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Grabbing her daughter, Lisa displayed some uncommon physical affection, and Megan gasped. Then she looked around the incense-smelling closet, at the candle and picture of Mary.
“Mom, Grandma’s in the kitchen.”
“Shit. Shoot, I mean. Okay, let’s go. I’m sure I’m in for a lecture on irresponsible parenting.”
“She’s not mad,” Megan said.
“Okay.” Lisa held Megan in a one-arm hug. “Do you need to get cleaned up?”
“I do. I don’t have any of those…things.”
“I’ve got everything you need.”
Lisa led her to the master bathroom and rummaged around for pads and wipes and other feminine products.
“Do you need help?” Lisa asked gently.
“No, I saw the movie,” Megan said, sniffing. “Go say hi to Grandma.”
“Then we’ll go for a run, okay?” Lisa asked.
“Yes! Thank you, Mom.”
Lisa kissed her daughter’s forehead, and they parted ways, Megan to the room she shared with Miranda, currently being used by Nancy, and Lisa to the kitchen to talk to Pam.
“Thanks for bringing her home, Mom.”
“Is she okay?”
“She got her monthly already. I didn’t want to say anything to her, but ten years old seems awfully young.”
“Poor Megan,” Pam said. “It is young. I was thirteen, and I think you were older.”
“I was. But Gladys was young, too.”
Gladys was Ed Ford’s mother. Ed was Lisa’s first husband and Megan’s father.
“Speaking of, have you heard from Gladys?” Pam asked.
“She sends postcards from Greece, where she’s living with that olive farmer. But she never asks about Megan, which I think is so odd.”
Flushing, Pam didn’t respond, probably feeling guilty about rarely connecting with her own late son’s child, Brent Junior, who was Sandra’s son.
No one spoke for a moment. Megan came into the room, dressed for the outdoors, wearing sneakers, not boots.
“Grandma, you want to run with Mom and me?”
Sputtering, Pam fumbled with the zipper of her coat. “Oh! Yes! Running. Can I have a rain check?”
Smirking, Lisa looked away and let Megan answer.
“Sure, Grandma. Thanks anyway.”
Pam appeared uncomfortable, but Lisa didn't reassure her. She deserved to feel guilty. Instead, Lisa went to the coat rack to dress for the cold.
“Come on, Megan, let’s do it. I feel stronger already.”
Laughing, her daughter came to her to high five. “We can walk Grandma home.”
