For a while, they avoided talking about their own relationship, neither one sure of how to broach the subject, anxious to avoid causing upset and argument when they seemed to be getting on so well.
‘Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you,’ Grace ventured when there was a pause in the conversation. ‘Thank you so much.’
‘For what?’
‘For giving me a chance. For coming to see me. I really didn’t think that after…..’
He placed a finger delicately across her lips. ‘Don’t,’ he said. ‘Let’s not do that. Let’s not do the whole post-mortem thing. I don’t want to go back there, back then. It’s too painful for both of us. We both know what happened. We both have our whys and what-ifs and a need to explain ourselves, but I don’t think it would help. We’re here now, so let’s talk about now. You seem so happy Grace and that was all I ever wanted, was for you to find happiness in your life again – whether with me, or without me. I could never fully understand what it felt like to be you - to lose your father like that – and I eventually figured that I had no right to judge how a person should or shouldn’t react to such a shocking event in their life. I just hoped you and your mom and brother would find happiness again someday. I really hope you have Grace. That’s all.’
Allowing the tears to fall then, tears of relief, tears for her father, tears for herself, Grace sank into Jimmy’s arms and they sat together, talking and laughing until the sun started to set on the horizon and she wrapped her jacket around herself for warmth.
‘So, will you come with me then?’ Jimmy asked, as they strolled back to the parking lot, arm in arm.
Grace continued walking, trying to keep her voice as casual as possible. ‘Come where? Where are you going?’
‘Ireland. Well, Ireland and the rest of Europe. I’m travelling this summer after graduation. You always said you wanted to go and see where your Irish roots came from – remember we’d sort of planned it?’
Grace laughed, remembering the naïve, romantic, carefree conversations they’d had about travelling the world together. She also remembered how impulsive Jimmy could be.
‘Seriously? You’d want me to come with you?’
He stopped and turned her to face him. ‘Well, only if you want to. I figured it might be a good way for us to spend some time together again, y’know, get to know each other again. What d’you think? Unless you’ve other plans for the summer?’
She smiled, a beaming smile which seemed to spread through her entire body. ‘It sounds like a great idea! Of course I want to go with you. I want to more than anything in the world!’
*
While her mother fussed over the dinner in the kitchen later that evening, Grace sat in the swing chair on the back porch, enjoying the relaxing, rhythmic sensation; thoughts of Jimmy and the wonderful words he had said skipping and dancing around her mind. Maggie sat on the bench opposite, smiling at her.
‘So, what’s got you all excited then?’
Grace sat up. ‘Excuse me?’
‘What’s got you so excited,’ she repeated. ‘Because something certainly has. You’re practically fizzing with excitement.’
Grace laughed at her great-grandmother’s perceptiveness. ‘Good Lord Maggie, nothing gets past you does it? Are you sure you’re nearly ninety years old?!’
Maggie chuckled. ‘Sadly yes, although I don’t feel a day over seventeen y’know. Up here,’ she added, tapping her head. ‘So, are you gonna tell me or am I gonna have to beg?’
Stepping down from the swing chair, Grace sidled over to sit beside Maggie and clasped her hands in hers. ‘Oh Maggie, it’s just amazing. I just can’t believe it. I met Jimmy today.’
‘Jimmy? Your Jimmy?’
‘Yeah,’ Grace laughed. ‘My Jimmy!’
‘Well, go on then. Tell me all about it. I can tell by the twinkle in your eye that you were definitely pleased to see him.’
Grace had barely been able to believe everything that had happened since she’d spoken to Jimmy on the phone, but she was desperate to tell somebody and she knew that Maggie would listen without judging her. So, she told her all about the note she had written to Professor Andrews along with the newspaper article, and how Jimmy had called her and how they’d arranged to meet for coffee earlier that day and how it had been amazing and was as if they’d never been apart. She hardly stopped for breath as she relayed all her exciting news. Maggie listened patiently as she sipped her cup of tea.
‘And, you’ll never guess what Maggie.’