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“Not a chance,” Gramps warned.
I pulled up a chair and sat down to watch them finish their game. I wasn’t surprised when Gramps won.
“What are you doing here?” Gramps asked me as Trace helped him back in the bed. “Surely you’re not just here to see me. I’m not that handsome to look at anymore.”
“I think you’re very handsome. I know where Trace gets all his looks from,” I poked my husband’s cheek.
“Yeah, well, he certainly didn’t get his smart mouth from me,” he chortled.
“Oh, please, Gramps. Don’t act like you aren’t a smartass,” Trace chuckled, adjusting the blankets around Warren.
“Can you believe my grandson talks to me like this? I don’t know why you married this fool,” he shook his head. “You could do so much better.”
“Thanks, Gramps. Way to make me feel loved,” Trace put a hand to his heart.
Ignoring them, I gripped the footboard of the bed in my hands and leaned forward. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Oh,” Warren cleared his throat. “Of course.”
Trace eyed me, wondering what was going on.
“I know you’re sick and probably aren’t up to it but…” I took a deep breath. “I don’t have a dad to walk me down the aisle and I was wondering if you would…?” I bit my lip nervously as I waited for him to reply.
He pushed himself up in the bed. “I don’t care if it takes me ten whole minutes, I will walk you down that aisle, sweet Olivia.” There was a determination in his eyes that had been missing before.
“Thank you,” I swallowed thickly,
Having Gramps walk me down the aisle meant the world to me. It was a memory I would be able to hold close to my heart and cherish for the rest of my life. Looking at him now, it was difficult to believe that the doctors didn’t think he’d live past the end of the week. I didn’t want to say goodbye. In fact, I refused to. Saying goodbye implied that something was ending, and I knew that Gramps’ life was really just beginning.
“Don’t cry,” Gramps frowned at me.
I reached up and felt my cheek. My fingers came away damp. I hadn’t realized I was crying. Maybe my body had become so used to the emotion that it didn’t even register it anymore.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, taking the tissue Trace handed to me. “I don’t mean to cry. I want you to know that it means a lot to me that you’re going to do this.”
“I’m honored that you’d ask me, Olivia.” His words ended in a cough and when he pulled his hand away from his mouth, blood stained his lips.
“Gramps!” Trace exclaimed, jumping up and cleaning his mouth free of the red stain. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Gramps waved his concern away. “That happens sometimes. It’s normal.”
“That doesn’t seem normal,” Trace said.
“What’s normal about cancer?” Gramps countered.
Neither of us could argue with that, but Trace still told me to find a nurse.
The nurse I found was quick to come and check on Gramps. She assured us that he was fine and we had nothing to worry about. I wanted to argue that the man was dying so we had plenty to worry about, but that would’ve been rude.
“Trace,” I rubbed his arm, “you should really go home and get some rest.”
He took a deep breath and let his head fall forward into his hands. “I can’t.”
“How about this, go home and shower, eat, take a nap, and then come back in a few hours? I’ll be here. You know I’ll take care of him,” I assured him.
Trace looked between Gramps and me. “I don’t know.”
“Trace, the last twenty-four hours have been extremely stressful. Go home and relax for a little bit. You’re no good to anyone if you’re dead on your feet,” I eyed the dark circles under his eyes. I hated seeing him this tired and stressed.
