The Dream - Whitney Dineen Page 0,91
him and realize I probably did. I liked him and was so humiliated by the way the boys in our class made fun of me. Crap. I try to decide if this knowledge makes me feel any differently about him. I ultimately conclude it doesn’t. Davis is still friends with Chad and for me, that’s the real sticking point.
Emmie leaves me to my thoughts, and we drive to the nursing home quietly. How in the world am I going to act when I see Davis tonight?
Chapter Fifty-Three
Emmie’s grandmother is ready to go when we arrive. She doesn’t seem to have formed an identity today, she just lets us put on her hat and lipstick and walk her out to the car.
Once she and I are settled into the backseat, she says, “John is going to sit up front if that’s okay.” Emmie looks at the empty seat next to her and briefly reaches out like she’s touching someone.
“It’s nice he could join us,” I tell her.
“He didn’t leave this morning like he usually does.” I start to wonder if Gran’s time isn’t closer than we realize. John’s steady presence indicates that might be the case.
Emmie says, “Gran, I’m getting married in a couple of weeks. Do you think you might be up to coming to my wedding? I’d love it if you’d bring John, as well.”
“I love a good wedding,” she answers. “I’ll have to check my appointment book.” This gives me some hope that Gran’s planning on staying around awhile anyway. Not that it’s necessarily up to her, but I sometimes think that older folks have an intuition about the end of their lives that often goes unsaid.
I remember the time one resident at the home started to make and wrap Christmas gifts for her family in June. When I asked her about it, she said that she’d be gone by September and wanted to make sure everyone had something. I wonder if Gran is having similar feelings.
When we arrive at Lee and Jedd’s house, they come running to meet us in the driveway, as has become their habit. “Mama,” Jedd greets us as he opens her door. “Let me help you.”
She lets him, but as soon as she’s on her feet she says, “Don’t forget to let John out of the front seat.”
Jedd looks at me questioningly, so I answer, “Your mom’s friend John has started to come visit her at night. She asked him to join us.”
Jedd closes his eyes and his face scrunches up as he tries to suppress an abundance of emotion. Before he opens the door to the front seat, his mother says, “I hope you have frog legs. John says those are his favorite.”
Lee grabs hold of her mother-in-law’s arm and says, “I have some in the freezer. I’ll make sure I put some on.”
Gran shakes her head. “He says not to bother. He’s sure whatever you made will be wonderful.”
Emmie and I let them walk ahead of us. She puts her arm through mine and says, “I love that Gramps is here with Gran, but it does make me kind of nervous.”
“Just focus on how nice it is that he’s helping her. He might be with her a long time before she joins him.”
“Do you really think that’s the case?” she asks.
“I don’t know, Emmie. Let’s hope so.”
“I really want her at my wedding. Is that the most selfish thing you’ve ever heard?”
“Not at all. If I had a grandmother like yours, I’d want her to be at all my big events. But just so you know, I firmly believe our loved ones are there for all of our special times, even if we can’t see them.”
Memories of my dream—and my mother—flood through me.
“I’m going to cling to that thought,” Emmie says.
When we walk in the front door, Gran is standing at the entry table looking at framed photos of herself as a young woman. She stops at her wedding picture and picks it up. “Look how handsome you were, John,” she says as she turns to the empty spot next to her. “I wish I could remember that day.”
She’s quiet for a moment before saying, “Well, if you say so.”
“What did he say?” Lee wants to know.
“He said I was the most beautiful bride he’s ever seen. Isn’t that nice?”
We all stand there wrestling with our emotions when Gran announces, “John says you should all sit down and stop blubbering. This is supposed to be a happy time.”
Jedd nods his head.