party?”
“Nice change of subject.”
“Think of it as an appropriate subject. And you know they grieve differently than you, Haley. They’ve become closer, while you more distant. Sometimes I think you’re so much more mature than the two of them.” Gran nodded. “Yes. Definitely believe that’s the case. But you can’t sleep in a cemetery.”
“Once. It happened once. Total accident.”
“I’ll talk to your father and let him know it won’t happen again. He’ll be relieved. I also think you’re in for some sort of surprise tonight.”
Haley leaned her head the side. “Surprise?”
“Your dad gave me some cryptic message about having you home before dark. He said that you just had to be there, but he wouldn’t say more than that.”
Probably just wanted Haley to chauffeur him and Joce to the party—or clean something.
Poor Gran. So in the dark and confused about what really went on inside the Tremaine household. But Dad. How on earth did he know about Haley’s trips to the cemetery and not yell for hours about it?
The food came, and the burgers were amazing—as usual: not overdone, buns toasted to perfection, and so messy Gran and Haley had to ask for more napkins. And the French fries…? Haley bit into the last one at the same time the server delivered the bill. Gran swiped it before Haley had a chance to look at the total.
“Since you ate every bit, this is my treat. And since I see you like my taste in clothing, how’d you like to do a little shopping?”
Haley beamed at Gran. Shopping with her was better than shopping with Dad and Joce, anyway. “Sounds great. Can we buy you a new shirt while we’re at it?”
Gran frowned. “Horrible, huh? I promised one of my knitting club friends that I’d wear it.”
“It’s pretty big, and the color…?”
“I get it. I get it. Let’s go.”
The pair ventured into shop after shop, purchasing matching shirts. Gran tried to maintain her youth, buying knick-knacks for the old folks’ home. They had their nails done, ate ice cream, and didn’t stop having fun until the sun sat low in the sky, radiating pink off the white, puffy clouds set against a dim blue background.
Gran drove Haley home and helped carry all the bags, dropping everything right inside the door and looking around. “Place looks great. Still old, it’ll never be un-old, but you guys are keeping it up nicely.”
‘You guys’ equaled Haley. “Yeah. I miss the old house. Well, the house we used to live in that was newer than this.” She missed Mom and the memories of her. None of them existed inside these walls. “Sure you don’t want to visit the cemetery with me?”
Gran cupped Haley’s cheek with her cold fingers and smiled sadly. “Not tonight, darling. I need to head home before it gets so dark that I have to call a cab. Old lady eyes, remember? Besides… surprise?”
“Sure, Gran.” No surprises. Dad and Joce weren’t even here.
Gran and Haley hugged and exchanged I love yous, then Gran took off.
Haley put her things away, an uneasy feeling setting into the pit of her stomach. “Stupid burger.”
She grabbed her jean jacket and headed out the front door, for once, to go visit Mom’s grave. Upon reaching the headstone, Haley spotted a pink envelope propped against it.
Someone must be playing a prank.
Picking up the crisp paper, Haley’s heart thumped wildly. Jocelyn’s handwriting. Haley’s name. What could it be? Should she even open it? What if Jocelyn hated Haley for coming here without asking if she wanted to tag along?
Haley tore through the envelope anyway. Gran did mention a surprise. “Left a present for you on my bed. Maybe you’ll crawl out of your funk and into it. <3”
Jocelyn did something nice for… for Haley?
She ran home, tearing up the pavement in her hurry to see what Joce left. Maybe she wanted a relationship with Haley as much as Haley wanted one with Joce. Maybe hoping for things wasn’t stupid.
Haley slid down the
“Nice change of subject.”
“Think of it as an appropriate subject. And you know they grieve differently than you, Haley. They’ve become closer, while you more distant. Sometimes I think you’re so much more mature than the two of them.” Gran nodded. “Yes. Definitely believe that’s the case. But you can’t sleep in a cemetery.”
“Once. It happened once. Total accident.”
“I’ll talk to your father and let him know it won’t happen again. He’ll be relieved. I also think you’re in for some sort of surprise tonight.”
Haley leaned her head the side. “Surprise?”
“Your dad gave me some cryptic message about having you home before dark. He said that you just had to be there, but he wouldn’t say more than that.”
Probably just wanted Haley to chauffeur him and Joce to the party—or clean something.
Poor Gran. So in the dark and confused about what really went on inside the Tremaine household. But Dad. How on earth did he know about Haley’s trips to the cemetery and not yell for hours about it?
The food came, and the burgers were amazing—as usual: not overdone, buns toasted to perfection, and so messy Gran and Haley had to ask for more napkins. And the French fries…? Haley bit into the last one at the same time the server delivered the bill. Gran swiped it before Haley had a chance to look at the total.
“Since you ate every bit, this is my treat. And since I see you like my taste in clothing, how’d you like to do a little shopping?”
Haley beamed at Gran. Shopping with her was better than shopping with Dad and Joce, anyway. “Sounds great. Can we buy you a new shirt while we’re at it?”
Gran frowned. “Horrible, huh? I promised one of my knitting club friends that I’d wear it.”
“It’s pretty big, and the color…?”
“I get it. I get it. Let’s go.”
The pair ventured into shop after shop, purchasing matching shirts. Gran tried to maintain her youth, buying knick-knacks for the old folks’ home. They had their nails done, ate ice cream, and didn’t stop having fun until the sun sat low in the sky, radiating pink off the white, puffy clouds set against a dim blue background.
Gran drove Haley home and helped carry all the bags, dropping everything right inside the door and looking around. “Place looks great. Still old, it’ll never be un-old, but you guys are keeping it up nicely.”
‘You guys’ equaled Haley. “Yeah. I miss the old house. Well, the house we used to live in that was newer than this.” She missed Mom and the memories of her. None of them existed inside these walls. “Sure you don’t want to visit the cemetery with me?”
Gran cupped Haley’s cheek with her cold fingers and smiled sadly. “Not tonight, darling. I need to head home before it gets so dark that I have to call a cab. Old lady eyes, remember? Besides… surprise?”
“Sure, Gran.” No surprises. Dad and Joce weren’t even here.
Gran and Haley hugged and exchanged I love yous, then Gran took off.
Haley put her things away, an uneasy feeling setting into the pit of her stomach. “Stupid burger.”
She grabbed her jean jacket and headed out the front door, for once, to go visit Mom’s grave. Upon reaching the headstone, Haley spotted a pink envelope propped against it.
Someone must be playing a prank.
Picking up the crisp paper, Haley’s heart thumped wildly. Jocelyn’s handwriting. Haley’s name. What could it be? Should she even open it? What if Jocelyn hated Haley for coming here without asking if she wanted to tag along?
Haley tore through the envelope anyway. Gran did mention a surprise. “Left a present for you on my bed. Maybe you’ll crawl out of your funk and into it. <3”
Jocelyn did something nice for… for Haley?
She ran home, tearing up the pavement in her hurry to see what Joce left. Maybe she wanted a relationship with Haley as much as Haley wanted one with Joce. Maybe hoping for things wasn’t stupid.
Haley slid down the
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