Shay blinked up at the man, her eyebrows scrunching together at his answer.
“You knew Grandpa a long time ago?” she repeated, chewing on her lip. “How long is a long time? Like, before I was born? Before Mommy was born? Was it when you were kids? Did you play tag with him? Or hide and seek? Grandpa was really good at hide and seek, you know. Did you play with Grandma too?”
Her eyes narrowed a little as another thought popped into her head. “If you didn’t write the will, then who did? And why did they tell you to be here? Did you get a letter? Or a phone call? Did you know Grandpa was gonna write your name in it?”
The man, Leonardo, barely opened his mouth to answer before she took a deep breath and steamrolled on, her questions falling out of her faster and faster.
“Why do you wanna be left alone? My mommy says it’s better to be sad with people around. So maybe you shouldn’t be alone. You should be around people like me! I can keep you company. I’m really good at keeping people company. And maybe you’ll feel better if you talk to people. Why don’t you want to talk?”
She tilted her head, her eyes wide with determination. “Are you shy? Mommy says some people are shy, but that’s okay. I can talk enough for both of us! Do you want me to tell you about my Grandpa? He was the best grandpa ever. He—”
Before she could launch into a story, Shay felt a soft hand on her shoulder. The warmth and familiar scent of lavender told her exactly who it was. She turned her head and looked up into the gentle eyes of her grandmother, Addie Parker.
Addie bent down, her knees creaking slightly, and gathered Shay into a gentle hug. She brushed a hand through her granddaughter’s hair and kissed the top of her head.
“Sweetheart, why don’t you go back to your mom for a bit, hmm?” Her voice was soft, with that familiar soothing tone that always made Shay feel safe. Addie cupped Shay’s cheek, looking into her eyes. “I promise everything will be okay. I love you so much, my darling girl.”
Shay’s bottom lip quivered slightly, but she nodded. “Okay, Grandma,” she whispered, giving her one last squeeze before turning and trotting back to her mom.
Addie watched Shay go, her heart aching with a bittersweet heaviness. She straightened up, exhaling slowly before turning her attention to Leonardo. The years had carved lines into his face, but the weight he carried now made them seem deeper.
She moved to stand next to him, close enough that their shoulders nearly touched. Her fingers brushed against his hand, a fleeting contact that held more meaning than any words could convey in this moment.
Her voice was a whisper, tender and cautious. “It’s starting soon…” She paused, her eyes softening as she looked at him. “How… how are you feeling, darling?”
Her lips curled into a sad smile, one that carried the weight of everything unspoken between them.
She wanted to reach out, to take his hand fully, to comfort him. But there were too many eyes, too many memories. So she stood there, offering him what she could, hoping it was enough.