Viv wasn’t sure how she felt about her sister having an inside operation that she wasn’t a part of with Nonna. Actually, she did know. She didn’t like it at all. The only thing that made her feel better was that Nonna and Viv’s operation name was clearly superior. I mean, come on, Project Valentine vs. Operation Home Sweet Home, there was no comparison.
Grace pulled Viv into a quick hug and whispered into her ear, “I know that you have a hard time letting people do nice things for you, but you are like a granddaughter to her. You are her family. She didn’t want the house in a stranger’s hands and Josh and his sister didn’t want it. Too many bad memories.”
With that morose take on things, Grace opened the front door to leave, but turned back to add, “Oh and I already got you a tenant for the ADU. It is a short-term lease. Only three months.”
Viv tried to process what her sister had just said to her. Josh and his dad, who was Nonna’s son, hadn’t had the best relationship. Josh’s father was an alcoholic who had made his life pretty miserable. He’d died right before Viv and Audrey moved to Hope Falls so Viv had never met him.
And as far as Viv knew, Josh’s sister had grown up with her mother and hadn’t had anything to do with the dad, which Viv could relate to.
As the front door shut, Viv noticed Nonna was misty eyed. She reached up and patted Viv’s cheeks. Her hands were always cold and smelled like lotion that Viv now equated with comfort. “You are my girl. I no need money. I just want my girl to live in my house. Have husband. Make babies. Be happy.”
A tear slid down Viv’s face. She didn’t know what to say, so she just hugged Nonna. This was too much…but she would find a way to pay her back. Somehow. Some way.