THE DARE (G!P Freenbecky)

Chapter 39

At that exact moment, it was as if she saw him, clearly, for the first time in many months. He was having trouble walking, and using his rosewood cane. He approached her slowly, with a little difficulty, and she knew with a sudden instinctual clarity that he wasn't going to be in her forever. And he had been so much a part of her life she didn't know how she would go on without him.

And she realized that even if someone loved you and wanted to be with you, the natural rhythms of life, of change and renewal, determined there would be times when you would face great loss.

"It's from your friend Lookkaew, and I thought—"

She threw herself into his arms, being careful of his fragility, and hugged the old man tightly.

"I'm so sorry," Becky whispered.

"Sorry? For what?" He sounded totally incredulous.

She held on even tighter. "For being such a disappointment to you."

"Disappointment? Never!" He held on to her, his embrace warm and familiar, then stepped back in order to look at her face. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"I should be married by now, with children—"

"No, Becky, that's not true. I haven't gotten to this age without learning a few things, and one of them is that everything comes to us as it should, and in its right time."

Becky couldn't meet his eyes, so she sat down in the hammock and put her head in her hands. "My life is such a mess."

Her grandfather walked over to a small wooden chair and lowered himself down into it, the envelope still in his hand.

"Can you tell me about it?" He said. "Do you want to?"

She remained silent, wondering what to say.

"Perhaps this might help you," he said, and handed her the envelope. As she started to rise, she whispered, "Don't go. Please."

He remained where he was.

She opened the thick envelope. Lookkaew had sent this envelope Express Mail, and from the size and shape of it, Becky had some idea of its contents.

Wedding pictures.

The hastily scribbled note that accompanied the numerous photographs sounded just like her best friend: "I meant to buy a little album and arrange them all for you, but I was so excited by how well they came out that I wanted you to see them right away!"

Becky slowly thumbed through the pictures, handing each one to her grandfather as she finished looking at it.

The entire wedding party. Anda and Lookkaew, over and over again, dancing, cutting the cake, standing at the altar and looking at each other with so much love in their eyes.

And then one picture, the last in the pile, of her and Freen. They were both smiling at the camera, but she remembered the exact moment. Freen had been looking at her just before the photographer had taken the shot, those chocolate eyes narrowed with speculation, wondering where it was that she'd seen her before.

"It must have been a beautiful wedding," her grandfather remarked.

Those wise old eyes didn't miss much. She felt so much more behind those words, but he waited patiently for her reply.

"It was."

"Was that where you met your young woman?"

Your young woman. She had to smile. How simple and clear her grandfather's world was. If you loved someone, you married them. You had children. You raised a family and did the best you knew how.

"Yes."

"Becky."

She raised her eyes to his. He was gently tapping the stack of photos in his fingers, lining up their edges, before he handed them back to her.

"I want you to know that you have never, ever, been a disappointment to me. Do you believe me?"

She couldn't quite believe that, so she remained silent.

"Perhaps I've pushed you a little too hard in one particular direction, but please believe me when I say I only wanted you to be happy. And it doesn't matter if you date a man or woman as long as you are happy, I am happy as well."

"I know that," she whispered.

"And I also want you to know that I like this young woman of yours. Very much."

"Thank you." She thought of Freen and how pleased she would be to hear this.

"And I have to admit that I.....well, I did a little investigating."

"What?" She couldn't believe it, her grandfather acting like Detective Columbo.

"I checked your young woman out, and she came through with flying colors. Ambitious, tough, but fair. She made her own way in the world, and did quite a fine job of it. But she'd a kind woman, as well."

"I know. Lookkaew told me."

"She's a fine young woman," her grandfather said. He reached for his cane, then slowly rose out of his seat. "But the final choice is totally up to you."

She nodded her head.

"And I hope you know that I will love and support you no matter what you do, and that has always and will always be the case." He glowered don't at her and she almost laughed, his expression was so fierce.

"I know." She handed the envelope to her grandfather.

"Would you take these back to the house?"

"Of course. Will you be in for lunch?" He hesitated.

"Maybe we could go out to that little Chinese place you like."

How like her grandfather, to think specific ways to cheer her up. When she'd been little and skinned her knee while roller-skating, he'd kissed the boo-boo and taken her out for ice cream. Now he was going to attempt to do the same with Chinese food.

But it did sound good. And she couldn't sit back in this hammock and hide from the world forever. Moping around never solved a thing.

"I'd like that." She stood up, then linked her arm through his. "Let's walk back to the house and head out for some lunch. That dim sum place, right?"

"Exactly."

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A/N: GL grandmothers ❌️ GL grandfathers ✅️ see yaaa <3