Life's Strawberries

Granny and Gramps

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The phone rang in the middle of the night.

I listened intently from the room I share with Jenna.

"Hello?" I heard Mom ask sleepily.

Then I heard a gasp and a clatter, and then Mom and Dad's whispering voices.

Finally, I heard Mom pick up the phone again.

"Are you still there? Yes. Mm. How did it happen? I see. Should I...? I'll talk to Tom. Maria? I'm not so sure. Okay. Yes. No. I'll call you back in the morning. Tell him I love him. Okay. Mm hm. Goodbye."

Then I heard more whispering. Finally, Mama tiptoed into my room and peered down at Jenna and I. I pretended to be sleeping.

"I know you're awake, Allison."

I opened one eye. "How did you know?" I asked, kicking my blankets down.

"Just a lucky guess," Mama said with a half-smile.

"Who was on the phone?" I wanted to know.

"Granny," Mama explained. "She called because... Gramps had a heart attack, honey."

I was shocked. And scared. Poor Gramps. "Is he gonna be okay?" "I hope so. There's no way to tell yet," Mom looked out my window.

Just then, Jenna sat up. "Did he die?" she asked.

She must've been faking, too.

"No," Mom said.

Jenna nodded and lay back.

Daddy crept into the room with Miley. Miley was sniffling.

For once, I didn't think she was a drama queen.

"What about Carson?" I asked. "He's too young to understand. Like when we sold the pups. He kept wondering where they went," Daddy babbled.

I knew they were really worried.

"Are you even gonna tell him?" Jenna asked. "In the morning. He's sound asleep," Daddy explained.

We sat there and talked about Gramps for awhile longer. Suddenly, Miley said, "Oh, gosh. It's three a.m.! No Toes'll be crowing in three hours!"

I knew she was right, but I didn't think I'd be able to sleep.

So I lay awake. Thinking. Till 3:45.

Then I fell asleep.

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