Chapter 22
Everyone turns to us and I’m horrified at myself. He tells them it’s alright, everything is fine and pulls me into the hallway down to the empty visitor’s lounge.
“Oh my god I’m so sorry. It was a knee jerk reaction. It’s too soon to flirt. I’m in mourning.”
After I getsome ice for Link’s cheek and he grudgingly lets me hold it to his face for twenty minutes, he insists we go home to see his grandma.
“I should stay with my family.”
“I’ll bring you back. I feel obligated to see her—no, make that I want to see her—and tell her about your granny passing. I think they were friends.”
I nod because I think he’s right.
His Grandma greetsus in the living room even though it’s the crack of dawn and Link gives her a big long hug. He probably notices she’s wearing black and looks like she’s been crying too. For Granny?
My heart pounds because I’m getting a strange feeling about this, like maybe she was more than a matchmaking friend to my Granny.
“You know, don’t you?” Link says.
She nods, unspeakably sad as she lets him lead her to the couch to sit. I take a seat on the other side of Link.
“How long did you know Granny Bernadette?” he asks in his low, gentle voice that I’ve come to recognize.
She gives him a sad smile and pats his cheek, then pinches it. He smiles, his dimple showing as he covers her hand with his.
“You know me too well,” she says and sighs. “I’ve lost my best friend, Bambino.” A tear drops from one eye and I suck up my shock. Even though I suspected they knew each other, I hadn’t expected they were best friends. Bernadette.
Link hugs his grandma again and pats her back. “I figured that out.” She sniffs and sits up, blowing her nose.
Looking at me, she says, “I’m sorry, Delaney. Here I am all teary when you’re the one who’s hurting?—”
“We’re both hurting.” I reach across Link and take her hand, giving it a squeeze.
“Your Granny and I, we’ve been friends since we met at church Bingo in Brooklyn. That was twenty years ago when you two were true bambinos, babies. We used to meet at the park with you each in your strollers and Link would pull your hair and you would slap him.” She smiles and I exchange a glance with Link.
Then we both break out our grins.
“I’m so happy you two are doing so well. We’d been waiting a long time to get you together.”
I lean in and give her a hug because the connection is so strong and it feels kind of like I have a new grandma now. Not the same as my granny, but pretty damn special.
She sighs. “Let me leave you young love-birds alone now.” She stands and Link helps her to her bedroom down the hallway.
Fifteen minutes later, he’s still gone and I’m starting to worry that there’s a problem.