Secrets Revealed: Grandma's Diary

The sun was already setting on the fourth day, when mom finally left her room and walked into ours. It was clear she hadn't slept much these days and her eyes were swollen and red from crying.

My sister was sitting in my lap and she promptly jumped up as mom entered, but sat down again as mom made a gesture that meant something like 'don't bother'.

"Well... that is quite a story" she said after a short, awkward silence. "Have you read all the books, mom?"

She nodded. "Most of them, anyway" "Even the last one?"

She nodded again.

"So, you've read the part about dad too?"

"Yes" she sighed. "My brother. My brain hasn't accepted it yet, but my heart knows it's true."

"you're not going to leave him now, are you?"

"No!" she said with a fierceness that reminded me of my sister's outburst a few days ago, when the roles were reversed. "I'll always love him, this changes nothing about that"

"But what are we going to do now?"

"I..." she sighed. "I don't know... I need more time, I need to think." "But what about Chuck and me?" she asked, grabbing my hand.

Mom gave another pensive look and a weak smile.

"You're not going to break us up?" I asked.

"It seems that would be a bit hypocritical now, isn't it?" she said, smiling weakly. "Besides, I don't think you'd obey me anyway"

"No, we're in love" Audrey stated. "That's... nice"

"Thanks, mom" Audrey said and gave her mother a long hug.

Mom looked up at the clock, stretched and seemed to literary shake off her worries.

"I'm hungry" she said. "Is Michael home yet?"

"I haven't seen him, but he must be home soon"

"Why don't the four of us go out for dinner tonight?" mom suggested. "You mean... like a double date?"

"Don't push it, Audrey" mom laughed.

The sound of mom's laugh did wonders to lighten the atmosphere and when dad came home from work, she was almost her normal self. She had showered, dressed nicely and best of all, she was smiling again. Dad was just happy his wife had come out of her room and gladly accepted her offer to take us out to a restaurant.

As dad steered the car off the driveway, mom lay her hand on his leg and gave a soft squeeze in a deliberate gesture of affection. "Would you mind if we made a stop at the cemetery after we go to the restaurant? There is something I have to tell you."