Where You'll Find Me

Chapter 4

The moment I stepped up to the doorstep my heart began beating rapidly in my chest. Up until this point everything had felt so surreal and now it was settling in just how very real this whole situation was. This was now my reality. No matter how much I pinched myself or tried to shake myself awake, it wasn't going to happen.

I jumped a little at the unexpected touch of Shane's hand on my back, in silent support and encouragement to knock. It was kind of him to be there for like family should be, but in the end he was just a stranger, someone I hadn't yet gotten to know.

I lifted my hand to the door and let out a long slow breath while I mentally prepared myself for this. Though, I'm not sure there was enough time in the world to be prepared.

My hand had barely tapped the door once before it came flying open, revealing two people standing in the doorway with wet eyes. It was clear they had been expecting us. I tried to take a minute to collect myself from the sudden surprise, but before I could, both the man and the woman came forward and pulled me into their arms.

Something was becoming abundantly clear to me the longer I was around this family. These people loved to hug.

The woman...my grandmother...sobbed loudly over my shoulder, while the man was more of a silent crier. If it hadn't been for the rise and fall of his shoulders, I would have never known. They squeezed me in a tight embrace and even though I really didn't know them yet, I hugged them back.

"Mom, come on. Let her breathe," Shane chuckled. "She barely knows us."

"Oh hush," she said. "Olivia is our family!"

They both pulled back at the same time and the older man took my hand. "It's nice to meet you, Olivia. I'm Jim, your grandfather." He looked beside him and then smiled at me. "And this is Edith, your grandmother." He clutched my hand tighter as if he couldn't believe I was actually there and brushed a tear away from his eye with his other hand. I don't know why, but I got the idea that this man wasn't usually the emotional type. "We don't mind what you call us, but it would mean the world if you would consider us Gram and Gramp." He patted my hand, "But that's up to you."

 No pressure or anything.

"Uh, okay...gramps?"

He laughed. "Gramps! Even better."

It felt odd giving a stranger that title, but I didn't want to disappoint them. I saw Thomas shake with amusement out of the corner of my eye and I shot him a look. He was laughing at the awkwardness of the situation. It made my shoulders relax at some familiarity despite my annoyance.

He was Thomas. At least some things never changed while everything else fell apart. Like my world, for example.

"Come in, come in. I've made us some green tea and lemonade," Edith said ushering us in. She and Jim went in first, then Shane, and me and Thomas.

Almost as soon as I entered the house I was hit with the smell of fresh peanut butter cookies and apple blossom air freshener. The two scents together gave the place an odd feeling of home. It was a smell that I could get used to.