Chapter 10. Dating Isn’t That Different from Finding a Pair of Shoes
Dating Isn’t That Different from Finding a Pair of Shoes
My phone trilled early the next day, saving me from a chaotic dream about lizards and champagne flutes and albino snakes. I groped around my bedside table for my phone and saw Rob’s cheerful face popping up on my screen.
“Hey. Just calling to make sure you’re okay.”
“H’lo,” I mumbled. “’Course am ’kay. Why wudden I be?”
His deep, rumbly laugh sent a sudden flood of fluttery feelings into my stomach, doing things to my insides that it had no business doing, and catapulting my eyes wide open.
What the hell.
“Did I wake you up? I’m sorry.” The low chuckle came back, delivering more bursts of delicious tingles all over my body, as if I had repeatedly jabbed myself with multiple shots of dopamine.
“I just wanted to check in to see how you’re doing, because I felt bad after the wedding yesterday. It wasn’t what I had promised you.”
“No, but it wasn’t your fault he kept pet snakes.” I burrowed deeper into my blanket and pressed the phone to my ear. It was … kind of nice to have his voice wake me up in the morning. “I appreciate you checking in on me.”
“Just part and parcel of my service.” There was a pause, before he cleared his throat and said, “What time do you have to get to the store?”
“Soon.” I briefly closed my eyes, not sure why I wasn’t ready to hang up yet, just as an idea popped into my mind. “Hey, if you’re free tonight, do you want to come over to my grandfather’s for dinner? Think of it as me saying thank you for everything you’re doing.”
“Oh.” He sounded surprised. “I’d love to. You sure I won’t be imposing?”
I smiled into the phone. “I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”
When I arrived at my grandfather’s house after work that evening, Rob’s truck was already parked at the front. He got out of his car, clutching a box from Twisted Sweets.
“You didn’t have to bring anything.”
“But I did. My mother always said to never show up empty-handed whenever someone invites you over. Ellie said you loved her matcha cinnamon rolls, so I got some of those.”
I was impressed, because he made an effort to find out what I liked. “Thanks. That’s very thoughtful of you.”
Unlocking the front door, I walked into the house, with Rob following behind. The place was quiet, save for the basketball game on TV.
“Opa?” I left the containers of food on the kitchen bench, and Rob placed the Twisted Sweets box next to them. “I brought a friend.”
My heart rate kicked up a notch when there was no answer.
“Opa?” I raised my voice while walking toward his bedroom. “Where are you?”
“Kim?” To my relief, my grandfather walked out of the laundry room, pulling out his AirPods from his ears. “Ada disini.* I didn’t hear you.”
“Hey, Opa.” I went over and gave him a hug. “Had me worried for a second.”
“I’m fine. I was listening to a book while folding some clothes.” He stopped short when he saw Rob. “You brought a friend!”
“I’m Rob.” He approached Opa and offered his hand. “Kim was kind enough to invite me over for dinner. I’m sorry to show up unannounced.”
“Don’t apologize. We always have plenty of food.
And if my granddaughter invited you, you’re more than welcome in my house.
” My grandfather tilted his head, realization in his eyes.
“Did you say your name is Rob? I know who you are. I saw your picture on Instagram! You’re the friend who helped Kim escape her horrible date, aren’t you? ”
Rob glanced at me, looking surprised. “That’s me, sir.”
“Please call me Thomas. And thanks for looking out for her.”
“Of course. Can I just say, I’ve been enjoying your woodworking posts on social media.”
“You have?” Opa looked pleased. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Are the others coming?” I began taking out plates and cutlery from the kitchen drawer.
“They can’t make it,” Opa said. “Their family of pet snakes escaped from the vivarium, so they had to find them before someone called one of those reptile wrangler people. And to make things worse, while they were combing the neighborhood, a wild raccoon bit them and they’ve had to be rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention. ”
“What is it with snakes and this weekend?” I gave my grandfather an appreciative nod. “Ten out of ten, for both content and delivery.”
My grandfather beamed at me, looking proud of himself. “That was good, wasn’t it?”
“I’m sorry,” Rob said, who was watching us, looking bewildered, as if we’d just announced that those same snakes and raccoons would be joining us for dinner.
“Did you say you were expecting someone who has a family of pet snakes?” He leveled an accusing stare at me.
“And you gave me grief about Ben and his one pet snake?”
“It’s a joke. It’s a thing we do every week. No actual animals are involved.” I waved my hand at him. “I’ll explain later.”
