“When did you get so wise? There is something going on, and I do want to tell you about it.”
“Flattery is a good tactic, Melissa. But I’m still mad at you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I know. Should I come over?”
“Yes, please.This is definitely a face-to-face kind of conversation.” Buster and Sarge would be thrilled to see her. And I needed a friend. Except, maybe breaking the news about Connor with him right next door was a bad idea. “Nat, I should probably tell you what it is first. You might not want to come over once you know.”
“Melissa, I already know. I knew the second you started making excuses about hanging out that you were dating Connor. I just hoped I was wrong. But I’m not wrong, am I?”
“No, you’re not wrong.”
“You sound sad. Did Connor break your heart? Already? I’ll break his knee caps.”
“What? No. No breaking anything. I’m not sad about Connor. Okay, I am sad about him, but we’ll get to that. There’s something else I have to tell you. It’s about Damien.”
“Did you write and tell him it’s over? The poor man. But you can’t feel guilty for moving on. It was inevitable with your situation.”
“Damien’s not in the witness protection program.” I ripped it off like a Band-Aid, not wanting Natalya to sympathize with my fake plight a second longer. “He only told me that so I’d take the dogs and Granny when he left.”
There was a long pause. A really long pause.
“Nat?”
“I’m coming over. See you in five.” She ended the call.
True to her word, she came straight over and wrapped me in a big hug the second I opened the door. I was so relieved. Because the Damien thing was an even bigger secret. An older one. And if it had been me, I would have been really hurt.
I hugged her tighter. “I should have told you Damien was a huge liar the second I knew.”
Natalya nodded against my shoulder. Then she pulled away, keeping ahold of my arms. Buster took that as an invitation to squeeze between us and beg for love. Natalya patted his fur before shaking her head at me. “We sure pick ‘em, Melissa.”
“Right?” I wiped at a tear threatening to fall.
“Just tell me everything now. And then all is forgiven. I promise.” Natalya picked up Buster and headed to the couch.
So, I did. I told her everything about Damien, and my growing feelings for Connor, and how he said I should tell Granny the truth about her grandson. I told her what my response had been to that suggestion, which sounded even more horrible in retelling. Natalya didn’t interrupt or offer advice. She just listened, occasionally biting her nail. It was her one beauty vice.
“I don’t want to break the news to Granny. But he’s right. I have to. I have to tell everyone, no matter how humiliating it all is.”
“Do you want me to come with you when you tell Granny?” Natalya asked.
I thought about it. Part of me wanted to say yes, but while it would make me feel better to have her there, it wouldn’t help Granny. “No, I’ll go. Thank you, Nat. For everything.”
I glanced at the clock. I had an hour before visiting hours were over. Normally on Tuesday nights, Granny was watching her recording ofThe Beautiful and Reckless, which they taped for her during her lunch hour when everyone else wanted to watch the Game Show Network. But I was pretty sure the soap opera’s season was over, and it was on reruns.
Either way, if I waited another day I’d find more reasons to put it off. Natalya agreed. She gave me a parting hug and a push out the door.
I called the retirement center on the way and told them to notify Granny I’d be there in ten minutes.
I’d brought along Damien’s letters to me before heading out the door, including the letter I’d fished out of the recycle can after Connor confronted me about it. As many times as I’d considered burning the whole pile, something always held me back. Why?
Well, because I had no idea what to do with them. Just like I had no idea what to tell Granny. While I drove, my mind hit dead end after dead end. Nothing I considered saying to Granny seemed right. Nothing would make this all okay.
When I showed my I.D. inside and was escorted down to Granny’s room, she was waiting for me by the window, looking out on the garden where hummingbirds often zipped back and forth, visiting flowers. Of course, Granny’s gaze wasn’t trained on the hummingbirds. She was watching two construction workers repairing the sidewalk on the other side of the breezeway.
“Tabitha has been in and out of her door, offering them cold drinks and asking questions.” Granny said in greeting. “Pestering those two handsome young things. Ridiculous for someone her age.”
