What can I say to this total stranger? My grandfather?
I tell him about Rosie’s life. I talk about the first terrible weeks figuring out how to take care of her, about settling into my role as a mother, about watching my baby grow. I tell him about his daughter, my mother, and I try to be as honest as I can.
“She’s tough, but she’s always there for Rosie.”
A slight, pained smile. “My daughter… always… black… white… Nothing else.” He wheezes and coughs.
“What I did was wrong. In her mind, getting pregnant like that was the most grievous sin I could’ve committed. But she didn’t hold it against Rosie. I respect her for that.”
He doesn’t have much strength left and lets me do all the talking. I spend a while at his bedside, not sure if or when I’ll ever see him again. Before I go, I let him give Rosie a little kiss. She touches his face with her little fingers and smiles happily.
“Papa,” she says.
“No, baby, that’s just Pop-Pop.”
“Pop.”
I can’t tell if Elias likes his grandfather name or not. His eyes are closed and his breathing is steady. Alive, but asleep.
The door to the west wing slides open. I find Mass standing in the hallway, his back against the wall and a phone in his big hand. He looks up at me as I approach and puts the phone away.
“How’s he doing?” Mass kisses me and Rosie in turn.
“Not good. I think the nurses are right. He doesn’t have long.”
Mass nods. I can’t tell what he’s feeling. My husband is always good at keeping his emotions inside, but after all this insanity by his side, I know for a fact he has much more swirling around in his head than he lets on.
“Elias told me this is how he wanted it before we left. He wanted to die on his own terms. I wonder if we should have left him in the water back there.”
“Don’t do that.” I lightly swat his arm. “We’re not Vikings. We don’t have sea burials.”
“He would’ve liked that though. Drowned saving his granddaughter.”
“But now we’re giving him some more time with her. That’s a good thing, right?”
“You’re right.” He kisses me again, and we move through the halls together as a family. The staff gives us plenty of space. I feel like we’re in a bubble for a few minutes, and it feels warm. I lean against him, not happy with how much pain it took to get to this point, but happy that we’re here.
“You know, I keep wanting to ask you something.”
“Anything.”
“When it’s safe, can you bring my mother here?”
His eyebrows raise. “I didn’t think you had a good relationship with her.”
“It’s complicated, but she should have the chance to say goodbye to her father.”
“I’m not sure there’s time for that.”
“Can you try anyway? Besides, Rosie misses her nana. And Mom did the best she could. Maybe she wasn’t always perfect, but still.”
“Your family is my family now.”
“Does that mean you’ll find positions for my brothers in your organization? And maybe save my family’s mansion from crumbling to dust?”
He laughs lightly. “Now you’re asking a lot.”
“I’m the Dragon’s wife. What’s the point of all this if I don’t do something with it?”
