Tight Knit by Allie Brennan Read Free Book Online

back. 
    “What?” I wipe my eyes with the heels of my hands.
    “Did you love him?”
    “Um, I don’t know. No. We’d only been dating for the summer...” 
    Nan tilts her head to one side. 
    “Did you love her?” 
    “Janna?” I’m still confused. “Yeah. I loved Janna.” 
    “Well then cry for her. Not him.” 
    I open my mouth and then close it again before any excuses escape.
    “Those we love are the only ones worth crying over,” Nan continues. She reaches out her hand and I take it. She wraps her other arm around my shoulders and I lean against her. 
    “Now that’s not to say it doesn’t sting. That’s not to say you can’t hate the cheating bastard for a while. But save your tears for those you love. For all the Jannas that you lose.” 
    I rest my head on her shoulder and she kisses the top of my head. Sometimes I wish she’d agree with me. Or give me permission to hate the world and everyone in it.
    “I thought the saying is those who love you will never make you cry?” 
    Nan laughs making her cough a raspy cough. 
    “Oh good heavens girl, what fantasy land are you living in?” she says after she recovers. Her eyes sag. She wheezes faintly with each exhale.
    My eyebrows pull together. 
    “In the one where guys are decent.”
    And Nans don’t lie.
    She smiles with her mouth but her eyes are dull. 
    “They’re not all bad, darling. Someday you’ll see that.” 

CHAPTER SIX
    Lachlan
     
    Straight home after school. Just like Gram said. I jog up the front porch humming a tune she used to sing to me as a kid. 
    Shutting the door behind me, I throw my keys in the bowl by the front door. I kick my shoes off and hang my helmet on the peg that Gram dedicated for it. Heaven help me should I hang anything on her peg. 
    “Gram! I’m home. 3:30 on the dot.” I listen and hear nothing. I also smell nothing, which is really weird. Gram’s place always smells of food. 
    “Gram?” I step into the living room. The radio is playing softly in the background, but otherwise silence. My heart beats a little faster.
    “Where are you?” I call louder. Nothing. 
    I fly down the hallways and to her bedroom. I push the door too hard and it hits the wall with a crunch, the handle piercing through the drywall. I scan Gram’s room. Nothing. 
    “Lachlan?” a small voice sounds behind me. I turn. No one in the hallway. 
    “Gram?” 
    “Lachlan, I’m in the bathroom. I fell down, son. Can you please help me?” 
    I burst into the bathroom without thinking and immediately spin around, throwing my forearm across my eyes. 
    “Hand me a towel, will ya?” her voice is pleasant. The woman falls naked in the bathtub and has been laying there for who knows how long and she says hand me a towel, will ya?
    I grab the towel from the rack and reach behind me so she can take it. When she’s covered I turn to help her up and out of the tub. I wrap her robe around her and hug her tightly to me. She’s shivering.
    “Good thing I fell so I could turn the water off.” 
    I hold her at arms length. Her lips are bluish but she’s smiling. 
    “Good thing...? Gram you could have broken something... you could have cracked your head open.” 
    “Oh, don’t be such a drama queen. I’m fine.” 
    I hug her again, rubbing my hands on her arms to warm her up. I lead her to her room and sit in the living room while she changes. When she sits down next to me a few minutes later she’s still shivering so I wrap a blanket around her and get her slippers. I slam my way around the kitchen to make her tea. 
    “Come on, Lachlan. I didn’t mean to fall. Don’t be angry with me.” 
    I stop and my stomach sinks. The last thing I could ever be is mad at Gram. I lean back to see around the wall that divides the kitchen and living room.
    “I don’t think you should shower or bathe unless I’m here, Gram.” 
    She makes a funny sound and waves her hand. I set the cup down and move to kneel in front of my