“Nah, you’re fine. But you could’ve asked Todd to get up for one of the times.”
Her lips purse. “I did. Once. He knocked the lamp over, woke Meena up even worse, then he fell back asleep with his hand still on my ass.”
The image is so precisely Todd, it makes me snort. Pia’s face softens a bit.
“I’ve been out of the loop recently. I take it you and Sloane are officially going steady?”
“We’re trying. I’m not going to jinx it. Not this time.”
“I’m happy for you,” she says, and means it. “Just…be careful.”
I know she’s saying that out of love, and I am being careful.
“Want to go see what chaos Gran’s started yet?”
“Is she going to be one of those great-grands? Like, will she try to get Meena drunk off brandy before she’s a year old?”
“Pretty sure she already spiked her own tea.” We both laugh, and for the first time in a while, Pia looks like herself.
We migrate into the living room where Gran and Grandad are sitting on the carpet, cross-legged and a little stiff, but with Meena in the middle of a pillow fort keeping her wedged in place. Mum is taking a heroic number of photos. Grandad catches my eye and tosses me a wink. He never did learn to wink properly. His whole face crumplesup in a way that’s more like he got a lemon seed stuck somewhere. Classic Grandad.
I wander over to the window and watch the street, half-expecting Sloane’s car to appear by magic. Instead, I just see the neighbour’s mastiff taking a dump in Mum’s flowerbed.
“You alright, petal?” Mum asks quietly. She spots the dog and scowls.
“Yeah. Yeah, I am.”
Meena grumbles, so Pia comes to the rescue. She scoops her up and gently rocks her until she falls silent again.
There is another knock on the door, but the guests this time don’t wait to be invited in. Bella walks in and heads straight for Gran. I swear the woman has adopted everyone I know.
After she has rearranged everyone’s spines, I ask, “Gran, are you up for a trip to my place? I’d love to show you my work.”
Her face lights up like it always does when we talk art, but then it dims, and I feel my brows scrunching. Her body language is off.
Pia excuses herself with Meena because she’s filled her nappy and Todd trundles behind, obviously trying to get back in her good books.
Walking over, I sit next to Gran who is looking at my grandad. I turn to Mum and Dad who’ve noticed there’s something going on.
“Gran?”
She sighs. “Alright, I didn’t want to tell you this right now but I guess I should.”
“Mum?”
“Liz, darling, don’t panic.”
“She’s definitely going to panic now,” Dad adds.
“I’ve got a small case of breast cancer,” Gran begins, waving off our immediate panicked questions. “If you all shut it, I’ll tell you what’s going on.”
We do as we’re told.
“It’s stage one, and I’m due to start treatment in a couple of weeks’ time. I’ve opted for a double mastectomy, because quite frankly I can’t be arsed with the bloody thing returning, and let’s be honest my boobs are nearly at the floor.”
Jenna bites her lips to stop herself from laughing. Trust Gran to make a joke.
The living room is warm, and the light soft, and the whole family is silent but for Jenna sniffling and Dad clearing his throat. Grandad just looks relieved that the news is finally out. I think he’s been carrying this around like a bowling ball in his ribcage.
