Maps to You #Wattys2016

Chapter Two

Three Days Before

I WAS RIGHT.

When Grandpa shook my shoulder and woke me up from my accidental slumber on the couch, he was dressed and ready to go the museum. The rush of changing my clothes and running with my car to the museum before it closes with my granddad by my side was extremely mind consuming (that sentence was a lot to say in one breath). So consuming that I didn't pick up my phone the whole time and answer the ten missed calls and four messages I got from Elliot. Not that I knew he was calling anyway.

I was perfectly distracted.

It was liberating. As I dragged Grandpa's hand and pointed at different artifacts, it felt like I was twelve again, learning everything I did without a care in the world. We had to stop several times because Grandpa got tired fast, but it was a great throwback to the past to spend time with him. We spent a couple of hours sight seeing objects of history then went back home, as Grandpa had requested. Unlike our previous trips years ago, Grandpa was quietly looking through the window the whole ride, not cracking any lame jokes or asking me about college. It felt foreign, sitting next to him. Sometimes he felt like a stranger; other times, he felt like a blast from the past filled with smiles and nostalgic memories. Maybe I was too caught up on what used to be to realize what is now.

"Thank you for coming with me today," I broke through the tension, hoping he would spark up a conversation.

"Anytime, Isabella." And that was the last time he spoke the whole ride home. I internally sighed and screamed at how wrong this felt, how weird it was to sit next to my favorite relative in the family and not be able to joke and just chill. 

I was about to speak up again when my phone rang, alerting us both. With one hand on the steering wheel, I grabbed my phone and accepted the call, putting it on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Bella?" I immediately relaxed at his voice and automatically squealed.

"Elliot! Babe, how's it going? How was your flight? How was—" His laugh cut me off, easing my worries effortlessly.

"I landed last night, but I got a new phone number this morning. Is your Skype working? I miss you." Through my peripheral vision, I could see Gramps smirking slightly and looking straight ahead, seemingly enjoying his eavesdropping. I let out an awkward chortle then cleared my throat.

"Elliot, you're on speaker. Say hi to Grandpa," I grinned and looked over at the passenger seat, but my grandfather didn't skip a beat.

"Hello, son," Grandpa said, a little too loudly. I stifled a giggle and urged him to go on.

"Mr. Lancaster, it's great to finally talk to you." Elliot the gentleman, as always. I never had to worry when I brought him to parties or introduced him to my friends. His charm won them over every time. Kind of like how he charmed me on our first date.

"You too," my grandpa gave me a what-do-I-say look and I rolled my eyes.

"Is England o—"

"Shit, I have to go Bella, but I'll call you soon okay? Love you, bye," his voice was cut off by the sound of dull beeps and I sighed loudly.

"Do you?" My grandpa suddenly said.

"Do I what?"

"Do you love him?" His blue orbs held a sharp glint in them, and I feared the meaning behind them.

"Of course." Was my immediate response. Grandpa grasped my free hand to gain my attention.

"If you love someone, never give them up," his solemn voice was enough to make me almost hit the brakes and stare wide eyed at him, but I simply nodded, speechless. It was the first thing he ever said to me this whole trip that was remotely meaningful, and I cherished this moment intensely.