Posted: Jun 20, 08 4:44pm
Candy
“Grandpa’s here, Jewel.” Mother let the ruffled curtain slip back over the window. (And under her breath: “first and last time prob’ly”). Something passed between her mother and Aunt Margo, with their crossed arms and tight lips.
“Where’s Grams? She’ll miss Grandpa.”
“Jewel, Grams has stepped out. You know Grams and Grandpa aren’t married with each other no more.
“Now, step up and shake his hand when I open the door. Look the lady you are who was well-raised.” (Again from between her teeth: “no thanks to him”).
There he was – tall, with a long, bearded face. If Auntie Margo and Mother were stiff and polite, Grandpa moved like a man dancing, a man who was used to entering rooms full of friends.
“How’s my girl?” He picked her up and rested her on his arm. He smiled, and a golden tooth gleamed there.
On their walk he talked about the big toy store he owned. “I’ll send my Jewel a doll,” he said, and then, “Is your grandma happy? Does she have a special friend?”
At the store she picked her candy from the bins while Grandpa laughed and winked at the lady who sold him his cigar. Jewel smiled at him but he was scratching his pick-six and clicking his tongue at her with the fluffy hair.
On the walk back, Jewel wanted to hear more about that toy store and about that doll, but Grandpa was looking away, already thinking about something else.
