Promises of Change by Joan Medlicott

Author:Joan Medlicott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2009-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

23

This Kind of Thing Doesn’t Happen to Me

Bob awakened to Melissa’s screams. The little girl clung to her father and wept while Russell tried to quiet her and to explain that she must never pounce on Grandpa or anyone when they were sleeping.

“It scares them. It scared Grandpa, and he woke up too fast. He didn’t even know it was you.”

“He pushed me away,” Melissa said between sobs. “He hurt my arm.” She rubbed her arm.

Bob scrambled from the chair and scooped her into his arms. “My darling, baby, I’m so sorry. I was sleeping like a rock. You know how rocks sleep, don’t you?”

She shook her head.

“They sleep very quietly and very deeply. You startled me, and I’m so sorry that I scared you. Give me a big hug and a kiss, honey.”

The child wound her arms about his neck. Her cheek against his cheek was wet, and he dried her tears with his big handkerchief.

“A rock can sleep?” she asked.

He nodded solemnly. “Everything sleeps, animals, peo ple, even rocks.” He winked at Tyler, who leaned against the wall of the house, his hands crossed, disbelief on his face.

Tyler was at that age when his father’s and his grandfather’s clay feet were becoming apparent. He rolled his eyes. “Where’s Granny Grace?”

“I was going to ask you that very question. I haven’t the foggiest idea where she is, but I imagine she’ll be home soon.”

“You people need cell phones so you can contact one another. Suppose one of you got sick, or had a car crash, or something?” Tyler asked.

“You’re right. You’re right, of course. We do indeed. We’ve been talking about getting cell phones, again,” Bob replied.

“Don’t harangue your grandfather.” Russell put his arm about his son’s shoulders, but Tyler moved away. Unfazed, Russell said, “Tell you what, we’ll drag your grandparents kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century. We’ll get them new cell phones, and this time we’ll teach them how to use them. What do you say to that?”

Tyler grunted something that sounded like yes.

Melissa, always needy of attention, pinched Bob’s ears. “Grandpa, Grandpa, look at me. I can wiggle my nose like Samantha the good witch on television. She’s pretty, Grandpa. Do you like her? I love her.”

“Tyler, run inside and bring that box of toys Granny Grace put together for Melissa to play with, will you?” Russell said.

Tyler stepped inside, letting the door slam behind him.

“Tyler’s a bad boy, slamming the door,” Melissa said.

Melissa had been nearly incorrigible since before her parents divorced, before her mother, Emily, gave custody of her to Russell and moved away to Florida. She had been seeing a child therapist ever since and thankfully was calmer and more manageable, though she still had her moments.

Tyler returned and set the box on the porch. He crouched beside it. “Come over here, Melissa. Let’s check this stuff out. Let’s see what’s new in this box.” Grace replenished it regularly. Melissa squirmed to be set down and raced over to her brother, leaving the men to chat.

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