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Grandpop’s eyebrows shoot up. “You being serious right now?”
“I didn’t plan on telling you this much, but hell, you might as well know. The man I’ve been staying with is named Lanzo. I’m in love with him.”
Grandpop leans back, breathing slow and steady. “Well, shit.”
“I know it’s a lot, but—”
“I’m happy for you, kiddo.”
That surprises me. “Really? Even though he’s the kind of man that’s friendly with gangsters?”
“Hell, people do things,” he mumbles, always prone to understatement. “Is he good to you?”
“Yes,” I say.
“You two got the same values? Care about the same things?”
“I think so, yes.”
“He gonna take care of you? No bullshit?”
“No bullshit,” I say, nodding.
“Then he’s all right. I’ve been wondering when you’d meet a guy. Pretty girl like you can’t be holed up in here with her grandfather forever, you know.”
“Grandpop,” I manage to croak.
But he waves me away. “Don’t get all upset with me, Renny. I love you to death, you know that. I’ve been worried about you for a long time and it makes me happy hearing you found someone you love. Don’t waste it, all right?”
“I’m not going to.” I can barely speak. Tears gather in my throat, a lump the size of a planet threatening to make me sob.
He struggles to his feet. I hurry to him and we embrace. This man took me in when my parents abandoned me, he loved me in his old age despite how hard it must’ve been to raise a little girl deep into his retirement. He never complained, never made me feel guilty, never made me feel unwanted. There was only ever love.
I don’t know how I got so lucky, ending up with a father like this. Because despite our biological relationship, he’s my dad, always has been.
“I love you, Grandpop,” I whisper.
“I love you too, Renny girl.” He pulls back, wiping my face. “Now, when the hell do I get to meet this guy?”
“Later today, hopefully. Maybe tomorrow, I don’t know.”
“He doing something?”
“The job we’ve been prepping. It’s dangerous.”
“You’re worried about him.”
“Yeah. I am.”
He squeezes my hands. “Then come on. We’ll sit down, watch some old movies, try and keep your mind off things. How’s that sound?”
“That sounds really, really good.”
“That’s my girl.” He pats my arm and shuffles toward his chair. “You’re a good kid, Renny, a real good kid.”
I cry for a minute. Grandpop leaves me alone. He knows better than to wait around for the waterworks to stop. That’s only going to make it worse. Soon though, I get myself together, wiping my face with some tissue as I head into the other room.
Only to stop dead in my tracks.
