Page 45 of Addicted

He was alright.

His grandson was still caught up in the life. I knew Grams could take care of herself, but the idea of her being connected to anyone I grew up around made me nervous.

“I’ve been up here a few years. I miss home sometimes, but this is home now too,” Denise said.

“Ah, LA is gorgeous, especially in the fall. I’m sure you miss your family.” Denise pasted on a fake smile and ran her hand through her hair.

Denise didn’t like to talk about her family, but I couldn’t blame her, neither did I. When she reached back, the sleeve of her shirt lifted and the marks on her skin were on full display.

Grams’s eyes caught the bruises and her mouth thinned. She looked away and started to spin her water glass.

“And the weather, too,” Denise threw in, trying to defuse the tension that was coming off Grams.She hadn’t realized her sleeve had moved.

“Excuse me a minute. I’m going to run to the restroom,” Grams turned to go up the stairs.

I looked at her, confused. There was a restroom right behind her.

Grams turned around and gave me a sad smile. I understood, she needed a minute.

“Sorry, I don’t want to lay my baggage on your grandmother,” Denise said, running her hand through her hair again.

“Don’t apologize.” I said, my fingers tightening on her thigh.

“This looks like an amazing place to grow up in,” she said, looking at the house.

I nodded. “It was.” I cleared my throat, “Grams does this thing, every two years on New Year’s Eve. We pick a color together and we paint. This room has been every color under the sun.”

Taking a fortifying breath, I continued. “When my mom passed, she let me choose black. But, she told me, complicated memories need an anchor. Something that reminds you of the joy before the hurt. My mama had this giant disco ball that she kept hanging in her room. I told Grams we were going to keep it black, but it was gonna sparkle. And we kept that sparkly black paint until we both decided we were ready for a change.”

“An anchor,” she repeated, her fingers caressing the tips of my fingers against her thigh. “I love the idea of that. A moment of joy for a moment of pain.”

Pulling her chair toward me, I leaned in to kiss her, pouring everything I was feeling into her lips. I needed her to know she didn’t have to feel alone anymore. That Iwould be here for her. That I was everything she needed. That she could choose me.

But for her to choose me,reallychoose me, she had to know all the things I was keeping buried. Honesty was necessary to keep her, but it was also the reason I was going to lose her.

CHAPTER 26

DENISE

Hugh was apparently a nickname.Hueyspent the majority of his childhood here with his grandmother. It was the two of them against the world.

Huey played all the sports, because,of course, he was a jock in school.

“And what does that mean?” Hugh asked, raising his eyebrows.

“I mean, of course yourelishedbeing the center of attention,” I replied, rolling my eyes.

“And what did you do?” His tone was playful.

“Advanced placement classes.” I sniffed, throwing my nose in the air.

“Nerd.”

“Dunce.”

I stuck out my tongue at him and turned to see Grams smiling.

In between the history lesson, we ate, and we laughed. But did we eat!

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