Episode 4
I'm still so lost in thought that I hadn't realized we'd already made it to Granny's. Her lot is the last one at the end of a dead-end street. She says her family has lived there as long as she can remember and goes back generations. Long before most of the houses in town sprang up. She's got this long driveway that extends around the house in a horseshoe shape. There's a good chunk of land but not too much, most of which is in the back. She has a beautiful, lush garden in the front with a path to walk along instead of a lawn. The house itself isn't terrible, but it screams old people and lacks some serious upkeep. I've offered to help her do some renovation here and there. It likely wouldn't be too expensive and would be quick and easy for me. Fixing things? I was good at it. Anything with my hands, really. I pull up and park in the back, where I usually do. I don't do much, which means I don't go anywhere. Usually, when I do, I like to take my bike. Small town and I don't mind the exercise.
I hop out and run around my Jeep before Ryn can even touch her door, and I open it for her. She wrinkles her nose, sticks her tongue out at me, and then accepts my hand. I helped her out, and our footfalls made a soft crunch with each step. It hadn't rained much, so what was there wasn't very lively. We silently slip in the back door. It opens into a kitchen and dining room combo with a modest island separating the two. Her house was pretty small, but it was home. The space was rather simplistic, and her fridge was ordained with lots of magnets and pictures, mostly of me and Ryn. No one was in there, so Gran was probably in her room in the opposite direction.
Good.
We tried our best to be as quiet as possible as we went down the back hall and tiptoed our way up the stairs. It was rare, but sometimes we got away with it. I was able to keep her here a few times overnight, too.
We knew each creak and crack by hand and maneuvered them expertly as we ascended. If Granny didn't put the ward back up, we were gold. If she did, she'd be on our ass like white on rice. Again, it was a tiny house, so immediately at the top of the stairs was a door that opened into my loft-style bedroom. Granny slept in the only bedroom on the ground floor. She traded me as soon as I got into middle school. I tried to protest, but she insisted, saying she felt more comfortable. Maybe it was the stairs? I made it to the top and turned back to flash a victory smile at Ryn, but she was already crashing into my face.
Damn girl!
