Free The Valentine Grinch by Sheila Seabrook Page B

him and he filled the empty spot
in my heart. Will you forgive me for betraying you, my love?”
    When there was only silence, Amanda peered over her
shoulder and saw Grandpa wiping tears off his cheeks. She squeezed
her grandma’s hands and whispered, “He’s a little choked up right
now, Grandma, but he’ll love whoever you love, if it makes you
happy.”
    Grandpa mumbled something under his breath about
fricking Morty. Amanda cupped a hand around one ear and said, “What
was that, Gramps? Oh, you want me to tell Grandma that if Morty
makes her happy, you’re happy for her?” She turned to her grandma,
laughter bubbling up her throat and tears in her eyes. “Did you
hear that, Grandma? He loves Morty, too.”

 
     
    Chapter Eight
     
    Within the hour, they received word that Morty’s
condition had stabilized. It had been a bad case of indigestion
brought on by stress from the wedding and the hospital personnel
promised to release him in plenty of time for the wedding.
    By mid-afternoon the next day, Amanda stood at the
back of the Cranberry Cove Community Hall with her grandma. The
elderly woman wore a beautiful taffeta beige gown that swirled
around her legs every time she moved. She looked like an elegant
ballroom dancer from the fifties.
    The perfect bride, except for the black marble urn
in her arms.
    Grandma shifted the urn onto one arm and turned her
back on the outer door. “Where is your dad? If he’s not here soon,
you’ll have to walk me down the aisle or Morty will think I’ve
become a runaway bride.”
    Amanda checked the clock on the wall. “We still have
another five minutes.”
    “I hate to keep him waiting. After last night, he
must be so tired. I wonder if he’ll want to delay the honeymoon
until he catches up on his sleep?”
    “He’s a man, Grandma. I’m sure he’ll want to, you
know, make you his.” Amanda almost choked on the words, until she
thought of her parents, still in love, still finding new ways to
love each other. She held out her hands. “Why don’t you give me the
urn before the ceremony begins?”
    Grandpa appeared beside her, a glower on his face.
“What are you doing, bumpkin?”
    Grandma peered down at the dress, then handed the
urn to Amanda. “You’re right. Besides, I promised Morty. No more
ghosts in our marriage.”
    Amanda took the urn from Grandma and set it down on
the bookcase in the corner.
    Grandpa crossed his arms over his chest and grunted.
“Does this mean she’s kicking me out of the bedroom, too? Good
thing because I don’t want to see Morty’s wrinkled old butt like
you saw your dad’s.”
    The Community Hall door swung open and Amanda’s
parents rushed in, breathless and mussed, still doing up buttons
and zippers. Amanda exchanged a look with her grandma and they both
burst out laughing.
    Her mom walked by and raised her chin. “This is what
happens when you marry your best friend.”
    Ahhhh, now there was a theory Amanda really wanted
to test.
    The front doors opened again and Stephanie rushed
into the foyer. “Am I late? Please don’t tell me I missed the
wedding.”
    Dora clasped her oldest daughter to her chest. “You
can say hello to everyone later. Right now, hang up your jacket so
you can walk with me down the aisle.”
    The wedding went off without a hitch and there
wasn’t a dry eye in the Community Hall. Friends of the newly
married couple gathered around afterward to congratulate them,
while Amanda stood off to the side, a permanent smile on her face,
Grandpa’s urn back in her arms.
    A movement beside her caught her attention. She
turned and there stood her grandpa, dressed in his Sunday best,
tall and handsome and strong. Grandma had loved him for over half a
century and she’d been happy. She’d raised a family, built a good
life in the community, and now she had a second chance to love
again.
    “Well, what do you think, bumpkin? Will the old
bastard make her happy?”
    She smiled up at her grandpa, the urge to hug