Today’s lesson ended with a divine chocolate mousse that came in a tiny cup because Grandmother said girls had to be careful to never overindulge.
Bronwyn rose to tell Grandmother goodbye but resumed her seat when Grandmother gestured for her to stay.
“You’ve been hanging around with the Quinn children.” Grandmother raised an eyebrow and her lips pinched, transforming her face into an imperious expression that frightened many. But not Bronwyn.
For all her formalities, Grandmother Pierce liked her. She wasn’tlike Granny Quinn. She wasn’t affectionate or warm, and Bronwyn didn’t think her grandmother even loved her. But she didn’t despise her, and that was saying something because Bronwyn was certain her grandmother couldn’t stand most of the Pierces.
“Yes, Grandmother. They’re my best friends.”
“Do they still drag you all over the forest and bring you home with dirty clothes and twigs in your hair?”
“Sometimes. We went camping last weekend. It was awesome. We played in the water at the base of the falls, and we roasted hot dogs over a fire, and we—”
“Yes, yes. I know. It was a delight. I’m glad you enjoyed it. But you’re old enough to understand something.”
Bronwyn waited.
“You can be friends but nothing more.”
Bronwyn had learned never to say “Huh?” or “What?” around her grandmother, but she was confused. “Ma’am?”
“Those boys, Cal and Mo, they can be your friends. But nothing else.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Do you like them? As more than friends?”
“No, ma’am. We’ve been friends for years. But they’re boys. They do gross things and make loud noises, and the things they think are funny are ... not.”
Grandmother sighed. “Yes. Boys this age are often like that. But they grow up.”
“Well, we aren’t going to grow up until we have to.” She’d heard Mo say that, and she wholeheartedly agreed.
“Good plan, child.”
Seven
Present Day
Mo sat by Meredith and they shamelessly watched Bronwyn interact with her mom.
Meredith spoke around her straw. “That woman has always hated us.”
“Not always. She liked us fine when we were small and kept Bronwyn out from under her feet so she could entertain the starlets.”
“True. But then we grew up.” Meredith leaned her head on Mo’s shoulder.
“Yeah. What were we thinking?”
“Worst move ever.”
“I don’t know. Your happily ever after is looking pretty good right now,” he said. “You’ll marry Gray and start giving me nieces and nephews. I’ll be the coolest uncle ever since I’ll take them to do all the fun things that their worn-out parents won’t want to do.”
“And what about your happily ever after?” She nodded toward the window.
“Meredith, my happily ever after ran away, and when she returned,I treated her like trash. I made my bed. I get to lie in it. But do me a favor?”
“What?”
