I nodded my head. “Did you and Gramps have a lot of downs?”
She laughed. “We had a few. Nothing big, but yes, we had a few. There were times I wanted to knock that man senseless, but I always took a deep breath and stared at him. All he had to do was look at me with those beautiful blue eyes of his or play Nat King Cole’s ‘Send for Me,’ and I would be butter in his hands.”
I giggled. “I remember Daddy playing that song once, and he and Mama danced in the kitchen to it. I walked in and saw how Mama looked at Daddy. I knew then, in that moment, that I wanted what they had. I want a love like that.”
Grams laughed. “Oh, Gramps must have told your daddy about that song.”
“What about it?”
“Your grandfather only plays it when he’s done something to upset or anger me or when he’s feeling…romantic.”
She winked, and I could feel the blush hit my cheeks.
“How romantic,” I whispered.
She nodded her head and began walking again. “Yes. Yes, it is.”
We continued to walk in silence as I tried to figure out why I was feeling like I was.
“Grams? Do you think I’m feeling this way because I’m just worried that Will and I will grow apart?”
She didn’t look at me as she kept walking. “When I had to move back to Austin and leave Garrett, my whole world felt like it was over. We went for months without seeing each other, and we could only talk on the phone a few times. I’m not going to lie. It was hard, Alex, but nowadays, you kids have those phones, and you can talk to each other over video. You’re only going to be a few hours away from each other. You can visit him, and he can visit you. I will agree with your daddy on one thing. If your love is strong enough and is meant to be, you will be okay.”
I smiled and nodded my head. “Grams, only you can make me feel so sure about things.”
She laughed. “No, darling. You feel sure about things when you finally learn to listen to your heart and not your brain.”
I chuckled and then felt sad. “I’m going to miss our walks.”
“So will I.”
“I’m taking Emma to school.”
Grams looked at me and laughed. “The doll I made you when you were little? Why?”