Room Sixteen

10/My perfect first date

Iris's pov'

"Iris, I want you to meet your grandparents today, is that alright with you?" Dad says and I whip my head up and away from my book to look at him.

"Honestly I don't think I'll ever be ready to meet Grandma, Mom told me she never liked her and I feel like she was one more reason for her to leave." I close my book and put it on my lap, putting my whole focus on him.

"Yeah, she was a mean one even to me and still is but you know that's how she is, we can't change her no matter what we do so, maybe just give it a shot?" He says and I look down at my fidgeting hands and nod.

"Yea sure, I guess." I shrug. "How's grandpa like?" I ask curious to know about him too.

"Uhh he's cool mostly, you don't have to worry about him much." He says and I smile, I guess like father like son, he's a cool dad too.

"Okay, maybe he's the only one I'm excited to meet I guess."

"Yea, you'll like him...I hope. He's one of those old school people, with his cigar and his newspaper, a robe around his body." He says and I laugh, he follows.
"No, but he is chill, and I know he'll love you." He says and I nod giving him a smile.

"Thanks, Dad."

"awh, come here." he outstretches his arms and with a big smile I get up and run around his desk to hug him.
What a nice feeling.

...

"When I got pregnant with you she started hating me even more and that really hurt me." She said while folding a pile of laundry on the mattress that was set on the dirty floors. She told me stories of her life and it punched me in the gut each time because she was treated so badly.
"What did I ever do, I asked myself but the question always ended up unanswered. I never did anything wrong she just disliked me."

"Did she hate me, mama?" My 12-year-old selfie curiously asked her.
Mom ran a comforting hand down my head and showed me a smile.

"She didn't hate you, my love, you were a miracle in their eyes and I thought I'd finally settle down after being through so much because of her." She shook her head while looking down so she could hide her tears from me but it was useless because I knew she couldn't hold her emotions back when she spoke about her in-laws, my grandparents who hated her for no reason.

I hate her for hurting mom.

I am so glad Dad left, I hate him too for letting his parents act that way toward Mom.
She deserves better.

...

All those years of being told a lie now race back through my head and I have to take a deep breath before entering the back door of my dad's house to go back into the living room where both my grandparents are sitting and talking along with my dad.