Grams put on a brave face but I know her heart was breaking seeing the man she'd grown to love go through cancer treatments that had very little chance of working. She was at his side through it all. She even moved into his house so she could care for him. When she needed a break from the sadness, she'd go out and sit in Walter's garden. Even when the flowers were gone and the leaves had fallen, she sat out there on the bench where she and Walter had spent so many evenings, talking and laughing and falling in love. I even saw her out there one night last winter. She turned on the lights Walter had strung up for her and just sat quietly on the bench as the snow fell. It was right after Walter had finished his treatments, and although she never admitted it, I think she'd convinced herself the treatments hadn't worked and that he'd be gone soon.
Except that didn't happen. Walter's tests showed the treatments did work. The cancer was gone. The doctors were shocked. But I wasn't. Walter had made Grams a promise and was determined to follow through. And he did. He took her to Italy in May, and just yesterday, they left for France. He's promised to take her wherever she wants to go for as long as he can. They both know there's a chance the cancer could come back, which is why they're not wasting a single moment. They're making the most of the time they have left together. Hopefully, that's a very long time.
Tyler and I are living in Grams' house now that she lives with Walter. We plan to eventually buy it from her. We've spent the past year remodeling it and it looks better than I could've ever imagined. Tyler's done most of the work. He had some help with the plumbing and electrical work, but everything else he did himself. The house still has the beauty and charm of the original farmhouse with its wraparound porch, thick crown molding, and wide-planked maple floors, but we've updated everything else and even added another room onto the main level. For now it's set up as an office, but someday I'm hoping it'll be a nursery.
Babies are still a ways off. I have to finish school, which will take some time because I've decided to get a PhD so I can be a professor, hopefully at the college in town, the one I'm currently attending. Two English professors will be retiring over the next few years and I've already told the English department that I plan to apply for one of the open positions. Since it's hard to get people to move to this small town, and since I'll be an alum, I have a good chance of getting the job.
As for Tyler, he's doing home remodels for a local contractor. He got the job last fall, which worked out great because all the experience he gained at his job helped him remodel our house. He likes what he's doing but he's not sure he wants to do it forever.
"I'll go finish up in the garden," Tyler says, "since I'm assuming you won't be going back out there."
Tyler planted a huge garden last spring. With the help of Walter's green thumb, the garden produced more than we can eat so we donated a lot of it to the food pantry in town. It's almost fall now so there's not much left other than a few tomatoes and some zucchini. I was trying to pick the tomatoes when the snake showed up.
"I'll be staying here," I tell him.
He goes to leave, but then comes back. "Why don't we go out for dinner tonight?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"Our favorite BBQ place."
"Oh, that does sound good. And while we're there, we can visit Millie and Rusty."
Randy lets us ride the horses whenever we want. I can't believe I used to be scared of them. They're both so gentle, although Rusty takes off without warning sometimes so I never ride him without Tyler.
"Speaking of Rusty and Millie." Tyler smiles. "What do you think about adopting them?"
"Adopting them? They belong to Randy."
"But now with the babies, he doesn't have time to take care of them."
Randy and Crystal had twin boys a couple weeks ago. I hosted their baby shower. Crystal and I have become good friends. She's been running the horse therapy program at the youth center, so I see her when