Chapter 35: Grandma

When Sophie brought her Grandma over in the late afternoon, Carrie was excited. “Look, Grandma! He taught me!” She whipped out the now dog-eared notebook and wrote CARRIE on a new page.

“Wow! Good job. Where is this guy?”

“Mrs. Moretti. Pleased to meet you. Roberto Garcia, at your service.” He sketched a little bow. They all tittered at his excessive manners.

“It seems you have won over my daughter and granddaughter, with lightning speed. What is your secret?”

“I owe everything to my parents, Alondra and Diego. They raised me to be a good man.”

“Yes, I know the Garcias a little bit. She’s not a big churchgoer, but I think she’s coming back slowly.”

“True. There’s some bad history in her background to overcome. We’ll see. Let’s get you a chair. Sophie’s been cooking up something special for you.”

As they ate, conversation went freely. Sophie explained her new job, which made Grandma happy and proud. She had been worried just like Roberto that her prior work was dragging her down into depression. Being conscious of Carrie’s ears, she obliquely discussed their history and the context of how Carrie’s father was so completely out of the picture.

When she was leaving, Grandma embraced Roberto and kissed both his cheeks. “Be good to her, she needs you in her life,” she whispered. “I promise,” he replied. When they left, he washed the dishes and the pots and pans.

He found Carrie doodling in her notepad. She had drawn the three of them, hand in hand. Under the smallest figure, she wrote CARRIE. “Help me.”

He flipped back a page. “This is ‘MA.’ Put two of them together to say...”

“Mama!” Carrie flipped back to the drawing and carefully inscribed MAMA. Then under the last figure she wrote CAT. And roared with laughter.

“Fine.” He added whiskers and a tail to her drawing of him. “But here’s my real name. ‘RO,’ ‘BER,’ ‘TO.’ Can we put your drawing on the fridge for your Mom to see?”

“OK, Cat.” Carrie was all smiles. He stuck the drawing up with some of the plastic letter magnets scattered across the refrigerator door.

When Sophie returned, she studied the drawing, grinning. “Carrie, you goof, time for bed.”

“Yes, Mama. My room is clean. Tuck me in!”

When Sophie came in, there were no hazards on the carpet. “You’re my special girl, I love you.”

“I love you too Mama. Send me Cat, too, so I can kiss him also.”

“OK, here he is.”

“Cat! Come here!” She kissed his cheeks, like Grandma did. He kissed her forehead. “Good night, Carrie. Sleep well.”

Back out in the front room, Sophie told her boyfriend, “Tomorrow, after I make hot sweaty love to you, and we shower together, we’ll take Carrie back to preschool.

Next, the Ford needs servicing. I’ll need it more now, because I have to arrange food for the restaurant starting Wednesday. Longer days for me, but it’s not something I want others doing. Do you know where to go?”

“I will ask my Dad, he knows someone.”

“Great. Now let’s get to bed for some important cuddling.”