When Love Arrives (H.S.)

Chapter 4

"Melly, baby!" my grandfather exclaimed, his accent as thick as ever. He was a short man, with dark black-gray hair. He was nearly bald on the top, his tan scalp shiny as the light from the art room hit him. He hobbled across the room, not as quick on his feet as he once was, engulfing me in as big of a hug as he could muster as he was only as tall as my shoulder. I hugged back, eyeing Harry curiously, who gave a warm, genuine smile at our embrace.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him as Grandpa released me.

My grandfather looked between the two of us a few times. "You know my Melly, Harry?"

"Yes," Harry answered, smirking a bit. "I met Melly just last week."

"It's Melissa to you," I said, coming off much colder than I had anticipated.

Grandpa scoffed at me with disapproval. "Be nice, Melly! He's a nice boy. Been hanging out with me all day, while the business men chat."

I blinked at him, pleasantly surprised that Harry had such a positive affect on my grandfather. It was very sweet, which was very different from my first impression of Harry. "Oh..." I said, unable to say anything else.

"Well," Harry cut me off, "I'll let you two catch up then, and I'll go see what my dad is up to. Mrs. Knight said dinner will be in half an hour... so..." He rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand and nodded before exiting the room.

The thought hit me then: Harry's dad... Rock star... "I know you"... Christmas cards. And just like that, oh, it made perfect sense that Harry was here. He and his father were far from home, or Harry was anyway, and I guess they had nothing better to do on Christmas day. Harry closed the door and my grandfather smiled up at me.

"He's a good looking boy, ain't he?" he elbowed me. "Seems to think very highly of you... Though I don't know why."

"Hey!" I said, nudging him back.

"You're great, Melly, but you're so very cold. My beautiful cold, girl." With a sigh, he sat down on the couch that my parents had put in the art room, laying his head back and closing his eyes.

I sat down next him, my face flushed with concern. "Gramps... Are you... Okay?" I asked, my voice trembling.

He opened one eye to look at me. "Oy, Melissa," he closed his eye again. "I'm just tired, I've been hanging out with Harry all day. I'm not as young as I used to be, you know. I can't keep up with the likes of him. Though I bet you could."

I rolled my eyes, ignoring his comment. "No, well, okay... I mean, why aren't we having Christmas at your house? Like always."

Grandpa sighed, sitting up and putting his arm around me. "I'm old," he said simply.

"No shit!" I exclaimed, earning a laugh from him. "But you've never not been old!"

My grandfather laughed and kissed my cheek. "Mel... You know I'm getting older. I just can't do the things I used to anymore. Cooking all day, decorating the old house... It would take a toll. I don't even know if I could muster up a meal as big as I usually do, and I didn't want to disappoint. I thought I'd give your mother a shot at Christmas dinner."

"She's catering," I deadpanned.

"I figured," he said, with a laugh. "But still, I... I won't be around forever. I love you, Melly, but I know that you're not a loving person. I worry about you. This is your family. Christmas should be a day you look forward to, and your family should be the people you want to spend it with the most. You have Erica and all, but you need more than that. I know she's like your sister, but you have a real brother who loves you"— I snorted at that sick joke— "I'm serious, Melly. You need to let people into your life, even if they're not exactly... Up to your standards."