imagined it would be. After a long talk, and deep,
heartfelt apology from Gram, they were able to enjoy the rest of
their time together. Gram got tickets for the Nutcracker ballet. The seats were
superb. They stayed up late each night, talking and
laughing.
“ Remember when we were
sitting in the airport talking about the French lady? You said
‘French is such a beautiful language’ and I agreed, but said my
favorite is Italian. And then the guy next to me lowered his
newspaper and chimed in, ‘I like Thousand Island.’” Katie and Gram laughed until their vision was
blurred with tears.
“ Yes, we laughed so hard.
That poor man, trying to make conversation, and all we could do was
laugh ‘til we nearly wet ourselves.”
Katie recalled memory after memory
until their sides ached from laughing. “Okay, last one. Remember
when I was learning how to cook and begged you to let me make the
spaghetti sauce? I stirred too vigorously and spilled some onto the
stove. You walked over, looked at the mess, and took the spoon away
from me. I thought you were going to be so mad, but you slapped the
spoon on top of the sauce, making it splatter everywhere and
said—”
Gram broke in and finished, “If you
wanted to learn how to slop it out of the pan, all you had to do
was ask. I’ll show you how to properly slop!”
“ Jeez, we’ve had some
great times, haven’t we?” Katie wiped the tears of laughter from
her eyes and tried to catch her breath.
“ We sure have,
Katie-girl.” Gram stood. “I’ll make some tea, while you pick a
movie.”
Although Katie was enjoying her time
with Gram, her heart ached for Branson. She read his text after
slipping into bed that night.
Missing U terribly. Hope U R having a
good time with Gram. I love you green eyes! xoxo
Katie smiled and texted
back:
Gram & I are having a blast. I
love U!
Two weeks at home passed quickly. Gram
wanted to fill their last day together with fun memories. They
sipped cappuccino while shopping at the mall, and watched a little
boy trying to reach money in the fountain. He leaned and stretched
his arm until his face lit up with his success. He must have lost
his balance, because a second later he fell in. Once Katie saw that
he was okay, just angry and embarrassed from his escapade, she and
Gram laughed until they could hardly stand.
After picking up a few items for
Katie’s dorm, they lunched at Weathervane and enjoyed twin lobster
tails with a glass of Bordeaux. Gram asked, “How serious are things
with you and Branson?”
“ Very. Do you really want
to argue on our last day together, Gram?”
“ No, I’m not going to
interfere again. I just wanted to indulge in some girl-talk.” Gram
smiled.
“ All right,” Katie said,
cautiously. Her trust in Gram had diminished slightly, after
learning of the level of manipulation she tried to inflict on her
and Branson. “What do you want to know?”
“ I guess I just want to
know what your plans are after graduation.”
“ I really haven’t gotten
that far in my planning, but I assume I’ll come home and find a job
close by.” Katie sipped her wine and thought about the question a
bit further. “Oh, unless you were planning on me finding a place of
my own. I could find an apartment.”
“ No, no! Of course, you’re
welcome to live at home. It’s your home too, Katie, and it always
will be.”
“ It’s settled then.
Hopefully, I can find a job at York Hospital, but I’ll put in
resumes in the surrounding counties, too.”
After lunch, they baked
cookies for Katie to take back with her, packed up her stuff, and
got into their pajamas. Katie made popcorn while Gram poured two
cups of steaming wassail, then they settled in for the annual
tradition of watching Gone with the
Wind.
Late that night, Katie slipped under
the soft, cool sheets and snuggled in before reading a text from
Branson:
Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.
xoxo
Katie swooned as she thought of
wrapping herself in his
heartfelt apology from Gram, they were able to enjoy the rest of
their time together. Gram got tickets for the Nutcracker ballet. The seats were
superb. They stayed up late each night, talking and
laughing.
“ Remember when we were
sitting in the airport talking about the French lady? You said
‘French is such a beautiful language’ and I agreed, but said my
favorite is Italian. And then the guy next to me lowered his
newspaper and chimed in, ‘I like Thousand Island.’” Katie and Gram laughed until their vision was
blurred with tears.
“ Yes, we laughed so hard.
That poor man, trying to make conversation, and all we could do was
laugh ‘til we nearly wet ourselves.”
Katie recalled memory after memory
until their sides ached from laughing. “Okay, last one. Remember
when I was learning how to cook and begged you to let me make the
spaghetti sauce? I stirred too vigorously and spilled some onto the
stove. You walked over, looked at the mess, and took the spoon away
from me. I thought you were going to be so mad, but you slapped the
spoon on top of the sauce, making it splatter everywhere and
said—”
Gram broke in and finished, “If you
wanted to learn how to slop it out of the pan, all you had to do
was ask. I’ll show you how to properly slop!”
“ Jeez, we’ve had some
great times, haven’t we?” Katie wiped the tears of laughter from
her eyes and tried to catch her breath.
“ We sure have,
Katie-girl.” Gram stood. “I’ll make some tea, while you pick a
movie.”
Although Katie was enjoying her time
with Gram, her heart ached for Branson. She read his text after
slipping into bed that night.
Missing U terribly. Hope U R having a
good time with Gram. I love you green eyes! xoxo
Katie smiled and texted
back:
Gram & I are having a blast. I
love U!
Two weeks at home passed quickly. Gram
wanted to fill their last day together with fun memories. They
sipped cappuccino while shopping at the mall, and watched a little
boy trying to reach money in the fountain. He leaned and stretched
his arm until his face lit up with his success. He must have lost
his balance, because a second later he fell in. Once Katie saw that
he was okay, just angry and embarrassed from his escapade, she and
Gram laughed until they could hardly stand.
After picking up a few items for
Katie’s dorm, they lunched at Weathervane and enjoyed twin lobster
tails with a glass of Bordeaux. Gram asked, “How serious are things
with you and Branson?”
“ Very. Do you really want
to argue on our last day together, Gram?”
“ No, I’m not going to
interfere again. I just wanted to indulge in some girl-talk.” Gram
smiled.
“ All right,” Katie said,
cautiously. Her trust in Gram had diminished slightly, after
learning of the level of manipulation she tried to inflict on her
and Branson. “What do you want to know?”
“ I guess I just want to
know what your plans are after graduation.”
“ I really haven’t gotten
that far in my planning, but I assume I’ll come home and find a job
close by.” Katie sipped her wine and thought about the question a
bit further. “Oh, unless you were planning on me finding a place of
my own. I could find an apartment.”
“ No, no! Of course, you’re
welcome to live at home. It’s your home too, Katie, and it always
will be.”
“ It’s settled then.
Hopefully, I can find a job at York Hospital, but I’ll put in
resumes in the surrounding counties, too.”
After lunch, they baked
cookies for Katie to take back with her, packed up her stuff, and
got into their pajamas. Katie made popcorn while Gram poured two
cups of steaming wassail, then they settled in for the annual
tradition of watching Gone with the
Wind.
Late that night, Katie slipped under
the soft, cool sheets and snuggled in before reading a text from
Branson:
Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.
xoxo
Katie swooned as she thought of
wrapping herself in his
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