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She was mine.
Blinking, I focused on my steering wheel and the hand gripping it. Obviously, she didn’t belong to me in any capacity if she was on a date with someone. The realization sunk into place, like a brick in mud. She’d made her choice, made it clear to the world—and that choice wasn’t me.
* * *
Deliveringpieces to the smaller town of Hope, Oregon, was always a mixture of happiness and heartbreak. I had been delivering pieces to this little shop for the past five years, and while I had actually turned down about three other stores around Oregon, this was one place I’d keep delivering to no matter what, and it was all because of who lived here.
“These pieces are beautiful!” Matt, the owner of the shop, beamed as he helped me unload the new fire pit and chandelier fixtures.
“Yeah, they came together nicely.”
Matt didn’t talk too much, which made working with him easy enough. With practically no time passing at all, everything was unloaded and a hefty chunk of money was delivered to my bank account.
Getting back into my truck, I headed toward the small grocery store and loaded up on clam chowder, saltine crackers, pepper, and a fresh bouquet of daisies. I tried as usual to keep my expectations lowered as I drove to the senior citizen home.
I only came this way about once a month, but I’d been enough for the staff to know who I was, especially seeing that I had donated thousands of dollars’ worth of accent lighting to this place. Gwen, the head nurse, greeted me with a smile that turned watery within seconds.
“Davis, so nice to see you, honey.”
I nodded at the older woman; her chocolate eyes always went soft when she saw me. I noticed her hair had started turning gray at her temples, but her ebony skin was still wrinkle free and youthful.
Handing her the flowers, I gave her a genuine smile.
“Nice to see you, Gwen. How’s he doing today?”
Her dainty fingerswrapped around the plastic covering the stems as she considered my question.
“He’s doing pretty good today, actually.”
“Good.” I knocked on her desk in farewell and walked around the corner.
Down the hall and through another set of doors was my grandfather’s suite.
A nurse was exiting, right as I was about to knock.
“Go ahead and head on in; he’s expecting a game of cards with Theo.”
Theo would be grateful I stepped in; poor guy hated playing against my pop.
“Theo, you’re here!” my grandfather crowed, holding a brand-new deck of cards in his left hand. His lack of recognition didn’t hurt; in fact, it did the opposite. I only came to see him because he didn’t remember me. If he did… Well, I’d be fucked.
“Hey, old man, ready for a game of cards?”
His toothless smile was wide as he shuffled the deck, and I took a seat across from him.
“Get ready to lose.”
This was how it always went. My grandfather’s shit talking was on point. We’d joke for a few rounds and then he’d start to remember my brother. It made me wonder if Mom and them ever came back to visit him.
“Did you know I had a grandson?” he asked, eyeing his hand closely. I tried to let the comment slide, because he in fact hadtwograndsons. I just wasn’t considered one anymore.
Even still, I acted surprised. “You don’t say? Well, tell me about him.”
“He’s real smart, book smart. Always reading. But inside, I think he’s sad.”
My chest pinched tight as I laid down a pair of twos.
“Why’s he sad?”
