The Dark of You (GxG)

25. The in-between?

A grin was formed on my lips as I entered my grandmother's house as the smell of her famous gingerbread cookies lingered in the air. 

"Grandmom?" I said and heard a try smash onto the oven and the grayed hair woman came around the corner in a hurry as she dusted the flour off her clothes.

"Hi, darling," She smiled brightly as she took me in for a hug.

"How are you?" She asked as she pulled back from me. 

"I'm fine," I answered and then she peeked behind me in the hallway at Rylan. 

"Come in, come in," She indicated for us and I brought along my suitcase as Rylan has the packed bag over her shoulder into the living room area. 

"How was the trip?" She asked like she always does.

"It was fine," I smiled, but my grandmom's attention went to Rylan as she seemed to be intrigued with the taller women next to me. I told her about my new security guard a month ago on the phone. She couldn't believe her ears when I told her it was a woman this time as my father is a bit old-fashioned when it comes to certain things in life.  

"You must be Rylan," Grandmom offered her hand and Rylan accepted.

"Yes, it's nice to meet you," 

"You have a strong grip," My grandmother said with a grin.

"I'm sorry," Rylan replied as she retreated her hand. 

"No, it's a good thing," She winked at my security guard, who seemed confused. 

"It means you are confident," Grandmom chuckled.

"Follow me," She said as she stepped down the hall. 

Rylan and I found our rooms on the bottom floor and hers is right across the hall from mine. As lazy as I am, I didn't bother to unpack my suitcase and found my way back up to my grandmother. She's preparing for dinner with the rest of the family this fine evening. 

"How are you, Hadley?" She asked as I leaned onto the kitchen counter. 

"I'm okay," I shrugged as I'm as okay I can be. I'm happy to be back here. It feels more like home as I know it's where my mother grew up—this big house at the end of a quiet street. I love that she has kept her old furniture as if a change is too significant to comprehend. Sometimes it's nice to have things exactly the way it is. 

"She seems nice," She smiled at me and went back to cut up the potatoes. 

"It's," I breathed as I searched for the right word.

"It's different," I said and grandmom stopped to turn to face me. 

"How is it different?" She asked and rested her hand on her hip in worry. She is always concerned about my well-being as my father hasn't been well since my mother passed. Grandmom has offered time and time again for me to stay here with her, but the guilt of leaving my father has always swelled up in me. I hate him, but I know if I left, he would drown in a bottle of scotch or whisky until he can't breathe anymore. He is a pain in the ass, but he is still my dad. 

"It's a woman for a start and," I laughed to myself. 

"She has a heart compared to the other ones that hid in a bottle and were consumed by their own pain, but Rylan is not like that. She is the other way around," I shrugged and she furrowed her eyebrows as she doesn't understand what I mean.

"Rylan hides her pain, she might not be good at it sometimes, but she doesn't want it to show," I explained and she nodded as she went back to cut the potatoes. 

"Those are the worst," She said and I opened my mouth but stepped over to her side to get a better look at my grandmother.

"It kinda sounds like you care, which is first," She smiled and I rolled my eyes. 

"I don't care. Rylan is still a pain in the ass but on a different level. She can be as cold as ice and then warm as the sun in seconds. It's confusing and misleading," I breathed out in frustration. 

"Maybe because she can't find the in-between," She laid the potatoes in the bowl and went to the carrots. 

"The in-between?" 

"Yes, the in-between," She chuckled and I rubbed my forehead as I felt more stupid by the second. 

"I don't get it," I said, but then Rylan appeared in the kitchen door with a drained look on her face. It's almost common to see how tired she is, and I don't why, but it hurts to watch her. 

"You don't have to stand around, sit down," Grandmom indicated for Rylan to sit on one of the chairs before the table. 

"No, I'm fine," She smiled, but grandmom glared at her, which made her give in. She can be feisty when she wasn't to be.