chapter 19 #2
“Eggs?”
“Scrambled soft with American cheese.”
Years had passed, but Wes still knew me better than anyone. Despite what I’d told him. “Thank you.”
Grandma was sitting at her kitchen table when I got to her house. She glanced up at me. “Hey, Pooh.”
I joined her, taking the seat next to her. “Hi.”
She eyed me curiously. “What’s up?”
Meeting her waiting gaze, I asked, “You tell me, Ms. Tea.” Silence.
It wasn’t like Grandma to hold her tongue. She’d once told me, “Closed mouths don’t get fed.” She’d also said, “If you’re brave enough to do dirt, stand in it.”
Sighing, I continued. “I guess I’m just confused because I don’t understand why you would do this.”
Grandma twiddled her thumbs. “It started as a joke,” she explained.
“At poker night, we would talk about the latest reality show drama. One of the ladies follows a few people on YouTube who spent their days yapping about people we didn’t know.
Then, we realized we knew a lot of people.
So, we created the page and put out our first post.”
“I …” I shifted to face her. “Let me just start by saying I don’t think it’s wrong that you’re doing this. Many people make their living through social media. But you don’t need the money.”
“We donate it,” she said. “All the money goes to nonprofit organizations in Detroit. Last month, it went to Crossroads of Michigan. This month, it’s going to Detroit Impact.”
“That’s good.”
“Pooh, we’re old. We’ve lived our lives and sowed into our families. Sometimes it’s hard to get out of the bed in the morning. Body stiff, pain in areas that you don’t even want to know. A lot of us are lonely. Ms. Tea, as problematic as it was, sort of gave us purpose.”
I placed my palm atop hers. “I understand that.”
“I’m not an emotional person, but I’ve spent so many years angry.
I wasted time allowing hatred to harden my heart.
I can barely stand my own son. But you”—she cupped my cheek in her palm—“you are the best thing that ever happened to me. You brought new life into this house when you moved in with me. I don’t want you to hurt.
I just want you to be happy and healthy.
I want you to know love and feel it. I realized that I haven’t been a good example in that aspect, so when the ladies mentioned playing matchmaker for their grandchildren, I jumped on board.
Ms. Tea gave me the perfect opportunity. ”
“Wes?”
The truth was right in front of my face the whole time.
The job offer.
Granny Joyce not accepting my resignation.
The apartment in Batchelor Place.
All of it was designed to bring us together, to force us into the same room. “Why not just tell me?” I asked.
“You are my granddaughter. I know you, and you wouldn’t have been receptive. You and Wes had to come to this conclusion on your own.”
Grandma was right. The forced proximity to Wes had cracked the door open. Our strong connection did the rest of the work. It made sense. I still didn’t like it, but I couldn’t be angry with her because I was on the cusp of something amazing with him.
“Pooh”—she squeezed my hand, placed a soft kiss to my palm—“I am sorry.”
Tears sprang to my eyes. Grandma never apologized, not even when she was wrong as hell. “Why?”
“I knew why Wes left.” A tear fell from her own eyes.
Jarring, because she also never cried. “I couldn’t tell you because of the danger surrounding the family at the time.
I watched you sink further into that depression, and I knew how it felt because I’d been there.
But my job was to protect you, even if that meant letting you suffer that heartbreak. ”
Back then, Grandma had simply told me that life happens.
Yes, she was there for me. Yes, she’d hugged me while I cried my eyes out.
But she’d never indicated that there was more going on.
In hindsight, I couldn’t blame her. If I’d known the truth, I wouldn’t have stopped until I found him.
I would’ve chased him to Wellspring, potentially causing more trouble. For myself and for Wes’s family.
“We knew that Wes would make the first move.”
I smirked. “He did.”
“Told you.”
“What if it didn’t work?”
“Did it work?” she asked, lifting a questioning brow. “I saw you two at the barbecue, sharing a plate of food like you did when you were teenagers. Then we watched you disappear last night, before the fireworks.”
I eyed her. “But then Ms. Tea posted that information about me.” The only people that knew about my poor credit were Kay, Bri, and Grandma. Since I’d ruled out Kay and Bri in the very beginning … “I wasn’t sure you were involved until that moment.”
“You suspected Joyce all along?”
“Pretty early in the investigation. I just couldn’t figure out why.”
“I’ll let her explain her reasons, but they’re not that different from mine. She loves Wes so much and wants the best for him.” She brushed her thumb over my cheek. “And that’s you.”
