Consider Yourself Lucky

Five

I wake up the next morning around eight o'clock to a text from Collin. "Morning Sunshine. Have a good day today. Can't stop thinking about you." How sweet is he? He's perfect. It almost seems too good to be true. I'm finally feeling lucky about something in my life for once. I wait to text him back until after I brush my teeth and wash the leftover makeup off my face. I stand in front of my bathroom mirror and take a selfie. I figure out a cute hashtag to use. "#justwokeup" Basic but it's fine. I press send. Not even five minutes later, Collin replies with a heart eye emoji. I can't stop thinking about last night. Is it too soon to want to see him again? I don't want to make him the center of my attention, I still don't know how recent he took some other girl to that restaurant. I want to ask but there is a chance it could just be the waitress has a good memory. If he's been in town for a couple months and has been working on the flower shop, then I don't think he would have had the time to take someone else out. Or he could be living a completely other life and I'm just oblivious to it.

As I'm getting dressed, Flake is rubbing up against me which tells me she's hungry. I thought maybe Grandma would have fed her by now but maybe she just forgot. I finish putting my shirt on and throw my hair up in a bun. Flake follows me downstairs and sits by her food bowl. Empty. Where is Grandma? I check outside and her car is in the driveway. She probably went for a walk. She's been going on morning walks for a couple months now. She says it helps wake her body up for the day ahead of her. Every morning she makes some coffee, eats some breakfast, then goes on her stroll. As I scoop Flake's food into her bowl, Grandma walks in the back door. She rarely uses the back door unless she's doing some yard work.

"Morning sweetheart. There are pancakes on the counter if you're hungry. I'm going into town today. I want to possibly do some shopping. Would you like to join?" Today is Sunday and Hiller's is closed which means it's my day off. I could go for a little retail therapy.

"Yeah sure. Can we stop by the little cafe for lunch? The one that makes the really good paninis?"

"I haven't had one of those in ages. That sounds like a good idea. I'll get washed up and give you some time to eat and get ready and we can go." I grab the pancakes from the counter. Grandma makes the best pancakes. This time she made blueberry, my favorite. I scroll through my socials and as I take the last bite of my pancakes, a text from Collin dings in.

"Going out of town today. I have a couple things to grab from storage. Be back around five thirty. Text me if anything." He already feels the need to tell me about his schedule for the day and we aren't even official. We went on one date. I don't mind it though. It makes me feel like he cares, that even if he's busy he wants me to know he isn't ignoring me. He just has things to take care of. Communication is key. I click on the text he sent and type my own response. I go to my room to get ready for a shopping day with Grandma.

"Have a safe trip. Going out with Grandma today. Girls' shopping day, woohoo!" I add a smiley emoji and send it. His response is almost instant.

"Good, you deserve it." I've been saving almost all of my paychecks. Grandma's house is paid off, so we really only pay for utilities. I bought my car used so I just pay the insurance monthly then whatever maintenance it needs. Groceries aren't too expensive and it's just Grandma and I, so we don't worry about the cost of food. Plus, I get a discount at my store. We live comfortably. Grandma hates when I offer to help with finances, she always says she's got it covered. Sometimes I'll sneak pay the electric bill. I like contributing, especially for someone who's raised a child she didn't make. She's never thrown that in my face. In fact, if you were a stranger and didn't know anything about us, she would probably tell you I'm her daughter. It could be to spare the depressing details about my mom, but I like to think she just sees me as her daughter and not her granddaughter.