Shaking out of my thoughts when we pull into their driveway, I push it all to the back of my mind. Today, I just want to spend the day with my family.
“Agnes, dinner was delicious,” Rip says. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“It was good, dear, but your fried chicken is better than this grilled.” Gramps glares at his now-empty plate.
“Deal with it,” Grams tells him. “We have to keep that heart of yours healthy. Now, how about some dessert?”
“Yes!” Gramps says emphatically.
I stifle my laughter, knowing Grams as I do. She’s not about to put a slice of chocolate cake in front of him. Gramps, the poor guy, he knows it too. Maybe it’s wishful thinking.
“You need some help?” I ask her.
“Sure.”
I stand and help clear the table. Rip tries to as well, but Grams tells him to sit. We carry the empty dishes to the kitchen, and I begin to load the dishwasher while she serves up fresh fruit with fat-free Cool Whip. “He’s going to be so disappointed,” I tell her.
“I know.” She laughs. “But he’s had years of eating whatever he wants. I’m not ready to let him go, so he’s going to have to suck it up.”
“He might whine, but he’s not going to fight you on it.”
“I know. And he will get used to it. It’s been a week. Speaking of a week, how are things with you and Rip?”
“Good. We’re together now.” I shrug, placing the final plate into the dishwasher.
“Are you not happy about that?”
“No. I am. I mean, it’s Rip, and he’s wonderful. I just… I don’t want him to have any regrets. This is all kind of fast.”
“Is it, though? Maybe it’s easier for me to see because I’ve been watching the Rip and McKenna show for years. When you left for college, he spent more time here than at his place.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Always stopping by to see if we needed anything. How do you think he started helping me pack in my supplies? He missed you. I think being here around us, in this house, made him feel closer to you.” She gives me a minute to process. “He blew it off as being a good neighbor, and he is the best, but Harold and I both knew there was more. There wasn’t a single time he was here, or we would run into him in town, that he didn’t ask about you. He was starving for any little morsel of information we could give him.”
“I wish he would have told me.” I can’t believe he wanted me all that time. I mean, I know he told me, but to hear it from Gram somehow makes it more real. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think Rip is lying to me, not at all. But this is my grandmother. She’s never held back punches when telling me what I need to hear, good or bad. She and my grandfather saved me from my parents, and we’ve had many hard conversations in my lifetime. So, yeah, coming from her, it’s definitely more real.
“Do you, though? Would you have been able to leave him?”
I think about how I’m dreading going to sleep tonight without him, and I know there’s a really good chance I would have stayed. “Probably not, but we’ll never know for sure.”
“He wanted you to follow your dream, McKenna. You’ve done that, and now you can think about what comes next. Marriage and a family.”
“Hey now, who said anything about marriage and a family?”
“Do you not want to be married? Not have a family of your own? Has that changed since you’ve been away at college?”
“No.”
“That’s what I thought,” she says smugly. “Now, let’s get this dessert delivered.” She sniggers, and I know she’s enjoying this. I’m glad to see that both of them are doing well and moving forward with a healthier lifestyle.
“What is this?” Gramps asks. He’s looking down at his bowl of fresh fruit and whipped cream like he might cry.
“It’s healthy and just the right amount of sweet.” Grams tells him with a tilt in her lips. “This is your new dessert.”
“You’re enjoying this?”
“I am. You’re acting like a toddler when I’m trying to save your life.”
Gramps nods. “Love you, Aggie,” he says softly.
“I love you too. Now dig in.”
Later that night, I’m in bed and have been staring at the ceiling for what feels like hours. I miss Rip. What’s worse is that it’s my own stubbornness as to why he’s not here holding me now. When my phone vibrates on the nightstand, I know it’s him.
Rip: I miss you.
The text is followed by a picture of my side of his big king-size bed.
Rip: This bed is too empty.
I type out a message but decide to call him instead. I need to hear his voice. Backing out of the message, I hit his contact.