AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We were greeted by the smell of disinfectant and the sound of people chatting in the common room. Despite the scent, it was a pleasant atmosphere, with large windows letting in lots of natural light.
We walked down the hallway, passing by various residents and their families, until we came to the lounge, where an older woman was holding court. She sat in a wheelchair, her hair tied up in a messy bun, with a group of elderly men and women gathered around her.
Zoe didn’t approach them right away, choosing to watch with an amused smile from afar. She nudged me, saying, “That’s her, Grandma Violet.” The relation didn’t need to be pointed out to me, though. It was clear as day where Zoe got her bright eyes and full cheeks from.
I watched as the woman continued her story, gesturing animatedly as she spoke. “And that’s when I said, ‘Honey, I might be old, but I can still ride you like a bucking bronco!’”
The group burst into laughter, and Zoe chuckled, shaking her head as she approached them. “Grandma, are you trying to corrupt these fine senior citizens?”
The elderly woman grinned and waved her away. “Oh, hush, you. I’m just telling my stories.”
Zoe leaned in to give her a hug, careful not to squeeze too tightly. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, pumpkin. It’s been too long since you’ve visited.”
“It’s only been a week!”
“Too long!”
Zoe rolled her eyes and laughed. Grandma Violet turned her keen gaze to me, squinting as she looked me up and down. “And who’s this tall drink of water?”
Zoe blushed and glanced at me. “This is Lucian. He’s a… friend of mine.”
I greeted the woman with a polite, “Ma’am.”
Grandma Violet nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving my face. “Just a friend? Who has friends like that? Look at those muscles. He could crush a watermelon with those biceps.”
“Grandma!” Zoe scolded, her cheeks turning red. She then noticed all the people still gathered around, listening in for more zingers, and she decided then to position herself behind the wheelchair, saying, “How about we go back to your room, hm?”
“Fine, fine, hide me away.”
Zoe began pushing the wheelchair, and I followed after, a small smile on my face. We soon made our way through the halls to Grandma Violet’s room, which was small but cozy. Zoe pushed Grandma Violet’s chair up to her bedside table, then helped her transfer to a nearby chair.
“So,” Grandma Violet said, looking up at me with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “How long have you two been seeing each other?”
Zoe glanced at me, then back at her grandmother. “We’re not. I mean, we are, but not officially. It’s still new.”
Grandma Violet chuckled and shook her head. “You kids today, always dancing around what you really mean. He’s handsome, polite, and can obviously carry you like a sack of potatoes. What more could you want?”
Zoe sent me an apologetic look, mumbling under her breath, “Sorry, I never knew my grandma was such a…romantic.”
“Don’t apologize,” I said with a soft smile. “I think it’s charming.”
Grandma Violet cackled and patted my hand. “You’re a good egg, young man. I can tell. So what’s the story between you two? How did you meet?”
I glanced at Zoe, unsure how much she wanted me to share. But she nodded encouragingly, so I took a deep breath and began to recount how she served me a bowl of spicy gumbo that actually, maybe made me sweat a little, which was a first. And then after that, I went back for more.
“That’s so romantic!” Grandma Violet gushed, clasping her wrinkled hands together. “A man who can handle some spice in his life. I like it!”
Zoe rolled her eyes and laughed. “Grandma, you’re so embarrassing.”
“Oh, hush,” the older woman said, waving her hand dismissively before continuing her interview with me, “And what is it that you do, Lucian?”
“I’m a firefighter,” I replied.
“How exciting!” Grandma Violet exclaimed. “You must have all the ladies swooning over you. Now, what got you into such work? It’s a noble profession, but it can’t be easy, can it?”
“No, it isn’t,” I agreed. “But I’m proud to do it. I’ve always wanted to help people.”
