Page 12 of Lordes

“Who are you seeing now if your heart is so open? Whatever happened to, ah— I have no names of any girls. You never tell me about any of your girls.”

“You’re my only girl.” That was true.

“Lordes.” She blew air from her mouth. She was over my antics.

“I would tell you if there was someone.” I reassured her.

“I don’t believe you. I think you’re handsome but you’re my grandson. Everyone else says you are handsome and you look like one of those magazine models. You have to have a girlfriend.”

“Sorry, I currently don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?” She leaned forward to gauge my response.

I chuckled. I couldn’t help it. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Well I don’t think it’s anything wrong with it. The gays can adopt nowadays, sometimes they get a lady to have a baby for them. I could still be a great grandmother before I die.”

“Gram, I’m not gay. I just don’t have a girlfriend at this moment.”

“Huh.” The look of disappointment on her face was hard to ignore. She only wanted me to be happy. She wanted to make sure I wasn’t left alone when her time came. I didn’t want to ever think about life without Gram. I could never tell her that I didn’t have any connections with women pause the physical. I probably needed some form of therapy to sort out my childhood traumas where women were concerned. Knowing my own mother didn’t want me or love me could have something to do with my inability to connect with the female species. I never had a problem connecting my dick with them but beyond that there was nothing. My Gram was one of the only people that didn’t think I was an asshole. I had to give her some hope even if I didn’t think I would ever change.

“I did meet a very beautiful woman at the bookstore today.”

“Are you joshing with me?”

“No. She found your books for me and I was brave enough to ask her on a date.”

“I can’t tell if you’re being honest.”

“Gram, why would I lie about it?”

“Tell me more.”

“Well she works at the bookstore. She looks smart. She has a pleasant speaking voice, a lovely smile and alluring brown eyes.”

“She sounds like a knockout. Did you get the digits?”

My mouth dropped. “Gram!”

“I heard Fannie’s grandson say that when I was over last week. All the kids are saying it. It means did you get her telephone number.”

I couldn’t contain my smile. “I sure did. I got the digits. We have a date tonight at a fancy restaurant downtown.”

Gram’s eyes lit up at the prospect of me on a date. It made me feel like a failure. I had everything I needed and more than I wanted in this life. I didn’t have a wife and a child, the basic things she wanted for me.

“Be nice on the date. Act like a gentleman. Open doors and pull out her chair. Tell her she’s beautiful. You have to do those things.”

“I will.”

I loved to see Gram smile. She was satisfied with what little information I gave her. She reached for the remote on the table next to her recliner and raised the volume to a barely audible level.

“Did you see the news? Some lunatic went into a house in Lincoln Park and killed an entire family. The neighbor went over for a wellness check and found the entire family murdered. The neighbor said they even killed the dogs. My word, the world is going to pieces I tell you. Who would do such a thing?”

I could think of a number of people that would do such a thing, but why give Gram nightmares. “That’s terrible.” I muttered.

“Very sad.”

“Sad indeed.”

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