Date Night (Wish Come True Book 1) Read Online Free

fought to keep the sting of tears
from burning my eyes. Grannie reserved using the endearment for our special
time together working on the scrapbook. A hint of a smile appeared on my face
while recalling the first time my father had used the nickname. I couldn’t have
been more than three years old which, if not a valid excuse, at least explained
the tantrum I’d had about eating the mound of peas on my plate. I remembered
the tantrum quite well, and the bowl of strawberries afterward, but the rest
was fuzzy.
    “Why did Dad call me Sweet Pea?”
Grannie had lived with us for as long as I could remember. If anyone knew, she
would.
    “Well,” Grannie started, “your dad
was stubborn and insisted you were going to learn to eat what was put on your
plate. He patiently watched you through the worst of the gagging and crying as
you ate a pile of peas. All five of them. He called it a ‘no thank
you’ portion. And when it was over, he pulled you onto his lap to wipe away
your tears and fed you the bowl of strawberries covered in sugar which had been
your incentive for choking down the peas. ‘That’s my Sweet Pea,’ he cooed to
you.”
    “Dad teased me with the nickname
whenever I was acting feisty. It always calmed me immediately when he called me
Sweat Pea.” I chuckled softly. “I’m like Pavlov’s dog. He trained me into being
docile with his sugar coated strawberries. Brilliant.”
    I grabbed the scrapbook lying in
front of Grannie and opened it from the back. “There are four pages left.” I
pursed my lips and took a deep breath. “Let’s use two pages—just in case we
have one more milestone in the near future.” I felt a gentle smile creep over
my face while Grannie beamed at me.
    “I had Jared pick up this blue
wrapping paper earlier today,” Grannie said, reaching for the paper and a pair
of scissors. “It looks just like the Grand Valley State University color,
doesn’t it?”
    “That’s awesome. I love it.”
    “Let’s use it to create…” we both
said in unison and then burst out laughing, “…blue frames.”
    We were so in tuned with each other
after having worked on the scrapbook for the last fourteen years together; ever
since my father had died when I was eight years old. The scrapbook had been
Grannie’s idea. It was a way for us to honor my father’s memory and allow him
to share in the major milestones of my life.
    Grannie’s favorite radio station
played in the background as we went about our work, cutting and pasting and
reminiscing about my graduation day as well as the years of hard work that led
up to the event. Years that had kept me away from my home and from my family.
    Grannie glued in the picture of me in
cap and gown. “I’m so proud of you Jordan. You know your dad is smiling down at
you now, honey. He was so worried about having a little princess who wouldn’t
be able to take care of herself when she grew up. It was his mission to make
sure you were independent and self-sufficient and your mother carried it out
brilliantly. He must be proud as can be, especially with you following in his
footsteps.”
    I chuckled. “An elementary school
teacher with an emphasis in special education is hardly equivalent to a
university professor. But I appreciate the kind words.” I leaned over and
cradled Grannie’s hand in mine. A small stream of tears flooded over my lashes.
“I only wish I had studied closer to home…so maybe…I think I would’ve seen the
signs.”
    Grannie grabbed my chin, lifting my
face to look at me eye to eye. “It is not your fault I am a stubborn old woman
and didn’t go to the doctor for annual physicals. I’ve already told you I
didn’t have any noticeable symptoms until it was too late. Unfortunately that
is rather common with colon cancer. The only way I could’ve had a fighting
chance was to find the cancer early through annual check-ups. It’s a hard
learned lesson I hope your mother, you and your brother will benefit