Chapter 31

“She's very good to me Red,” Grandma signs. “You should give her a chance.”

“She had her chance. All through high school. She blew it.” But it isn't Grandmother that I am angry with, and it's not fair to take it out on her. Remembering my backpack and why I'm here, I reach in to reveal the moon pie I picked up from Grandma's favorite hole-in-the-wall bakery on the way over.

“Oh thank you Red,” Grandma signs. “You really know the way to an old woman's heart.”

I smile and pull out the bottle of RC Cola that I brought along to go with it.

Personally, I can't fathom how anyone could ingest that much sugar in one sitting without falling into a diabetic coma. But Grandma is dying slowly, her body being ravaged by her own immune system – lupus, the wolf – so if she wants to wash down a chocolate-dipped marshmallow and cookie sandwich with sixteen ounces of sugary soda, who am I to argue?

“You're welcome Grandma,” I sign.