Close Your Eyes Read Online Free Page B

lotions, and I’d known girls in high school who took two bathing suits to the beach: one for swimming and a clean one for sunbathing.
    That aside, I did love the Shrimp Shack. We had been to Galveston a handful of times during our childhood, and Alex and I had always begged for dinner at the Shrimp Shack, followed by ice cream cones on the beach.
    Alex was searching around in the trunk of the car. “What are you doing?” I asked. I was agitated—though I loved Gramma, it was so hard when she didn’t recognize me or—worse—thought I was my mother. I looked nothing like Mom, nothing at all.
    “Here it is,” said Alex. He stood, holding a dented Whitman’s sampler. “She loves chocolate.”
    I felt guilty that I hadn’t thought to bring something for Gramma, too. “You’re so nice,” I said.
    Alex shoved my shoulder. “Move along,” he said.
    Gramma was in her room, a generous single with windows overlooking the man-made water feature that partially blocked the view of a Best Buy next door. Alex knocked and called, “Where’s my beautiful grandmother?”
    She looked up from her Cosmopolitan magazine, her face growing animated. “Hello!” she said brightly.
    “We brought you some chocolates,” said Alex, handing her the box. I stood in the doorway, trying not to look as ill at ease as I felt. My grandmother’s white hair had been recently set, and she wore a pink dress I had always admired. I remembered her arriving at my choir concert in the dress, a dozen years ago.
    “Well, how lovely!” said Gramma. She opened the box and selected a truffle.
    “Are you having a nice day?” I said, too loudly.
    “We have got to water the azaleas,” she said, taking a dainty bite of her truffle. “I told your father.”
    My mouth was dry, and I couldn’t think of anything to say.
    “Do you mind if we sit and visit for a bit?” said Alex. He acted so normal, relaxing into a chair, smiling at Gramma.
    “Not for too long,” said Gramma. “But that’s fine, young man.” She touched a gold circle pin on her dress.
    “I like your pin,” I boomed.
    “You’ll get it someday, Jordan,” she said. “Never you mind.”
    “I’m not Jordan,” I said. “I’m your granddaughter. I’m Lauren.”
    “You’re growing up so fast,” said Gramma. “You’ll be going to prom before you know it.”
    Alex wheeled his chair close to our grandmother, putting his hand on her hand. He sat quietly, patiently, though my stomach twisted with anxiety. Gramma’s room was filled with pictures of my mother. On the bedside table was a photo of Mom holding me as a newborn, gazing into my crimson face.
    Alex talked with Gramma for a while about his trip to Iraq. He promised to write. She listened with an expression of polite bewilderment. He told Gramma that he thought I should marry Gerry, as if I weren’t even in the room. “She’s afraid to be happy,” said Alex.
    “I wholeheartedly agree,” said Gramma, nodding. She offered the box of chocolates to Alex. He took a fat one with nuts.
    “I’m sitting right here,” I said, reaching for the chocolate-covered cherry.
    “Of course you are,” said Gramma, swatting my hand away.
    “I’m sorry,” I said.
    “You can have the white chocolate,” said Gramma. “I know those are your favorite.”
    “No,” I said. “Those were my mom’s favorite. I like the cherry.”
    “Quite a mouth on her,” said Gramma to Alex. She raised the area where her eyebrows had been. What could I do but laugh?
    “I love you, Gramma,” I said.
    “And I love you,” she answered. “What a lovely coincidence!”
    When the sun had dipped below the Best Buy, Alex gestured to his watch. We were still an hour from Galveston and wanted to have our feet in the sand by nightfall. I nodded and stood. When I kissed Gramma goodbye, she reached up to cup the back of my head. “My baby,” she said into my hair. “My baby girl.”
    Galveston Island had once been a major shipping port city, as