thought I should just get married, have a bunch of babies and be a housewife like her. She didn’t understand that I wanted more from life than that. She didn’t understand that my career was just as important to me. Yeah, I wanted to get married one day and I wanted to have kids, but I wanted to have a life outside of that as well. But I knew I couldn’t tell her that. I didn’t want to offend her. And Grandma was very sensitive at times.
“So Gemma, when we going to meet your boyfriend, heh? I will tell Papu and then maybe we have barbecue. We get new grill. I tell you we get a new grill at Costco?”
“Yes, Grandma. You told me several times that you got a new grill at Costco. I’m glad to hear that, but I don’t have a boyfriend yet. I said I’m dating and perhaps I’ll have a boyfriend soon.”
“So you have a boyfriend to bring around to—”
“Grandma,” I cut her off. “Please, I can’t have this conversation right now. Please just tell my parents as well, and Papu. I will let you guys know as soon as I have someone.”
“Okay, Gemma. But you know, we not getting any younger. We would like to see our great-grandchildren before we pass, heh? Tell them about the old country. Tell them about the Greek gods. You don’t even hear anything about the Greek gods anymore.”
“Grandma, you hear about the Greek gods all the time. There are movies made, all the time, about the Greek gods. What are you talking about?”
“Gemma, are you getting an attitude with me?”
“No, Grandma. I’m not getting an attitude with you.”
“So you say, you know the Greek gods?”
“Yes, Grandma. I know the Greek gods.”
“Okay. So then who was Hades?”
“Oh Grandma, really?”
“Tell me, Gemma? Who was Hades?”
“Hades was the King of the underworld, Grandma.”
“Okay. Okay. I’m glad you remember that one. Okay, who is Athena?”
“Grandma, really? Are we doing...?”
“Who is Athena, Gemma?”
“Athena was the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare.”
“Yes, yes, yes. You know I wanted you to be called Athena when you were born. Beautiful name for a beautiful baby, heh? You would have been a beautiful Athena, but your parents give you the name Gemma. Heh? What sort of Greek name is Gemma? I never hear this name before.”
“Grandma, I didn’t name myself. You need to speak to my parents about that.”
“Yes, yes, yes. Still, they could have called you Athena or Aphrodite.”
“No way, I thank God that I was not called Aphrodite. Thank you very much.”
“It’s okay,” she laughed. “Maybe not Aphrodite. Yeah, but you know a good Greek name.” She sighed. “Okay, one more.”
“Yes, Grandma?”
“Who was Apollo?”
“Apollo?”
“Yes. You remember Apollo? And I not talk about night at the Apollo, in Harlem, where the people they sing and they dance.”
“I know Grandma. You are talking about Apollo, the god of light, music and harmony. I do know who he was.”
“Yes, yes. You are a good grandchild. You are a good Greek. You know the Greek gods. Good, good.” She sounded happy. “I do my job well, heh? And that’s why you must have your grandchildren soon.”
“My grandchildren or you mean my children? I can’t have grandchildren soon, Grandma, because I don’t even have children.”
“You know what I’m saying, I’ve got an old brain. Come on, Gemma. You must have your children soon, so I can teach them about the Greek gods and the ways of the old country.”
“Yes, Grandma. Well, I’ll see what I can do. It might not be tonight, but maybe tomorrow night, if I’m lucky,” I joked.
“Gemma, I do not like it when you joke like that. It’s not funny, heh? You must not sleep around, you save yourself for marriage, for your husband.”
“Yes. Grandma. I’m saving myself for marriage,” I rolled my eyes as I spoke on the phone. I didn’t know if my Grandma actually believed I was still a virgin or not. But I wasn’t about to let her know otherwise. I mean, she’d met boyfriends in the past. In fact, in college, I dated a guy for two years, Mike. And she’d met him and loved him, even though his ancestors were originally from Norway. She’d even made a comment that she wouldn’t mind seeing great grandbabies with blonde hair and that had been okay. I didn’t know if she thought he and I were just friends or what? But I wasn’t about to tell her that we were friends that bumped