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He couldn’t imagine how tough it would be not to be able to drive anymore. At eighty, his grandfather’s vision was failing and his reflexes were slower than necessary. After a minor fender bender a few months earlier, Stanley had decided on his own that the time had come to hang up his keys, an act of courage Wes could only respect.

“There’s a shuttle bus at the Shelter Inn that will take us shopping whenever we want,” Stanley said. “I went yesterday to buy the things I need for the pumpkin pie I’m taking to your sister’s house but I forgot my microwave popcorn.”

“It’s no problem,” he said, resolving that while he was in town he would definitely teach his grandfather the wonders of grocery delivery services.

They easily found a parking space near the front of the lot at the local big-box store, despite all the pre-Thanksgiving shoppers.

The evening was cold, cloudy, with a hint of snow in the air that didn’t bode well for last-minute holiday travelers.

He moved around to the passenger side to help Stanley down from the truck then took his arm as they walked into the store.

With every step, he was reminded of his grandfather’s increasing frailty.

When Wes had been young, Stanley had seemed invincible. He was a big, tough guy who could fix just about anything.

Of course, Wes had considered his father the same way until a junkie passing through town had showed that even the toughest of men wasn’t indestructible.

As usual, the thought of his father filled him with sadness. He missed Brian Kenner with an ache that felt as fresh as it had the night his father died.

His grandfather grabbed a cart and pushed it through the doors. Stanley immediately waved to the greeter, a man maybe a decade younger than Wes’s grandfather.

“How’s it going, Larry?”

“Hectic,” the older man said, shaking his head. “Seems like everybody in town waited until the last minute to pick up things they need for their turkey dinners.”

“How’s Doree?” Stanley asked.

The other man shrugged. “She has her good days and her bad. She’s pretty down about not being able to make Thanksgiving dinner at our place but we’re headed to our daughter and son-in-law’s in Boise tomorrow.”

“Give her my best. I’ll say an extra prayer for her.”

“Appreciate that, Stan.”

“Doree Tanner, Larry’s wife, had to have a foot amputated a few months ago,” his grandfather explained as they walked away. “Diabetes. It would sure break your grandmother’s heart to know she’s suffering. Doree was always so good to her.”

Both of Wes’s grandparents had a wide circle of friends here in town and had played an important role in Shelter Springs. His grandfather had even been mayor when Wes had been young.

“Maybe I’ll make an extra pumpkin pie and take it over to them,” Stanley mused as he headed straight for the popcorn aisle.

“I’m sure they would appreciate it,” Wes said.

After his grandfather found the microwave popcorn he liked, Stanley thought of another half-dozen things he needed. Wes also picked up the dog food and a few other things for himself.

Stanley seemed to know a good percentage of the other shoppers and stopped several times to say hello to someone and chat about their health, their children or their holiday plans.

Wes held on to his patience, reminding himself he didn’t have that many more opportunities to spend an evening with his grandfather, especially as he would be returning to Oregon soon enough.

Finally, Stanley seemed to think he had enough groceries. They started to head to the checkout when he suddenly stopped. “Oh no. I forgot I need shaving cream. It’s way on the other side of the store. I guess I can grab it next time.”

“We’re here. We might as well get everything you need in one trip. I can grab it for you, if you want.”

“We’ll both go. I need the exercise,” Stanley said.

They were heading in that direction when Wes spotted someone he knew this time.

Hannah.

She was pushing a cart full to the brim. As they approached, his brows drew together when he saw what was in her cart. He couldn’t see everything but a quick glance showed him a couple of kid-themed bedding sets, a case of juice boxes, fruit snacks, several boxes of cereal, as well as twinkle lights, three Christmas stockings and two jumbo jars of peanut butter.