Page 132 of Take This Heart
I don’t know why I’m nervous. I’m not the one seeing my half-sister. Or the one coming into the home of the people I committed arson against. But the unease in the room is thick before Ava even walks through the door.
Everett asked me to be here. I thought it was probably for Ava’s sake, but the way he keeps checking on Goldie lets me know it was for her. Goldie and Ava have had a horrible start. I wouldn’t blame the Whitmans if they didn’t want anything to do with Ava, but it’s just a testament to how gracious they are. After all, they’ve accepted me as a Granger.
I’m beginning to think that the whole family feud thing is one-sided at this point.
I walk into the kitchen to get a glass of water and it’s impossible to avoid hearing Grandma Nancy and Grandma Donna arguing in the den.
“I don’t know why Everett’s doing this. It’s crazy! I’vetried to talk him out of this little…get-together or whatever we’re calling it…until I’m blue in the face, but he’s not listening to me. Ho-no. Not listening to a word from his mother,” Grandma Nancy says. “She is BruceGranger’sdaughter, not his.”
“Nancy,” Grandma Donna sighs, “she’s Stella’sdaughter. How would you feel if a child of Everett’s showed up? You’d want to meet them, no matter what.”
“Well, there won’t be any children of Everett’s showing up,” Grandma Nancy huffs.
“That’s not the point and you know it.”
“She tried to set flames to our property! If that isn’t enough to prove she’s taken after her father, I don’t know what is!”
“Oh, fer cryin’ out loud! Maybe you better sit this one out, Nancy!” Grandma Donna says, sounding fed up.
“There’s no way I’m leaving my family to fend for themselves around that girl.”
“Thatgirlis in her thirties.”
“Like you said, that’s not the point and you know it.”
Grandma Donna huffs and when she walks into the kitchen, I try to act like I wasn’t just eavesdropping.
I guess the Granger/Whitman feudisn’tso one-sided.
The doorbell rings, and Grandma Donna and I walk into the living room. Goldie looks anxious and I take her hand.
“You okay?” I whisper.
She bites her lip. “I’m crazy nervous.”
“It’s going to be okay,” I tell her.
She exhales and nods.
Everett walks to the door and opens it wide. “Hello, Ava. Come in!”
She walks in. She looks different. Softer. Hesitant. Dark circles around her eyes.
“Hi,” she says, looking around the room.
Grandma Donna steps forward and holds out her hand. Ava takes it and Grandma Donna smiles, encircling Ava’s hand with her other one.
“Hello, dear. I’m Donna, Stella’s mother. Everyone around here calls me Grandma Donna and I hope you will too.” She tilts her head back, getting a better look at Ava’s face. “Beautiful. I believe I would’ve recognized you anywhere. You look so much like my sister Darlene; it’s uncanny.” She leans in closer and whispers, “She was the pretty one.”
Ava’s eyes are glassy, but she smiles at that. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Lovely to meet you, dear.” Grandma Donna takes a step back. “Can I get you anything to drink? Water? Pop? Whiskey?”
That pulls a laugh out of her. “Whiskey sounds about right, but no, thank you.”
Everett gestures to the chair across from Goldie and me. “Thank you for coming. Have a seat.”
Grandma Nancy stands by Everett’s chair and when he sits down, she crosses her arms and stares at Ava.
