one Christmas.”
“Because he didn’t get you a present?”
“Well, more because he didn’t get your
mom
a present, and because he had been a grouch all dang day, and because he never put the tree up even though he said he would. But that’s another story, and anyway, he left a few months later. It was for the best, really. It wasn’t like I couldn’t support myself, and besides, he wasn’t very much fun.”
I tried to digest all that. I didn’t know much about my grandfather. In fact, this was as much as anyone had ever told me about him directly. I only knew that he’d gone away when Mom was a kid and that he’d been a lawyer, and bald, and that his name had been John, and that we didn’t really talk about him.
Now I wondered if there would ever be a good time to ask Gran more about him. But before I could think more about it, Gran changed the subject back to Mom’s birthday. She handed me a ten-dollar bill and said, “You don’t have to get her anything fancy, but here, I thought maybe today or tomorrow we could run around town, and you could pick her out a little present. Surprise her with it at a special dinner. Make her feel good.”
I scowled. I wasn’t feeling so mad at my mom anymore, not like I had been a few days ago, but I wasn’t ready to do nice things for her either. If I gave her a present, she’d think things were all fine again. She’d expect me to start talking to her again for real. I wasn’t ready for that.
“Look, kiddo,” said Gran. “Your mom has made a mess of things, but she loves you more than anything in the world, and she’s having a hard time too right now. This isn’t easy on her.”
“Then she shouldn’t have done it!” I said.
“That might be true,” said Gran. “But sometimes it doesn’t matter whether someone is right or wrong. Sometimes you just have to love them when they need you.”
“I’m not sure I can right now.”
“Maybe you can try seeing this as a chance for you to grow up a little, Rebecca. By which I mean … maybe you can try to fake it.”
I scowled again.
“You can be mad at her all you want. You have that right. But happy or sad, you’re going to have to do some stretching. She’ll need help with Lew, and even if your parents work things out, nothing will be the same when you get home. You’re not a little girl anymore. This changes things. You and your mom are going to be partners now, in a way. Are you ready for that?”
“I’m not sure,” I said.
“Well, then,
get
sure,” said Gran. “Now show yourmom you understand, and get her some silly thing so we can have a birthday dinner for her tomorrow night. It doesn’t matter what it is. A coffee mug. Some bath salts. A candle. Whatever it is people get their moms these days. I certainly don’t know what that is. But it’ll be a very big deal to her, I’ll betcha. And that will make all our lives easier.”
“Fine. I’ll get her
something
,” I sulked.
“Good girl,” said Gran. “Smart girl.”
“But I’m still not talking to her,” I added.
“Suit yourself. That’ll only make things harder for you,” said Gran.
I didn’t think so. “Anyway, you know what?” I said, looking up at my grandmother. “I talked to Dad, and he cleaned the house. Also he’s looking for a job. A good one.”
Gran sighed. “I hope for everyone’s sake that’s true. I like your dad. I always
have
liked him. He’s basically a good guy. But sometimes, Rebecca, a person goes so far down a road, they can’t find the energy to walk back the other way.” Then Gran stood up and walked out of the room.
I took the ten dollars, even though I didn’t need it. Then I decided to spend the entire day watching TV alone. In my room. On the mini TV I wished for next. It was a risky wish, but I thought I deserved it. When it arrived in my room, it was kind of old and dusty, so I figured I could always say I’d found it in the attic. That was very nearly true.
C HAPTER 8
T he
“Because he didn’t get you a present?”
“Well, more because he didn’t get your
mom
a present, and because he had been a grouch all dang day, and because he never put the tree up even though he said he would. But that’s another story, and anyway, he left a few months later. It was for the best, really. It wasn’t like I couldn’t support myself, and besides, he wasn’t very much fun.”
I tried to digest all that. I didn’t know much about my grandfather. In fact, this was as much as anyone had ever told me about him directly. I only knew that he’d gone away when Mom was a kid and that he’d been a lawyer, and bald, and that his name had been John, and that we didn’t really talk about him.
Now I wondered if there would ever be a good time to ask Gran more about him. But before I could think more about it, Gran changed the subject back to Mom’s birthday. She handed me a ten-dollar bill and said, “You don’t have to get her anything fancy, but here, I thought maybe today or tomorrow we could run around town, and you could pick her out a little present. Surprise her with it at a special dinner. Make her feel good.”
I scowled. I wasn’t feeling so mad at my mom anymore, not like I had been a few days ago, but I wasn’t ready to do nice things for her either. If I gave her a present, she’d think things were all fine again. She’d expect me to start talking to her again for real. I wasn’t ready for that.
“Look, kiddo,” said Gran. “Your mom has made a mess of things, but she loves you more than anything in the world, and she’s having a hard time too right now. This isn’t easy on her.”
“Then she shouldn’t have done it!” I said.
“That might be true,” said Gran. “But sometimes it doesn’t matter whether someone is right or wrong. Sometimes you just have to love them when they need you.”
“I’m not sure I can right now.”
“Maybe you can try seeing this as a chance for you to grow up a little, Rebecca. By which I mean … maybe you can try to fake it.”
I scowled again.
“You can be mad at her all you want. You have that right. But happy or sad, you’re going to have to do some stretching. She’ll need help with Lew, and even if your parents work things out, nothing will be the same when you get home. You’re not a little girl anymore. This changes things. You and your mom are going to be partners now, in a way. Are you ready for that?”
“I’m not sure,” I said.
“Well, then,
get
sure,” said Gran. “Now show yourmom you understand, and get her some silly thing so we can have a birthday dinner for her tomorrow night. It doesn’t matter what it is. A coffee mug. Some bath salts. A candle. Whatever it is people get their moms these days. I certainly don’t know what that is. But it’ll be a very big deal to her, I’ll betcha. And that will make all our lives easier.”
“Fine. I’ll get her
something
,” I sulked.
“Good girl,” said Gran. “Smart girl.”
“But I’m still not talking to her,” I added.
“Suit yourself. That’ll only make things harder for you,” said Gran.
I didn’t think so. “Anyway, you know what?” I said, looking up at my grandmother. “I talked to Dad, and he cleaned the house. Also he’s looking for a job. A good one.”
Gran sighed. “I hope for everyone’s sake that’s true. I like your dad. I always
have
liked him. He’s basically a good guy. But sometimes, Rebecca, a person goes so far down a road, they can’t find the energy to walk back the other way.” Then Gran stood up and walked out of the room.
I took the ten dollars, even though I didn’t need it. Then I decided to spend the entire day watching TV alone. In my room. On the mini TV I wished for next. It was a risky wish, but I thought I deserved it. When it arrived in my room, it was kind of old and dusty, so I figured I could always say I’d found it in the attic. That was very nearly true.
C HAPTER 8
T he
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