Jackson chuckles and hops from his chair to hug his grandmother. “Aw Grandma, I’m just teasing you. I’m real happy for you.”
“Let me see the ring!” Willow squeals.
I have a feeling she already knew about all of this. She takes Grandma Maggie’s hand to admire the rock on her ring finger.
“Ray and I are moving back to the farm,” she tells Jackson, and his face falls.
It makes the old woman cackle. “Oh, the look on your face.”
He squeezes her again. “Grandma, don’t be teasing me like that. I mean, I know this is your house and all, but Willow and I have grown pretty attached to her.”
She pats his cheek. “I know you have. I wouldn’t dream of taking Aspen away from her home. She’s going to have the best childhood here.”
Jackson goes back to his chair.
“Ray and I are buying Ash’s tiny house. We’re going to move it between their new house and here. That way this grandma willbe right in the middle to help with all of the great-grandbabies we’re going to have.”
“That’s an awfully small place,” I tell her.
Ray speaks up. “I’ve got the plans all laid out. We’re going to add a couple of rooms to it. Make it a little more accessible for us old folks.” He chuckles. “I mean, I love living with your sister ...” He looks at Jackson.
Jackson holds his hands up. “You’ve dealt with Lily way longer than I would have.”
“What are you two talking about? Lily is the sweetest,” Willow rushes to defend her sister-in-law.
“She is, she is,” Ray agrees. “I love her beyond words, but I’m sorry, that girl can’t cook.”
Everyone laughs but Willow. Her heart is so soft.
“Ray,” she scolds gently.
“Naw, I’ve loved living there, but they would probably like their privacy back. And I know Maggie here misses the farm, and all of you more than anything. This will be good for us.”
“For all of us,” Willow agrees clapping her hands. “I’m so excited.”
I push my cheesecake around on my plate, listening to the happy chatter around the table. Everyone is moving forward with life. Everyone but me.
After we clean up, we all move outside to enjoy the beautiful evening. I play with Aspen while the two couples chat by the fire. She’s chasing the chickens around. I sigh, watching the four of them talk easily with each other. It makes me miss having a partner. I’m back to being a third wheel.
Aspen picks up a chicken. “Papa, this is Rosie.”
It makes me laugh. “Her name is Rosie, huh?”
She nods.
“Did Daddy name her?”
Again, she nods, squeezing the poor bird around the neck.
“Here, baby, don’t hold her so tight. Rosie can’t breathe.”
Her brows pull together when she realizes she’s being too rough. She kisses the bird on the head. “I sowwy, Rosie.”
My thumb brushes over the freckles on her nose, and my heart squeezes painfully.
If I thought watching Jackson grow up made me miss Jenny, it’s nothing compared to witnessing my granddaughter reach milestones. She’s the spitting image of her grandmother. It almost makes me believe in reincarnation.
One thought spirals into the next. I shouldn’t be missing Jenny. I should be missing Rachel.
