Page 28 of Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope
Her Grammy just smiled. “Sometimes the right person comes along before we think we’re ready.”
“Even if I’m wrong about the timing”—which she wasn’t—“Andrew’s not the right person.” Why did the words feel so heavy on her tongue? “Besides, I barely know him.”
Grammy Claudia shrugged, her face taking on a grandmothers-are-wise-and-all-knowing expression. “I didn’t say Andrew. I said ‘the right person.’ You made that connection, not me.”
Ugh. Grammy was right. How had Morgan fallen into that trap?
“Only you know if the two are the same.”
Morgan considered what her grandmother said. Grammy had certainly implied Andrew might be the right person, even if she hadn’t said it directly. But Morgan wasn’t going to argue with her since she knew her grandmother had her best interests at heart. She didn’t want to dig herself deeper into a hole she couldn’t climb out of.
“I don’t think there is another right person for me,” she said.
Grammy gave her an empathetic look, the one that was often followed by a big hug, and sometimes tears on Morgan’s part.
“I know you loved Trey, dear, but you can love again.”
“Maybe.”
“Definitely. You’re young, you have a big, beautiful heart, and you have so much life ahead of you outside of your work and your role as Greyson’s mother. When the right person presents himself, you will love again.”
“I’m not sure I want to,” she admitted so softly she wasn’t sure her grandmother heard, especially when Grammy didn’t immediately respond.
When she peeked in her direction, her gaze collided with her grandmother’s shiny one. Grammy was fighting back tears and one had slid down her cheek.
Regret hit. Morgan never wanted to hurt her grandmother or make her sad. Not ever. “Sorry. I’m obviously feeling sorry for myself and shouldn’t have said that.”
Grammy immediately shook her head. “I’m glad you did, Morgan. You’re allowed to voice the things that are heavy on your heart, especially to me.”
“But I didn’t mean to make you cry,” she argued.
“Oh, Morgan. I’m sad that my granddaughter felt such loss and pain that she doesn’t want to risk love again, but I’m also happy that she trusted me enough to share it with me.” Another tear escaped Grammy’s eyes. “And best of all, there’s happiness in my tears, because you want to know what else I heard?”
Morgan waited.
“Hope. As heart-wrenching as your words were, as much as they make me want to take you in my arms and hold you close the way I did when you were a little girl, I also heard that you hoped I was going to tell you that you were wrong to believe you won’t love again.”
Her grandmother was reading way too much into her admission. She’d been admitting she was scared of loving again. Nothing more. But she decided not to argue. She’d already made her grandmother cry and she didn’t want to draw attention from the others. They might not be the first women crying over ironing boards at a sew-in, but today was supposed to be fun, positive, and about giving back to others, not her own emotional admissions.
“I love you, Grammy,” Morgan said, smiling at her grandmother. “I’m so glad I’m here.”
“I love you, too, but am disappointed in myself for taking so long to respond to you a moment ago. I was searching for the right words, wanting to say something profound to help you cling to that hope, to nurture it, and let it blossom to heal your heart.” Grammy gave her a defeated look. “I blew it, didn’t I?”
Morgan gulped. “I, um.” She didn’t want to disappoint her Grammy, who was waiting for an answer, or make her feel as if she’d failed in any way. “You didn’t blow it, Grammy. And, maybe you’re right, and when the right person comes along, I’ll feel otherwise.”
There. She’d pointed out that the right person hadn’t come along yet, but had left the possibility open. How was that for diplomacy?
Her efforts were rewarded with a smile and a hug. “Oh, honey. Of course, I’m right. I didn’t get this old without learning a few things along the way.”
“You’re not that old, Grammy.”
“Old enough,” she admitted, laughing, then picking her iron back up to press the next seam so they didn’t fall behind on helping to keep the assembly line of sewing activities going. “I’m curious. How did you know Trey was the right person for you? What was it about him that drew you in and made you know he was the one?”
She thought back to the first time she’d met Trey.
“I’m not sure if I ever told you, but we met in the emergency room. I was still a student, doing a clinical rotation, and he’d gashed his arm while rock climbing.” She shuddered at the memory of the cut. “I should have known right then that he was a daredevil. Actually, I did know. He wasn’t afraid of anything and made every moment count for something. Being with him made me feel more alive, partially because next to him, I felt dull in comparison and couldn’t quite believe someone as exciting as him wanted me.”
“Phooey on whoever made you feel dull,” Grammy said. “You’re a shining star, and any man with half a brain would want you in his life.”
