47. Chapter 44
Chance
“ I thought you might need some of this.” Marilyn’s sweet voice startled me. Gus’s front paws tackling me to the ground was a welcome surprise as he planted wet doggy kisses all over my face.
“Hey, buddy,” I laughed.
He pushed off me and lay down in front of me, fixing his gaze back up to Marilyn.
She sighed before slowly taking a seat on the green grass. “Here,” she said, handing me a plastic container.
I opened it wide a bowl full of pasta.
“Since you’re out here every time I look out the window, figured you’d be hungry.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at the old woman, who returned the gesture almost immediately. “How is she?”
“She’s doing what she normally does in these situations.” Marilyn’s face turned sympathetic. “Cutting herself off from everyone and using anger to cope. Sometimes it can be easier to wield the knife than to accept that someone else has cut you.”
“I just need her to—”
She held up a hand. “I know. You just need her to hear your side, right, dear?”
My face burned with shame. I’d not only lied to Mari—I’d lied to Marilyn too. “I’m sorry, Marilyn.”
“What for, dear?”
“I lied to you.”
“I’m sure you had your reasons.” She smiled, shifting her weight slightly to get comfortable.
Gus stood abruptly, watching her intently until she gave him a reassuring nod—some kind of non-verbal communication the two of them had.
“My granddaughter is tough. She’s not an easy one to gain forgiveness from. But with every bridge that I’ve seen her cross, every fork in her road, she’s always made the right choice. You , dear, count as one of those choices too.”
“I don’t know what to do. She won’t see me; she won’t answer my texts or calls; she won’t hear me. I—”
“Sometimes actions speak louder than words ever can. Loud enough that even a deaf man could find his way.” She patted me on the shoulder before clicking to Gus. He moved to her side, standing guard next to her as she rose slowly to her feet.
With a smile and a gentle squeeze of my shoulder, they walked back inside the house.
The house where my home was.
I stood, picking up my dead phone, water bottle, and Marilyn’s pasta, and left.