Grandfather looked upon Alice for a moment, she looked back giving a forced smile
So she wouldn’t offend him, he smiled back lightly, and then opened his mouth to say
“You’ve changed, you look……big,” “Yes granddad” she replied, “I have put on weight, plus I’m 4 months pregnant.
Grandfather looked at Alice and said, “So you’ll be having your first baby?”
“No” Replied Alice “This will be mine and Steve’s second child together”
Grandfather sat back in his chair thinking to himself, “I knew we shouldn’t have let her get married so soon, she’s already gotten pregnant twice and she didn’t even call in all this time to tell us, selfish little brat,”
Alice knew what her grandfather was thinking she didn’t have to ask she could she the expression on his wrinkly-pale white face with rosy cheeks, Alice then spoke as if she was making a plea
“Granddad” I know my sudden visit is a bit too much of a surprise, and I’m quite sorry I haven’t stayed in contact, but you need to understand that as soon I left I started a new life, and a new beginning.”
Grandfather just replied a simple tut,
Alice then spoke again, “Steve said that when the kids are old enough they can come and see you,” “When I’m old enough? I might not have long left!” thought grandfather. “Why can’t I see them now?” he spoke out aloud.
Alice looked at her grandfather then looked away, and said “Steve says that…..”
Before she could finish her sentence, she was cut off by her grandfather, he complained that she should do as she wishes and not listen to Steve all the time.
“Why aren’t you looking me in the eye,?” Asked grandfather, “What has he been doing to you”?
“Nothing grandfather” Alice replied, It’s…n-n-nothing.
Something was troubling Alice and grandfather knew about it,
But because of the long time Alice spent away from his company, he felt bitter and wasn’t really interested,
“So how is Steve as a husband?” Grandfather asked, Is he a good husband, Does he look after the kids and help ‘round the house, does tell you he loves you and treat….
And just as grandfather was going to finish his sentence, the sound of Alice
Crying cut him off,
“He is seeing another woman!” she blubbered, “after our honeymoon he said he had to go on a business trip, he came back, and he refused to tell me about it,”
Grandfather then got up and sat on the arm of the chair that Alice was sitting on.
“There there, darling, It’s O: K, So how did you find out He affair,?” grandfather asked, Alice continued.
“I received phone calls, when he went off to work, And in the middle of the night he’d be on the phone talking to other women saying “I love you more than that other woman” referring to me as the “other woman”, We would have arguments about, everything, About money, bills, taking care of the kids and even you,”
Me? “Pondered grandfather, at that moment grandfather, felt a little bad for the resentment he had for Alice. But he didn’t show any expression of it.
He probably knew why Alice didn’t try to contact him over the years and all within that moment he hugged her, And all of a sudden she was his little grandchild again.
Alice began to cry, her tears rolling down her cheeks wipe of a little make up of where she covered her bruises of where Steve hit her,
“I’m sorry for the way I treated you granddad” Said Alice, “I should have listened to you” “No, no” grandfather said, it’s not your fault. I was only scared of loosing you,
your sisters married off, and I just couldn’t bear living without you, I now I showed my love in a funny way,
After all the emotions Alice and her grandfather began to recap the lives they spent apart, Alice told of how she had to stay strong and stick through all the rough rides she suffered at the hands of Steve. And grandfather told of how much he missed her, but his stubborn attitudes refuse to let him show emotions,
The time now came for Alice to leave, she said her farewells to her mother and hugged her grandfather, “Goodbye, granddad”, She whispered in his ear,”I love you” and as she said this she took his hand and placed in his palm a little golden brouche, in shape if a bird, it had little diamonds for the eyes, that sparkled, as Alice left through the door and through the pathway, she turned backed and waved goodbye took her grandfather, with a tear in her eye, but knowing they had both buried the hatchet. And as grandfather waved goodbye, a tear rolled down his cheek. He clasped the little gifted in his hand and closed the door, wiped the tear away and went back to his seat, he was now able to rest easy knowing that his Granddaughter loved him.
