“Prett-ee,” Amelia says as she points to my computer screen.
“Did she just say pretty?” Savannah asks as she approaches my desk.
Though there’s nothing on the screen, I turn it away from her and rise with Amelia in my arms. “I thought this was just between us, you little tattle-teller.”
She has the nerve to toss her head back and giggle.
When Amelia reaches for her mother, I hand her over. “Take the little traitor.”
“Huh?” Savannah asks.
“I mean, she tossed peas all over her highchair,” I lie. “Just look.” I point at her highchair, which is no more a mess today than any other day.
Savannah gives me another funny look.
I run a hand over the back of my neck. “Do you want to explain yourself? Why were you late?” I demand.
Savannah smirks at me while she bounces Amelia on her hip. “Is Grandpa keeping a secret from us?”
“Secret? What in the Texas do I have to keep a secret about? Is there a more forthcoming andunsecretiveman than me?”
“Unsecretive? I don’t think that’s a word.”
“Now you’re questioning my vocabulary? And what does that matter?”
“Hmm.” Savannah looks me up and down.
I avoid her gaze, looking everywhere in the room but at her. My middle son’s wife and I have come a long way over the years. She forgave me for hurting her a long time ago, and I’ve been forever grateful that she and Ace were able to find their way back to one another.
Savannah and I are the closest out of my three daughters-in-law, though I’ve grown to have a unique relationship with all of them.
I watch silently as Savannah goes over to put Amelia in the walker I keep in my office for her. Amelia squeals and claps when Savannah turns on the lights and song from the battery-operated radio of the walker.
“Do you want to tell me why you’ve been so jumpy lately?”
“Jumpy? Me? I don’t know the meaning of the word.” I shake my head adamantly while folding my arms across my chest.
Savannah remains unmoved.
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with that pretty next-door neighbor of yours, would it?”
I glare at my daughter-in-law … which, much to my chagrin, only makes her smile widen.
“I have zero idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh no? You don’t recall having to carry said neighbor out of her home last week when she fell? Or staying with her at the hospital? Or going over the next day to fix her door? Or?—”
“The door was broken because I had to break in to get to her.” I throw my hands out to the side. “I broke it, I had to fix it. That was the right thing to do.”
Savannah’s lips twist in an expression that silently calls me a liar.
“And did you have to go back over the day after, too?”
“Her daughter asked me to help hang a couple of Thanksgiving decorations around the house. Was I supposed to ignore her?”
I skip the part where I took over a few of my Thanksgiving decorations to add to the ones Meghan bought.
Savannah shrugs. “I suppose you couldn’t have done that.”
