Trisha Yearwood. When I sang the song I wrote for her, she cried and said she could never take that song from me. She wanted me to record it, and I did. That’s how I became a country singer. I always thought of myself as a songwriter, but now I’m a singer and a songwriter.

And now, here I was, sitting in the back seat of the hot neighbor who was driving me back home. His vehicle was spotless and smelt as sexy as the man himself. I don’t know what cologne he used, but I love the hell out of whatever it was. I could lay down on his back seat and stay here.

We pulled into his driveway. I thanked Ryker, and I opened my door. He was standing there looking at me with a frown on his face. I wondered what he was thinking. I frowned, thinking it must be me he was thinking about. Then I smiled because I figured it out. He was mad because he had the hots for me, as I had the hots for him. I remembered Gramps telling me Ryker’s fiancée ran off with another man the day before the wedding. That proves what I always thought: falling in love is a piece of crap, and I would never fall for anyone again.

I heard a horn honk and turned around.Great, just what I need right now.Gavin Moore. I looked over at Madison. She smiled and walked to her dad’s car. I stood there tapping my foot while the neighbor watched us.

“Hello, sweet cakes,” Gavin said to Madison.

“Daddy, I’m so happy you came to see me.”

He hugged her and then walked over and embraced me. I never understood why he thought he could hug me whenever he wanted to. Does he not realize he left me to fend for myself and a newborn when I was eighteen?

“I have a lot of unpacking, so why don’t you two take a walk on the beach or something.”

“Why don’t I order pizza? I haven’t eaten yet. Have you?” he asked, looking at Madison.

“No, and I’m starving.”

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