Ready

Three~*

My dearest Lilly-Mae,

I'm witting about your Granddaddy.

As you know, he's been ill with cancer for quite some time now, but it has finally taken over. Bare in mind, the doctors did everything they could for him. I promise you that, Sweetheart. I know this is going to be hard, but I need you to stay strong. He wouldn't wont us to cry over him in sadness, he would have wanted us to be joyous of his life. To celebrate everything he did.

Your Granddaddy's funeral will be on the 24th September. Remember, try not to cry for him, Love.

Hope you'll be okay. I love you, Sweetheart.

Love, Grandma XX

I feel the warm tears trickling down my face. Granddaddy's dead. The cancer has beaten him. I'll never see my Granddaddy again. I'll never hear him call me Pumpkin. I wonder if this is what it says in Johnny's letter. Oh my god.

I rub my eyes, trying to rid them of the unwanted tears. I scrunch up the envelope, and throw it in the bit. I fold up the letter and walk downstairs, where Debbie and Mum are still talking about the wedding. Derek's in with them, too, now.

When I walk in, Derek's the first to notice. "Lilly-Mae? What's wrong?" He asks, concern lacing his voice. At the tone of his voice, Debbie and Mum both turn in their seats to look at me. Mum springs up.

"Honey, what's wrong?" She asks, pulling me into her arms. I hold out the letter, and another sob escapes my lips. Debbie joins Mum, and holds me whilst Mum reads Grandma's letter. "Oh god." Mum whispers once she's read it. She gives me a big cuddle, and I don't complain.

"What's wrong?" Derek asks from his position at the table.

"James' Dad's died. Lilly-Mae's Grandad." Mum answers, not leaving my side. "Maybe now's a good time to ask her?" She asks Derek and Debbie. Debbie's face gains a little smile.

"I guess now's as good a time as any." She gestures to the seat, next to the the one Mum had vacated. Debbie takes her spot next to Derek, so she's sat opposite me. Mum takes my right hand in hers, and Debbie takes my left, over the table. "Derek and I were wondering, if maybe you wanted to come over and stay with us for a few weeks. Heck, maybe even the whole summer!" She lets out a little laugh.

I think for a few moments. Jake and Amelia are going abroad. I'm not going to want to hang out with Johnny for the whole holiday. All my other friends are going on holiday, or doing things with their family. Debbie must have misread the look on my face, as she says "Though, it's absolutely fine if you don't want to. I'm sure you have other plans." Her face lowers a little. I know she wants me to go.

"Thank you, I'd like to stay over." Her eyes lift again, locking her green ones with my brown ones.

"Are you sure?" Debbie asks happily. I nod, smiling a little. She jumps up, and gives me a squeeze. "Great! This'll be fabulous! You'll get to meet my new Step-Children! I'm sure you'll be great friends with Derek's eldest." She shoots Derek and Mum a wink. Mum bites the inside of her cheek.

"When are we going?"

"Tonight, Love. Unless you want to wait a little while. There isn't any rush." Debbie assures me.

"Can we go tomorrow? It's just, I promised Amelia that I'd do something today. Just me and her." Debbie nods, her curly hair bobbing.

"That's fine, Sweetheart." She smiles. I grin back, and head up to my room. "Make sure you pack everything you're going to need!" She calls up to me.

"Okay!" I call back to her. Just as I'm about to enter my room, I pause. I'd better see how Johnny's doing. I walk over to his door, and hesitate before gently knocking on the wood.