But bein’ back home with Grandma Glo had changed my whole focus these last few days, especially after she scared the shit outta everybody with that mini stroke.
Thank God it wasn’t worse.
Grandma Glo could still talk and move around some, but she definitely wasn’t herself all the way yet. She got tired fast now, and sometimes her words came out slower than normal, which was enough to piss me off every time I noticed it. Of course, it wasn’t at her, but just at the situation.
I had been stayin’ on everybody’s ass since she got out the hospital too.
Wasn’t nobody just runnin’ in and out of Grandma Glo’s house no more, eatin’ up shit and stressin’ her out while she wastryna recover. I had turned into a whole security guard over here about my muthafuckin’ grandma.
The first day she got home, three different people tried walkin’ in without knockin’, and I cussed every last one of they asses out.
“Nah, y’all gotta get the fuck on,” I had told them. “This ain’t Candy Land no more. Grandma ain’t entertainin’ company right now.”
One of the neighborhood ladies gon’ tell me, “Girl, I was just checkin’ on her.”
“And you checked,” I replied. “Now, bye.”
I wasn’t playin’ about my grandma.
Everybody in the neighborhood knew Grandma Glo. Folks had been comin’ to her house since me and Toni was lil’ girls. She was one of them grandmas everybody claimed. Kids used to run in and out of her house after school, and she kept candy in them big glass jars on the counter. She always had somebody sittin’ at her kitchen table, gossipin’ and drinkin’ coffee.
But right now, she needed peace more than she needed company, and I made sure everybody understood that.
After I showered and got dressed, I stood in the mirror, fixin’ my lip gloss one last time before grabbin’ my purse off the dresser.
I looked good too.
I had on a cute lil’ fitted romper with my slides and my jewelry on, and my hair was laid exactly how I wanted it. I had been stuck in this city for almost a week, and I refused to look depressed when my people touched down.
Soon as I walked into the livin’ room, Grandma Glo looked over from her recliner.
“There go my pretty girl,” she said, her voice softer than usual.
I walked over and bent down to kiss her cheek carefully.
“You okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” she replied, even though I could tell she was still weak.
Grandma Glo hated lookin’ vulnerable. Even now she still had her robe tied neat with her earrings on like she was finna host Sunday dinner.
I smiled. “Well, guess what?”
“What?”
“They here.”
Her whole face lit up then.
“My babies?”
“Yes,” I laughed. “Toni and Lo’Lo finally touched down.”
“Oh Lord,” she breathed, gettin’ emotional already. “Bring my great baby to me.”
“I am,” I said, rubbin’ her shoulder. “I’m finna go get them now.”
She grabbed my hand before I could pull away completely.
