Rowan Home

chapter three

“Good morning, darlin’, or should I say good afternoon,” Grandma greeted Rowan with a pat on the back and a plate full of banana pancakes. “It’s 12:00, my darlin’, what were you up all night...sneaking out late to see boys or something?” Grandma winked. “I used to do the same thing.”

“I wish,” Rowan rolled her eyes recalling the actual night she had, which was a lot less spontaneous and fun then Grandma’s version. 

“I don’t wish,” Eric commented.

“Well, you only live once!” Grandma suggested.

“Please don’t tell me you’re quoting ....“The Motto”? Rowan asked.

“What motto? The only motto I know is the pledge of allegiance.”

“Oh, thank God.” 

“What? Oh yeah that’s another one: In God We Trust. That’s a good motto”

Rowan laughed.

“You laughing at me again? What’d I say now?”

“You’re hip without even trying, Gram.”

“Hashtag, YOLO!” Eric added with his best B-boy pose.

“Leave it to Grandma, Dad.” 

“Me and Beaver,” Grandma winked. “See I am hip.”

“Wait a second, she’s hip because she knows Leave it to Beaver. That’s from like the dinosaur ages...I know Drake and Lil Wayne and get no credit?”

“Yup.”

“So, who’s up for the beach?” Grandma announced.

The beach was absolutley breathtaking. It was 90 degrees out and the ocean was cool blue today, softly making its way up onto the shore, with its champagne foam. The seagulls chirped lightly above and the smells of coconut, sunscreen, and cheez-its filled the air. Kids ran endlessly together, throwing frizbees and beach balls. If you layed back, you would hear Zac Brown Band playing from someones portable radio drowned out by laughter and talking, along with the wind flowing the water in and out of the shore. whooosh, whooosh. Perfection. Grandma, Dad, and Rowan shared turkey sandwiches and Capri Suns like 10-year-olds as they sat together under a blue umbrella. Rowan hadn’t felt this happy in months. Grandma always said the beach was like a little taste of Heaven. Just as Carly Rae Jepsen is the opening act for Demi Lovato, the beach is the opening act for Heaven. 

They stayed at the beach ‘til nightfall when they packed up their stuff and walked by the house to shower. Rowan realized she wouldn’t mind doing that every single day. She could never get tired of the beach. Just Grandma, Dad, and her. No stress. The day went on like one neverending Bob Marley song.

When the day was over, the sand followed them home. As they lugged in the empty coolers, and beach chairs into the house, Grandma turned to Rowan. “Oh Row, I forgot to tell you I’m having some friends of mine come to dinner tonight.” 

“Oh sweet, I love the elderly,” Rowan smiled. 

“Well, they’re not all elderly. Its going to be my friend Rose and some of her grandchildren.” 

“Great, now you want me to socialize...what ages? Please tell me they’re like 5...” 

“Actually, Tara is 17, so one year older than you and I believe Manny is your age.”  

Rowan froze. Anyone with the name Manny was not something that would leave a good first impression. Of course all she thought of was Reed’s friend. “Manny, huh? I know a Manny.” Let’s pray it’s Manny Rimirez.

“Yeah? Maybe it’s the same one,” Grandma suggested with a wink. “After all, how many people in this country are going to give their kid a name like that?” 

Just in case Grandma’s hypothesis was correct, Rowan wanted to dress nicely, look real pretty, just as a big “f you” in Manny’s face. She curled her hair and did her makeup really subtle but sweet and put on a navy blue sundress. The doorbell rang and she was ready.

“Rose! How are you doll?” Grandma greeted her with the biggest hug. “You look lovely.” Rose was lovely. Yes, she was getting up there, but she had that youthful look to her, especially with her tanned skin. “Hi everyone..so good to see y’all. Dorothy, Eric, and oh my gosh, you must be the beautiful Rowan,” Rose beamed. Rowan stuck out her hand for Rose to shake. “Put that hand down and give me a hug, sweetie pie.” So they are a hugging family....just like ours. Rowan was so into greeting Rose that she almost didn’t notice the two tall tan amigos standing by the door, unwelcomed. Both beautiful. One was Manny; the Manny from Boston. Her stomach sank to her feet. This is just fabulous. Just wonderful. Now I’ll be faking a smile the rest of the evening. 

“Rowan, honeypie, I want you to meet my grandbabies, Tara and Manny,” Rose gave them each a squeeze on their arm, as if to show off each one individually. Rowan wanted so bad to run out of the room, to jump in her bed and stay there until they left. She felt like puking. She felt like fainting. She felt like dying. “We’ve met,” She said quietly. “Well, Manny and I’ve met.” There was a silence. “School...we met at school.”  

Rose laughed. “What are the odds? Two best friends both bring their grandchildren down south for the summer, 17 hours away,..and they already know eachother.” 

Grandma laughed out loud. “It’s such a small world, really.”

“Miniscule” Rowan muttered.

“Well, come on, come in, come in, make yourselves at home,” Grandma welcomed. “Eric will take your coats.” 

“You have your son as the new butler, Dot?” Rose winked.

“No, no. He’s just a nice guy! Raised ‘em right.”

“Chilvary is not dead, then,” Rose smiled.

In Manny’s case, chilvary has been buried for centuires. Chilvary is an ancient fossil. 

 The entire dinner, Rowan did not look up from her plate of spaghetti. She studied the way it curved around her fork. She pushed the meatballs around in circles. Basically, she did anything at all to avoid eye contact with Manny. It worked; it really did. But, every now and then she could feel his eyes burning a whole through her face. She wanted so badly to shout at him, “What are you looking at?” She thought of ways to sound tough; ways to sound like Stacy. I will single handedly knock you out. It just didn’t  sound tough coming from Rowan. Rowan wasn’t tough like that.

She somehow made it through the entire dinner studying her spaghetti when she heard the words, “Let’s do this again!” Rose beamed. “Tomorrow night, y’all come to my house.” 

“Perfect, see y’all tomorrow night then!” Grandma said, kissing them each on the cheek as they head out the door. 

“What even is my life....” Rowan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry hysterically.

“What’s the matter with you? I know you are not that quiet, Rowan. You didn’t make a peep tonight! Didn’t you know Manny from school?”

“That’s just it, Gram. That’s the problem right there.”

“He seems like a nice boy.”

“Nice is not the word I would use.”

“What word would you use?”

“I don’t think you want to know.” 

“Hot mess boy?”

“Mhm.”

“We’ll talk later, sweetie.”

Grandma was good at those things. She knew when you wanted to talk things over and when you really didn’t. She was so wise that it was scary sometimes. She just knew and Rowan loved her for that.