AllFreeNovel
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It might’ve been the first time I truly understood what they were doing, why Nora was so taken with Gram and had basically put her life on hold to travel with a woman forty-nine years her senior. My grandmother defined life. And to many who went about their day-to-day existences forgetting to actually live—maybe myself included—she was an inspiration.
Nora walked over, drying her hands on a dishtowel. “Louise is going to lie down. Today was a busy day for her, being sprung and all.”
I started to get up. “Alright, I’ll help her.”
Nora shook her head. “I got it. Enjoy the videos.”
I nodded. But the last video had hit me hard, and I shut the laptop. Even scrolling back to lift my mood by watching a bikini video didn’t appeal to me. Instead, I thought I’d have another beer. On my way to the kitchen, someone knocked at my door.
When I opened it, I found a woman who lived in the building with her daughter. She and Maddie were the same age and had become good friends. They often got together on the days I had Maddie.
“Hi,” the woman said.
“Hello.”
She looked around me. “Is Maddie ready?”
My brows drew together. “Ready for…?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I assumed you knew. Maddie called Arianna and asked if she could come over for a playdate. The call came from your cell, so I thought you were okay with it. She said her great grandmother just got home from the hospital, and the apartment needed to be quiet.”
My daughter ran down the hall with her backpack on.
“Maddie, you called Arianna’s mom and asked if you could come over without telling me?”
“Gigi told me to. She said she needed to rest.”
Considering my daughter could quietly play by herself for hours, and my grandmother knew it, I smelled something fishy.
Arianna’s mom interrupted my ruminations. “We’re happy to have her. Arianna and I are going to the library for story time and then to the park for a little while.”
Maddie clasped her hands together in the prayer position. “Please, Daddy, can I go? I love the li-berry.”
I ruffled her hair. “It’s li-brary, and how can I say no when you’re more excited about the library than the park?”
Maddie jumped up and down. “Thanks, Daddy!”
“I’ll have her back by say…” Arianna’s mom looked at her watch. “Is six okay? That way we have time to stop for ice cream, too.”
I smiled. “That’s great. Thank you very much.”
As soon as I shut the door, Nora came walking down the hall. She looked left and right. “Where’s Maddie?”
“She just went on a playdate, which my grandmother apparently arranged.”
Nora shook her head. “I’m guessing that’s why I was just kicked out of her room, yet she asked me to stay until she woke up—in case she needs help going to the ladies’ room.”
I squinted. “Does she seem like she needs help going to the bathroom?”
Nora laughed. “Definitely not. She’s at it again.”
“I feel like we’re all just marionettes, living in Louise’s puppet theatre.”
“And I fall for it every time.” She sighed. “I should go.”
“No. Stay, please.”
“You just said she doesn’t need my help.”
