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“Yes, please.”
I tapped the tip of her nose with my pointer. “You got it.”
“Daddy, can you load the pictures I took today to your laptop? I want to pick out some to send to Nora.”
My daughter was now working on her photography badge. Today, we’d walked all over the city so she could take pictures of graffiti, like Nora’s project.
“Sure. But I’ll show you how to do it. I already earned my Girl Scout photography badge.”
Maddie giggled. “Daddy, you were never a Girl Scout.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you’re a boy!”
I smiled. “Go get your camera, kiddo. I’ll teach you how to upload them, and then you can go through the photos after dinner, before your mom picks you up.”
“Okay, Daddy!” She skipped down the hall.
After I placed our dinner order, I tried Gram again. The same thing happened: two rings and then voicemail. So I sent a text.
Beck: How are you and Nora feeling today?
Almost two hours went by before my phone chimed with an incoming text. Maddie and I were already done eating, and she was in her room packing her things to go to her mom’s.
Gram: We’re good.
I frowned at my phone yet again.
Beck: Then why do you keep sending me to voicemail? And why is Nora’s phone off?
I watched as the dots started to jump around, then stopped for a few minutes. Then finally started again.
Gram: You shouldn’t come. But I know you never listen to me.
What the fuck?
Beck: Are you telling me to fly out there? What’s going on?
Gram: I’m not telling you anything. But I know how you can be.
Something was off.
Beck: Where is Nora right now?
There was another long lull before a response.
Gram: She’s resting.
Still resting from a hangover? For two days?
Screw this. I hit Call instead of texting back again. It rang once and went to voicemail. Her phone had clearly been in her hand two seconds ago. I started to type a what-the-fuck-is-going-on text, when another message came in from Gram.
Gram: I can’t talk right now.
Beck: WHY NOT? WHAT IS GOING ON?
Gram: I’ll see you tomorrow, if you come.
