Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
I grinned, loving the way that Grandpa sounded so much more like himself today instead of sounding rundown and sad.
“Yes, I know how much they cost—from the bank. But if you’d order them off of a check site like I told you to, they’d be about a quarter of the cost,” I explained, again.
This was an old argument for us. Grandpa didn’t like paying with his debit card—so it was either check or cash for him. Each month when his social security check from the government came in, he’d put half of it in the bank, and he took the other half to pay those bills he could pay in cash and have a little spending money.
Despite my trying to get him to join us in the twenty-first century, he decided he liked living in the past.
If it made him happier to write a check out or pay with cash, who was I to say otherwise?
“I don’t want my identity stolen,” he explained stubbornly.
“Your son stole your identity and used your checks,” I pointed out, a grin still in place, even though this hadn’t been funny at all a few days ago. “I’m pretty sure that it won’t matter if you pay Walmart to make your checks, or Capital One.”
He grumbled. “I guess you’re right. I won’t be needing my identity much longer anyhow.”
My stomach clenched at that.
He was so nonchalant at his impending death that sometimes it made my chest hurt.
I had no clue what I would do when he was gone.
“Grandpa…” I started.
He sighed.
“We are gonna have to talk about this at some point,” he told me.
I knew that. But it didn’t have to be right now.
“I left everything to you, in case you’re wondering,” he said.
I wasn’t. My grandfather owned a couple hundred acres on the north side of town, and I’d begged him to sell it. But, since his family had lived on that acreage for a hundred and seventy-five years now, he hadn’t been willing to let it go.
Now, I would have to keep the property just because it meant something to him—even though I was scared to death of the property taxes on something that large.
But, again, he was protecting me by making sure I had a few years’ worth of saved up assets to pay the property taxes with before I had to think about what I was going to do with it.
And I would keep it. Even if I had to work an extra job to make that all work out.
“I heard from Mooney, who heard from his grandson, who heard from the judge, that those four people you hit with your truck—and that other one they found who ran off—are standing trial next week. Did your cop boy tell you?” he asked.
My cop boy.
I couldn’t wait to share that one with Johnny.
“Yes,” I lied. “So, don’t worry. It’ll be okay.”
“Oh, I know it will. I just hope that the four of them don’t bring a civil lawsuit up against you. The cop boy is protected by the department. You, not so much,” he said.
My belly clenched.
That would be awful.
Really awful. I was making ends meet now, but I sure the hell didn’t have the money for a lawyer to fight something if they decided to pursue a civil suit against me.
I shook. “I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”
Grandpa grumbled underneath his breath. “Anyway. Are we still on for dinner tomorrow night?”
I grinned. “Yeah. But Johnny is working nights this week, so before you ask, no, he can’t come.”
At least, I didn’t think he could.
Since we were doing our usual dinner at seven in the evening, and Johnny normally had to be at work by six, we’d have to do a really early dinner for him to come. Although I’d willingly do an early dinner time for Johnny, my grandfather was super rigid when it came to his dinner times. Dinner was served at seven o’clock on the dot, and not a moment sooner.
We always arrived at our usual dining location promptly at six thirty and ordered moments after that. If dinner hadn’t arrived by seven, Grandpa would surely be tied in knots—and maybe even turn into a pumpkin.
“Darn. I like cop boy. Maybe he can make next week.” Grandpa sighed.
A door down the hall opened and my eyes turned to survey the area almost automatically, meaning I got a bird’s eye view of Johnny coming out of the apartment two doors down from mine.
I frowned as confusion washed over me.
“All right, girl. I’ll see you tomorrow, be good.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll be good. You, too. I love you.”
After returning the words, he hung up, and I was left to stare at Johnny who was biting his lip as he looked at me warily.
“So, I should have mentioned that I live two doors down from you,” he started.