Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 134212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 671(@200wpm)___ 537(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
“Oh, you rascal,” she scolds on a shy giggle, letting Luke tuck her arm into his.
I join her other side, taking her walking stick and bag so she can link arms with me, too. “Are you ready, Milly?”
“I’m ready.” She looks up at the door on an assertive nod, which is followed by some not-so-sure words. “What if he isn’t happy to see me?”
Luke scoffs at the mere suggestion. “That’s not going to happen, I assure you.” He leads us on at a slow pace that Milly can cope with, and the door opens as we approach, Tia appearing. Her instant, gaping mouth tells me she knows who this is.
Milly looks around the grand entrance hall in awe, her fingers clawing into my forearm the farther we get inside.
“This is a bit posh, isn’t it?”
I smile as Todd appears, followed by two very excitable dogs. “Boris,” I coo, handing Milly’s things to Todd to free up a hand and give Boris some fuss. God, I’ve missed him. “Has he been okay?” I ask, and Todd nods.
“Yeah, I’ve got a right good doggy day care thing going on. I’m thinking of a career change. They’re quite therapeutic, aren’t they?”
Luke laughs as Milly chuckles at the dogs doing laps around her feet.
“He’s reading his paper in the lounge,” Todd says with a smile.
“Thanks, mate. Ready, Milly?”
“Just hold me up, dear,” she replies as we help her along. Luke turns as we near the door, his deep green eyes packed with excited sparkles as he smiles at me across Milly’s head. I feel my own stomach flutter madly, my lungs straining to collect air. When I look up, I see Pops at the far end of the room sitting in the window, his nose buried in a paper. He looks dapper, one fine, handsome man.
Milly’s slow shuffles falter, her intake of breath sharp, and we’re forced to stop in the middle of the room for her to collect herself. Her eyes are instantly watery, her chin trembling.
“Pops?” Luke calls.
The old man looks up from his paper, an instant smile on his face at the sound of his grandson’s voice. But his delight plummets from his face when he spots the woman standing between us, his paper falling from his grasp into his lap.
I feel the weight of Milly become heavier on my arm.
“I found someone who wanted to see you,” Luke says quietly.
Pops looks lost in shock, his green eyes blinking repeatedly as he stares at Milly. “Hello, Bert,” Milly says softly. Her voice seems to flick Pops out of his stupor, and he slowly rises from his chair.
“Mildred?” he says, staring hard. “Is that really you?”
“Yes, Bert.” Milly pries herself from our holds and steps forward without the aid of her stick. Like Pops has given her life. Stability. “Yes, it’s really me.”
“My God.” He loses his ability to stand and collapses back to the chair, but his eyes never stray from the dear lady before him. “You’re as beautiful as I remember.”
She shuffles forward some more, ignoring my attempts to pass her walking stick. “And you’re as devilishly handsome as I remember.”
Pops is out of his chair in a heartbeat, a new lease of life taking over. He paces forward to Milly and takes the tops of her arms, scanning her face, feeling her cheeks, running his hands over her gray hair. “Am I dreaming?”
“No, Bert.” Her old hands find his and happy tears burst from her eyes on a gasp of disbelieving laughter. “It’s really me.”
Every muscle in my throat tightens and makes it impossible for me to swallow, the dying muscle in my chest being injected with life and hope. I watch, so emotional, as Pops’s shock turns into tears, and he pulls his long-lost love into his tweed suit jacket and cuddles her tightly.
“Oh my goodness,” I breathe, feeling my own knees go weak. I lean into Luke’s side, my hand resting on his chest as I watch the reunion through clouded vision.
“Okay?” Luke drapes an arm over my shoulder.
“I don’t know if I should be sad or happy,” I admit. “All these years they’ve been apart.”
“Be happy, Lo. Look at them. It’s like they were never separated.”
I do look at them, carefully, admiring the old couple who have to keep touching each other to make sure they’ve not died and gone to heaven.
Pops’s old hands encases Milly’s and he leads her to where he was sitting, helping her down to a chair before dragging his as close as he can to be near her. And they just look at each other, Milly giggling every now and then, Pops shaking his head in wonder.
“I never should have left you,” Pops says solemnly.
“Now then, Bert. We’ll be having none of that nonsense.” She smacks his knee. “I didn’t travel all this way to listen to your regrets. I came to see you.”