“I’m sure he doesn’t,” I said with a laugh. “So, what do you want to do today? Do you need more treats for your squirrel friends?”
“Those greedy little things have had quite enough. Until tomorrow, at least. How about you get us some tea and we have a sit?”
“Outside or inside?”
She took a deep breath of the crisp air. “Outside, as long as you’re warm enough.”
I’d worn a plaid shirt-jacket over a long-sleeve shirt and jeans. Even with a slight chill in the air, I’d be comfortable.“Outside is great. Let’s do that while we can, before winter sets in.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
I went inside and poured hot water over tea bags I dropped into two white ceramic mugs at the coffee and tea station. Hanging on the wall above it was an oil painting portraying an old barn in a field with a river in the distance. It had been donated by the artist—Edwin Morris. He was a local, and you could find his paintings in various places throughout the central Cascades.
The painting brought a little smile to my face as I stirred a teaspoon of sugar into Grandma’s tea. I’d taken one of Edwin Morris’s painting classes the previous summer and had learned a lot. Seeing his art made me feel a bit like I knew a celebrity. Not a real celebrity, of course. Hardly anyone outside the art world knew who he was. But he was something of a mentor to me, and I was hoping to take another class next summer.
With the tea bags steeping, I took our mugs outside. Grandma had wheeled herself up to a patio table and I set her tea down before taking a seat.
Tilting her head, she took a long look at my hand wrapped around the warm mug. “Still no ring?”
With a sigh, I let go of the mug and spread my fingers wide. “Obviously not. I would have told you if he’d proposed.”
She brought her mug to her lips. “Mm-hmm.”
“And what would you say if there was a ring on my finger?” I asked, my tone skeptical.
“I’d say I was happy for you.”
“Really?”
“Of course. If that’s what you want, it’s what I want for you.”
It was no secret Grandma wasn’t Sean’s biggest fan. She’d liked him fine when we’d started dating. But as time had gone on, her approval had diminished. Considerably.
“But…” she said, trailing off.
“But, what?”
“Do you really want to know what an old woman has to say about it?”
I wasn’t sure if I did, but I knew she’d tell me whether I wanted to hear it or not. “I want to know whatyouhave to say about it.Olddoesn’t have anything to do with it.”
She opened her mouth to reply, but Janine, one of the facility’s caregivers, came out through the automatic doors. She was a sweet lady in her fifties, dressed in a polo with the facility logo on the front.
“There you are, Colleen.” There was a hint of something in her voice. Concern, maybe? Or possibly irritation.
Uh-oh.
“Oh hello, Janine,” Grandma said, and by her tone, I could tell she was trying to sound innocent.
What was she up to this time?
“Do you know what happened to Maury’s reading glasses?” Janine asked.
Grandma clicked her tongue as she shook her head. “Can’t say that I do.”
“So, you didn’t take them when he put them down at breakfast this morning and hide them? Again?”
She gasped. “I would never.”