My grandfather perked up with interest. “Who’s Ben?”
“Just someone Rob introduced to me. Should we start eating? I’m starving.”
But Opa wasn’t one to be deterred so easily. “Tell me more about this Ben.”
“He’s no one. I met him at a wedding, and I’ll never see him again. End of story.”
Opa’s gaze was now swiveling back and forth between Rob and me. “You two went to a wedding? Together?”
“Yes. No. I met him there. Can we please start eating?”
“Who did you meet there? Rob or Ben?”
“Both,” I said, then immediately regretted my answer, because there was no way my grandfather was going to stop now until I told him the entire story.
“Kim mentioned how challenging it’s been trying to meet someone,” Rob chimed in. “I offered to introduce her to some people.”
“That’s very nice of you.” Opa gave him a thoughtful look. “How are you going to do that? Do you work for one of those dating apps?”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “You know what a dating app is?”
“I don’t live under a rock, Kimiko. Yes, of course I know what a dating app is.”
“That would probably be an interesting place to work at, but no,” Rob replied. “I’ve been invited to a few weddings this year, and Kim has very kindly agreed to go with me, so I thought she could meet a few of my single friends there.”
Rob might not have noticed it, but I did, because I knew my grandfather and all his telltale signs very well.
His entire body had straightened, his eyes were now focusing intently on Rob, and I knew that the gears in his brain were rapidly turning, considering and assessing the younger man. “What do you do, Rob?”
“I’m in construction, sir.”
He didn’t elaborate, so I explained to Opa, “Rob runs his own construction business. He was the one who did the renovation on Ellie’s bakery. And he’s just started a house flipping venture with Alec.”
“That’s impressive for someone so young. How old are you, early thirties?”
“Thank you. I’m thirty-four. I appreciate your kind words, but it’s not that impressive, honestly.” Rob gave Opa a polite smile. “I’m nowhere near what my father had accomplished at the same age.”
But Opa shook his head. “Don’t ever compare yourself to your father, or to anyone.
Everybody’s path is different, and what worked for your father may not work for you, and that’s perfectly okay.
” It was a line my grandfather had recited so many times when I was growing up, whenever I felt down after hearing stories about my friends going on camping trips or weekend getaways with their mom and dad.
Never compare yourself to your friends.
Our family is unique, and even though your mom and dad aren’t around like all those other families, you’re still loved.
So very much.
Rob looked a bit taken aback, but he only nodded.
My heart broke at the look on his face. At the irony of the situation.
Because even though I’d grown up without my parents, I was always safe in the knowledge of how much my grandparents loved me.
Rob had both his parents around, but the fact that he felt his father would only be proud of him and love him based on what he achieved was heartbreaking.
And somehow, I was glad he was here tonight, to hear those words from my grandfather.
We sat around the kitchen island, and I picked up the vase of freshly cut calla lilies and moved it to the dining table to make more room for the food.
“Gorgeous flowers,” Rob commented.
“They are, aren’t they?” Opa replied. “They’re Emilia’s favorite. My late wife,” he added at Rob’s questioning look. “I grow them in the garden myself.”
“He used to bring her flowers all the time, just because. Even went through all the trouble of planting the lilies, because she loved them so much.”
That earned me a curious look from Rob. “Sounds like you’re not a big fan of flowers.”
“I mean, flowers are pretty. But buying them is a waste of money, because one, they’re expensive, and two, they wilt after a few days. You’re better off using the money on more important things.”
Opa sighed, having heard my argument far too many times.
“That might be true, but it’s also a simple gesture to show your partner how much you appreciate them.
It’s because of that boy Leo, isn’t it?” Irritation flashed in his eyes as he said to Rob, “That’s what he told her when they were together.
She loves roses, but he never appreciated her enough to bring her flowers, and that was his excuse. He never deserved her. It’s pathetic.”
Rob sent me another look, and I only shrugged, as if saying, He’s not wrong.
When the food was all gone, Rob helped me clear the dishes and stacked them in the dishwasher, waving off my insistence that he was the guest. Then he sat and chatted with Opa, listening as my grandfather told him funny anecdotes about growing up in Indonesia and the culture shock he’d gone through after migrating overseas.
The next thing I knew, a couple of hours had gone by, and Opa was showing off his latest woodworking projects to Rob.
“This is awesome.” Rob was admiring a wooden couch sleeve with a cupholder. “How long did it take you to make it?”