“Being here, spending time with him … As much as it frightened me, it also cemented the importance of our longstanding friendship. I missed my friend. And once I realized that, all the pieces fell into place.”
“Does this mean you’re going to try again?”
Last night, we’d promised to try, to take things slow. But I didn’t need to try. I was already there. “I don’t need to try to love him. I already do. I never stopped.”
Grandma embraced me. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” She shuffled to the stove and put on a pot of water. “It doesn’t happen all the time, but sometimes you really can find true love at an early age. You and Wes were circling each other before you knew his penis could fit in your—”
“Don’t finish that sentence.” I cracked up.
“Too much?”
“Always.”
“I can only be me.” Her shoulders fell. “I have something to tell you.”
Concerned, I walked over to her. “What’s wrong? Is it your hip?”
“Girl, I’m fine. I’m going to marry Ace.”
I gaped at her. “What?”
“Yeah, he’s pretty traditional. And I’m not. But I actually wouldn’t mind being his wife.”
“Wow. I’m shocked.”
“Me, too.” She beamed. “I knew he was the one when he brought the prenup over for me to review. He doesn’t want my money. He just wants me.”
It warmed my heart to see my grandmother so happy and in love. “I love that for you.”
The teakettle whistled, and she poured the hot water into two mugs. “Green tea with honey and ginger, or Earl Grey?”
“Honey ginger,” I replied.
We settled at the table again, sipping our tea as we made small talk about the barbecue. Apparently, two of the grandmothers got into a fight over Hendrix. It was so bad they almost went to blows on the lawn. Until someone’s nana breezed over and pushed one of them into the pool.
Grandma laughed. “I couldn’t believe it. And believe me, Hendrix didn’t want either one of those homely thangs.”
I snorted. “Grandma! That’s not nice.”
“When have I ever been nice?”
“What did Granny Joyce say?” I asked.
“Joyce told both of them heffas off, then kicked them out of the group.” She snickered. “About time. They were messy anyway. The only reason they were there was because someone else invited them.”
Curious, I asked, “Is Ms. Tea just you and Granny Joyce?”
“No. There are four of us.”
“I have to hand it to you … you all did an excellent job of hiding your identities. Unlike Samira.”
“That was all Joyce. She couldn’t take the chance that someone would connect the dots, so she hired a computer whiz to handle all the content.”
“Smart.”
“The young lady is a gifted hacker.”
“Figures,” I muttered, still a little salty that none of my tricks worked. “I need to meet her one day.”
“Maybe.” She slid a folder out from under her newspaper. “There’s something else you need to know.”
I braced myself. “What is it?”
She handed it to me. “Here.”
Eyeing her warily, I opened the folder and pulled out the documents. It was a deed. “You’re giving me your house?”
Grandma sighed sadly. “Ace and I want to move into something that’s ours, something new, and something a lot smaller.”
“I can’t take your house, Grandma. Why not just sell it?”
“Because it’s yours. It’s a done deal.” She pointed at me. “Don’t you argue with me. Now … there’s more.”
Turning my attention back to the documents in my hand, I read through everything. Most of it pertained to the property. It was mine free and clear. I could choose to live there or rent it to a single family. “I’m just … I don’t know what to say.”
“Keep going,” she pressed.
I flipped the pages, until I came across a check. From Liberty Life. My eyes bugged out of my head at the dollar amount. “What?”
“My marriage was an albatross on my life. But one thing that I did right was take out that life insurance policy on your grandfather once I found out about his first side chick. I never needed the money. So, I made you and Moses the beneficiaries.”
“This is a lot. What about Dad?”
“Your father will be fine. I gave him a little something—even though he doesn’t deserve it.”
With shaky hands, I read the note attached.
Pooh,
You will never have to worry about money again. Never. Do good.
Love always,
Grandma
I fell into her arms, holding on for dear life. “Thank you so much,” I whispered. “I promise I’ll do good.”
She kissed the top of my head. “I know you will.”
The similarities that me and Grandma shared were almost uncanny. We’d both been burned by love and now we would have the last laugh. Everyone who doubted us—Granddad, Allison, Darrell, my father … They didn’t factor into the grand scheme of our lives.
After years of heartache and pain, trauma and abandonment, we’d both been healed by love. Her, by someone new. Me, by someone old. And, for the first time in a long time, I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. I couldn’t wait for forever. With Wes.