5. Granny Gladice

Damian watched her get into her car and drive off quickly. He tried not to feel too put off by her attitude and wrapped it up to being back in a place she had not been to in awhile. Though he felt himself wanting to watch her. His eyes lingered on her until she was out of sight through the tree line. He had never found a woman so stunningly attractive. He shook off his euphoria and headed inside making sure to take off his boots in the mud room.

"Haley?" He called out. He waited a moment as he heard her footsteps on the upper floor. They grew louder as she descended the stairs and poked her head out around the corner.

"Hi. How was work?" She asked.

"Good. Another day." He replied and walked over to the stairs and handed her the fresh bag of ground coffee and five crisp one hundred dollar bills.

"Rent and your coffee." He said.

"Thanks!" She smiled and took them both. "Wait. How'd you know I was out of coffee?"

"Because this morning you made a fuss about needing more." 

"Oh." She blushed. "Sorry."

Damian shrugged and turned to walk away.

"Umm, Damian? Can I talk to you." She asked.

"Sure." He said as he walked towards the main kitchen. His kitchen set up was like most. He had a steel fridge and matching stove. A double sink and marble countertops with a marble island. The oak cabinets all had black handles that curled at the ends. On the fridge were a dozen magnets. A few skulls, some hearts and a couple bats. The rest were a full anatomically correct skeleton maginet set. 

"What's up Haley?" He asked.

"It's about Melissa. You just met her walking in I take it?" 

"I did. She seems very nice." 

"She is the sweetest person I know. Sorry, she is the sweetest woman I know." She winked at him and he smirked in return. "Just...give her space okay?"

"Of course. It's not like I'm going to go knocking on her door every morning or something." He chuckled. 

"No, that's not what I mean." She sighed. "Lisa just went through one of the worst breakups I've ever seen. It's left her a little damaged I think." Haley said as she tried to put it into words. "She isn't in a place where she can feel close to…"

"Men?"

Haley nodded. "You understand?"

"Perfectly." He replied. "I'll keep my distance. I know she is like your sister. If you need anything, let me know." He replied.

"Thanks for understanding." She said and wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her gently in return. 

******

The grocery store 'Gladice's Groceries' had been around since before Melissa had been born. She felt relieved to know it was still around. She wondered if Gladice was still alive. She walked in and as she grabbed a basket she noticed the people around her looking at her. Melissa had forgotten what it was like to look like a foreign person. In the city where there were far more strangely dressed people than her, no one looked at her with a bizarre expression.

But in a city where people knew most others in their community, she looked like an outsider. She wandered through the aisles picking up cereal, bread and other simple groceries to get her through until she could plan out a better routine of eating and shopping. She also needed to get a job to support herself. That would be later though.

Having gotten almond milk, a package of chicken breasts, replica cheese, bread and a box of cereal, she headed to the register. Of the five registers open, she chose the one with a girl around her age. She had dyed red hair, tan skin and wore the store's blue apron.

"Hi. Did you find everything you were looking for?" She smiled and asked robotically. A flicker of bewilderment flashed across her face.

"Yes, I'm new in town. I just moved in today." Melissa said before the girl could ask.

"I see. Are you staying with friends or do you have your own place?" 

"I moved into a place up on black ridge road." 

The girl stopped scanning and looked at Melissa.

"Did you move in with Haley?" 

"Yeah actually. I grew up with her." 

"You must be Melissa then!" The girl said excitedly. "I'm Hester. Hester Taylor. Haley has told me all about you." 

"It's nice to meet you Hester. You should come over sometime. I know next to no one here any more." 

"Have you met Damian yet?" Hester asked.

"Briefly, yeah." 

"Isn't he just the sweetest most handsome man ever?" 

Melissa swallowed hard and coughed; "Umm yeah he seemed nice."

Hester scanned the last item through and Melissa paid then bagged her items. 

"Well, take care Melissa. I'll stop by and say hi to you and Haley soon. Tell Damian I said hi too."

"Melissa?" 

Melissa turned around and found herself face to face with an elderly woman in a pair of jeans with a white shirt and blue apron. Her face was wrinkled with kind blue eyes and silvery white hair that curled. 

"Granny Gladice?" Melissa asked.

"Oh my goodness it is you!" Gladice replied and pulled her into a warm hug. Tears ran down her face as she hugged Melissa. 

"My dear, look how you've grown." She smiled. "I've missed you so much." 

"I missed you too Granny." Melissa smiled. 

"Come into my office. You've got some time right?"

"For you Granny, always." 

"That's my girl." Gladice replied and they walked past the registers down a short hall to a small office off to the side. Melissa stopped at the desk and looked at the pictures on the walls. There were pictures of Gladice's children and grandchildren. She paused when she saw a couple pictures of Gladice hugging Haley and herself. 

"Sit my dear. Sit." 

Melissa sat and leaned back into the cushion and smiled.

"It's so good to see you again. Are you staying with your sister?" 

"Yeah. I just moved in this morning. It's so good to see you Granny. You don't look any different than when I left." 

Gladice laughed and blushed. 

"Is that boyfriend of yours with you too? What was his name...it was a-"

"No!" Melissa said abruptly. "No he isn't." 

Gladice furrowed her brows and cocked her head at Melissa. 

"Sweetheart? What happened?"