Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
“We packed up all of our stuff thinking that Peyton was ill and had come down with something,” Gavin says.
“I just had a sore tummy. It’s okay now,” Peyton says.
I glance between Gavin and Karen, aware that Gavin is not happy about this situation, or the fact that Karen called several times last night and we started our morning off with this. It all seems too intentional.
I turn to Peyton. “I didn’t really get to see your bedroom yesterday. Do you want to show it to me now?”
“Okay.” She nods and takes my hand, leading me down the hallway and up the stairs to the second floor. I want to stop along the way and check out all the pictures on the wall, but I can hear Gavin’s less-than-impressed voice filtering down the hall, getting heated.
“Is Dad mad at Granny?” Peyton asks once we’re in her room.
“I think there was just a miscommunication.” It’s a small lie, but she’s nine and dragging her into this family stuff isn’t necessary. “Did you sleep okay last night?”
“It was okay. Granny kept checking in on me, and it made it hard for me to fall asleep because she kept opening the door and it was creaking a lot.” She pushes her door open, revealing the mint-green room decorated in a fairy theme. Based on the room alone, it’s very clear that Peyton’s grandparents adore her and dote on her when they have the chance. I feel bad that there’s so much animosity between her and Gavin. And that I seem to be the catalyst for much of it. “After you sang me the lullaby, she stayed in my room for a little while and rubbed my back and then I went to sleep.”
“That’s good.” I give her a reassuring smile. “Tell me about these pictures.” I motion to the wall of photos.
“That’s my mom when she was pregnant with me. Granny says I look like her when she was my age, except my hair is darker, like Dad’s.”
I stand beside Peyton, staring at the same picture she is. I can see Marcie and pieces of her dad in her. She has her father’s smile, but her mother’s delicate mouth and her dark eyes and the same wavy hair.
“You do look a lot alike, but I can see your dad in you too.”
“Granny says we’re alike, me and my mom. My mom liked arts and crafts like me. And she loved books and dressing up like a princess.” She points to a picture of her mom and Gavin on their wedding day. “Granny says she looked like a real princess on her wedding day, and that she wanted to start a family right away. Granny says she wanted a big family and to give me at least one brother and a sister, but she didn’t get the chance.”
“That would have been nice, wouldn’t it? If you’d had a brother or a sister or both?”
Peyton nods. “Sometimes it’s lonely being an only child, but Granny tells me I’m good at keeping myself entertained.”
“You are definitely good at that.” I point to a picture of Marcie with a group of women. I recognize one of them as Lynn. “Were these your mom’s friends?”
“Yup. They were her best friends.” She goes on to name the rest of them. “When I come to visit sometimes, Granny sets up playdates with their kids.”
“Does your dad still keep in touch with them?”
Peyton shakes her head. “Only Ian and Lynn. He doesn’t really ever talk about Mom, and when he does, he gets real sad for a couple of days, so I try not to bring her up, but Granny loves to talk about her, so we do that a lot.”
“That’s good. I’m glad you and your granny can have those talks. It’s important that you learn about your mom, especially since you never got to meet her yourself.”
Peyton nods. “I wish I could have met her. Just one time. And Granny says one day when I go to heaven, I’ll get to meet her. But I don’t want to go to heaven anytime soon, because I’d have to leave Dad, and I don’t want him to be alone. And I have a lot of things I still want to do. Like become an architect like my dad, and get the lead role in a play and ride a horse and go to Disney World.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat. “Those are all good reasons to be here.”
“I think so.” She twists her hands. “Sometimes I think Granny gets worried about Dad finding someone new to love because she thinks she won’t get to see me as much. And I guess maybe it’s true because I used to see her almost every day when I lived here, and now I only see them sometimes because the drive is a lot longer.”