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I met her murky brown eyes, so full of love and affection and... questions. My throat was already tight as I said, “I wasn’t able to do anything for Grandpa. But I can do this for you.”
“Oh, honey.” She met my eyes, then looked over her shoulder at my mom. “The end of your grandpa’s life would have been hard no matter where he was. It was better that his last days were spent in a place we didn’t have to come home to.”
Her words surprised me. “He was so uncomfortable there. He wanted to come home so badly.”
She reached up and cupped my face, her wrinkled palm smooth against my skin. “He did go home, honey.”
My throat stung, straining against the ball of emotions growing there.
“But wouldn’t it have been worth it, to have given him that wish?”
Grandma pressed her lips together thoughtfully. “Generosity is always a virtue, until the cost is your own peace. And don’t take that to mean you should never feel discomfort in this life, only that certain sacrifices will haunt you and lead to resentment down the road.”
I took in her words, feeling them hard in my heart. “I would never resent you, Grandma.”
She shook her head. “Maybe not now. But when you learn you’ve missed out on the love of your life to stick around here and slave away at a job you clearly don’t enjoy anymore?”
My eyes watered at the mention of Tyler. I missed him like I’d miss my right arm. He was a piece of me forever, no matter where we lived.
“It was never going to work between Tyler and me,” I reminded both of us. “His family, his home is in Texas. And mine is here, with my family.”
Grandma and Mom exchanged another glance, and Mom came to sit by me on the couch.
Mom said, “Hen, you’ve always been our baby bird, here when we need you, but it’s time for you to leave the nest. You are the child, and it is not your job to take care of any of us. It’s time you took care of yourself, thought about whatyouwant.”
I sniffed away liquid and said, “I want Grandma to be happy and know how much we love her. You’ve always been here for us, Grandma. You deserve the same.”
Grandma smiled at me, her eyes watery. “I’ve lived the best life, Hen. I met the love of my life, raised abeautifulfamily with him, and gave him my whole heart for fifty-two years. I have children I’m proud of, grandchildren I love to pieces, and great-grandchildren who bring me more joy than I know what to do with. I am happy. And I want you to be happy too.”
Mom rubbed my back as I shook with tears. “Tyler made you so happy, honey. I’ve never seen you so light as you looked with him.”
I shook my head. “It’s too late with him. He hasn’t called me or texted me once since he left.”
Grandma laughed. “That boy is head over heels for you. I’d bet he’s been moping around just as much as you have.”
I laughed through my tears. “I haven’t been moping.”
“Have too,” Mom and Grandma said at the same time.
A car pulled into the driveway, and I looked out the window to see a big white van withEmerson Senior Livingon the side.
“That’s my ride,” Grandma said. “Your father is meeting us there to help me move. I want you to stay here and think about yourself for once. But please come visit me before you leave for Texas.”
“Leave for Texas?” I asked, just as a knock sounded on the door.
Mom went up to get it as Grandma said, “You need to follow your heart, and I’m pretty sure that’s where it is.”
71
Henrietta
Confession: I can’t believe he remembered.
I must have openedmy phone a million times to send a text to Tyler. To call him and beg his forgiveness, but I always came up empty.
My family didn’t need me. They were setting me free, or rather, shoving me out of the nest, even though the idea terrified me.
I had ninety-eight thousand dollars in a savings account and nowhere to go. I was lost.