Touching Down(46)

“It’s great with me. She plays as many games of Slap Jack with me as I want, she lets me have seconds on dessert, and she lets me build a huge fort. Mrs. Kent is like the best grandma ever . . . even though she’s not really my grandma.” Charlie’s nose curled up. “Does that make sense?”

My arm wound around her and pulled her close. “I had someone like Mrs. Kent too. She wasn’t really my grandma, but she kind of was.”

“That was the lady who died, right?”

“Yeah, Aunt May.”

Charlie glanced up at me. “Do you miss her?”

My head bobbed. “Every day.”

“You don’t seem sad though.”

“That’s because I’d rather be happy remembering her than sad missing her.”

Charlie gave that a moment’s reflection, combing her fingers through her ponytail. “Yeah, that makes sense,” she announced before getting back to the game.

I held her close, hoping it did make sense. I hoped when it came to me, she’d be able to emulate my approach—not mourning that I was gone, but being happy that I’d been a part of her life.

“Mrs. Kent might also have to watch you tomorrow morning for a while if Grant isn’t back yet.” Of course that was when a commercial came on and she was willing to give me her full, undivided attention. “I’ve got an appointment at ten. It shouldn’t take long. I’ll be back by twelve at the latest.”

“What kind of an appointment?” She shifted, so she was facing me.

“A doctor’s appointment,” I answered, all cheery sounding, like I just couldn’t wait to meet with the neurologist Grant had told me about—and stood by the phone while I made the appointment, so I didn’t chicken out. I just couldn’t wait for another doctor to tell me that yes, I had Huntington’s, and sure, they were very sorry, but yay, there were new advances in research being made every day.

None that would be of help to me in this lifetime, but it might be of help to others in another lifetime. Some of that might be able to do some good in my daughter’s lifetime.

Thinking about it made me pull her closer. Medical advances being made every day. I repeated those words in my head until the panic had slunk back into its dark cave.

“Are you sick?” Charlie scanned me for any sign of a cold, even running her forearm across my forehead as I did her when she was fighting a bug.

“No, just a check-up.” I looked away because the kid had a built-in lie detector.

“Well, those are easy. Just as long as you don’t have to get any shots. Those are the worst, but at least they let you pick out a sticker when you’re done.” Her attention fired back to the television after the short commercial break.

The camera was panning in on Grant, who was getting a stream of water squirted into his mouth as one of the coaches discussed something with him. Charlie pointed at the TV, giving a little squee.

And saved by the image of her father being broadcasted nationally during prime time.

“Hopefully, they’ll have good stickers.”

Charlie leaned forward in her seat, nodding. “Yeah. There’s not much that can’t be fixed with a good sticker.”

My chest squeezed. “Well, a good sticker or a really great hug.”

Without warning, Charlie flung herself into my lap, winding her arms around me. She then proceeded to hug me so hard I could barely breathe.

“How’s this?” she asked, managing to squeeze me even harder.

My chin tucked over her head as I squeezed her back with the same kind of fervency. “Charlie, this is the type of hug that could work miracles.”





IT HAD BEEN seven years since my last date. Seven. Years. That’s forty-nine dog years.

So since it had been a whole twenty-five hundred’ish days since my last date, I was totally not nervous come Monday night. Not even the least bit. I tried to convince myself of that again as I wiped my armpits for the fifth time as I stood inside of the colossal closet, trying to decide what to wear.

He’d said to dress up, but the fanciest thing I had was a simple black dress I’d bought a couple of years ago when a few work friends had set me up on a blind date with one of their friends. The tags were still on it because I’d backed out at the last minute. All I’d been able to see when I looked at that dress was Grant.

I didn’t know why I hadn’t taken it back after canceling the date. Money had never been in abundance in my life, but for whatever reason, I hadn’t.

The longer I stood staring at the dress, the more I came to wonder if the reason was tonight. Maybe that dress had been meant for Grant all along. When I slipped into the dress a few minutes later, I checked my reflection and surprised myself.