Page 94 of Take Her On

The following day, freshly showered and dressed in her favourite navy plaid shirt, she tidied the hoard of plates and cups she’d stashed in her room and then cleaned up downstairs. Her mum and Grandma were out doing the big food shop, so she made Grandpa a cup of tea before she had to leave to catch her bus.

She knocked at his door. The squabbling from the TV crackled through the speakers, and his kind eyes flicked to hers as she entered, crinkling at the edges.

“Hey, kid.”

“Hey, Grandpa.” She placed his tea on the table beside his bed. “How you doing?”

His wispy grey hair sprung out from all angles, reminding her of Albert Einstein without the moustache. His fingers moved over the trim of his green cardigan, drawing her eye to the pin there that they’d won for him at the seaside. “All the better for seeing you. No tea today?”

“No, I’m about to head out, actually. Just wanted to see if you wanted anything before I go. Mum and Grandma should be back soon, but if I don’t get this bus, the next one isn’t for an hour.”

He nodded, giving her a knowing look. “You goin’ to see her?”

“Yeah. I need to sort this out.” Maya sighed. He must have heard some of the commotion the other night, but how much did he know? “I’m sorry if I woke you up. I’d had a bit too much to drink and—”

He held up his hand. “Let me stop ya there. Your mother should’ve never let ya back here in the first place.”

Maya’s mouth fell open. What?

“I said not to let ya move back, but did they listen to me? No. They think I’ve lost me marbles.”

“Grandpa, what are you talking about? It was my decision, and I wanted to do it.”

He sighed. “I don’t want you to…miss out on your life ’cos of me.”

Maya’s chest tightened. “Grandpa. Don’t say that.” She took a seat in the armchair next to him.

“I’ve had my life. Yours is just startin’. You’re so sweet for wanting to help.” He shook his head. “But, goddammit, I was furious.”

“I wouldn’t change it.”

He looked at her then, dark eyes really searching. “What are ya scared of?”

She exhaled an uncertain breath and tried to cover it with laughter. That wasn’t exactly an easy question to answer. “Erm…well…everything.”

“You can’t spend your whole life being scared… It’s gonna happen anyway, kid. You don’t wanna miss it.”

Maya folded her hands in her lap, her mind starting to gear into overdrive. “I just never know if I’m making the right choices.”

“Well, let me tell ya a secret. No bugger does.” He grinned his toothy smile. “You think I’ve never made mistakes? Your grandma? Your mum? We make them all the time. It’s how you learn from ’em that matters.”

Maya smiled. “Thanks, Grandpa.”

“Take my car,” he said, his head nodding like a bobble head.

“Grandpa, I can’t do that—”

“Take it!”

“It’s illegal. I haven’t passed my test yet.”

“Rubbish. In my day, me, Roger, and Loopy would steal our dads’ cars with less a fuss.”

She shook her head, a laugh forming in her throat. “It’s sweet of you to offer—though you haven’t seen me drive yet. I could easily wreck it.”

One side of Grandpa’s mouth crept up into a smile. “No, ya wouldn’t.”

“No.” She’d probably drive that car so carefully and slowly, it’d be quicker to take the bus anyway.