Page 89 of Make it Real
I hugged her like I could pour all my love into these last sixty seconds. I knew they weren’t thelastseconds, that we’d see each other again, and probably sooner than I thought. But that yawning unknown felt indefinite and murky on this side.
“Sweet girl,” she said, stroking my hair. “I’ve got more love in my heart for you than I know how to say.”
“I love you so much, Gran.”
“I know you do.”
We stood like that for a few minutes, embracing under the summer sun, Jed somewhere close by. After a while, she pulled back to cup my cheeks in her hands.
“You’re going to be just fine, Callie Louise.”
I nodded. I knew it, but right in that moment, it didn’t feel like a sure thing.
“I’ve got to get on over to Linda’s so we can get our caravan started.”
I wanted to memorize her soft, sweet smile. She could be so tough sometimes, and maybe she’d had to be, helping us out after Dad left and through Mom’s illness. But I loved those gentle smiles that spoke of more tenderness than she usually put into words.
I nodded, sniffling but not crying. “Call me when you get to Beaumont.”
“You’ll get sick of my calls, honey.”
“Nope. Never.”
She walked over to Jed and pulled him close for a quick hug. “You take good care of my girl.”
Jed turned to me, his eyes full of…well, maybe I wasn’t the best judge, after all. What I thought didn’t really matter anyway, since this was all for Gran.
“She’ll be just fine.”
Loved his confidence. Also kind of hated it. Today, it sounded like a gentle goodbye.
Gran gave me one last hug and kissed my cheek. She double-checked the cooler in her front seat, making sure all of her snacks and drinks would be at the ready for her drive.
Jed came closer to wrap an arm around me, and I leaned into it. I wasn’t sure if the hug was for Gran or for me, but I’d take the support right now. Lord knew, I needed it.
“You two be good,” Gran said as she finally climbed into her car. She rolled the window down and leaned her gray head out. “But not too good.”
I laughed as she pulled away, waving with one hand and holding on tight to Jed with the other. Her car winked out of sight, and I released a ragged breath. She’d really gone.
Knowing just what I needed, Jed gathered me up in his arms. Whatever his reasons, this hug was definitely for me, and I sighed into the embrace.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You’re going to be okay.”
And I would. I knew that. Yes, my heart ached like it’d been stomped on, and my body felt exhausted and wrung out, but I would be okay. I hated to see her go, but I needed this next stage, too. A nervous kind of excitement ran through me, just beneath the raw ache of saying goodbye. I’d be ready for whatever came next…
Except this.
I slipped out of Jed’s arms, shoring myself up for this next goodbye. He looked almost as cut up as I did. Like when I’d shared about my dad leaving, he seemed to hurt because I hurt. He just didn’t know he was a source of my grief, too. But could I tell him?
Absolutely not.
Just like Granny had predicted, I was torn between giving him my love and giving him his freedom, and it hurt more than I could say. I really wished she didn’t have to be right all the time.
“Thank you for everything.” Look at that. My voice didn’t even crack. “You’ve been a great fake boyfriend.”
I laughed awkwardly, which might actually work in my favor. Lean into the weirdness. Distract from the broken heart.
“Yeah?” He didn’t look all that convinced.
