After that, I kept thinking about how she'd made it all the way from some tiny mountain village on her own—a young girl, step by step, with no one behind her. So I helped her. At work, in life, wherever I could.
When I couldn't, I asked Les to.
And that was how it went—helping, helping, helping—until the two of them helped themselves into the same bed.
"Les." I turned to face him. "My grandmother raised me. She's in the ICU right now, and I need to see her one last time."
"You know how much she means to me, Les." My voice wouldn't stop shaking.
He said nothing.
My phone buzzed again.
A message from my mother: Grandma's fading fast. Where are you?
I gripped the phone until my knuckles went white.
Les saw.
He was quiet for two seconds. Then he reached out and wiped the tear from the corner of my eye with his thumb.
"Don't cry." His voice was soft, his thumb pausing against my cheekbone. "Grandma's going to be fine. Trust me."
"Just let her apologize," he said. "She feels terrible about it. All you have to do is nod. Then I'll give you the keys."
Lila was sobbing beside him, nodding along: "Hope… please just accept my apology… I won't be able to live with myself otherwise…"
Grandma was waiting for me.
"Fine," I said.
Lila jumped right in: "Hope, I'm sorry, it's all my fault—"
"Enough." I cut her off and looked at Les. "Keys."
Les handed me the keys.
"Drive safe. I'll stay with Lila for a couple of days, then come find you."
I didn't look at him. I pulled the door open, dropped into the seat.
Key in. Turn. The engine rumbled to life.
The car didn't move.
I turned the key again. Nothing. Not even a tremor through the wheels.
I got out and found a wide dark stain spreading across the ground beneath the car.
Someone had punctured the fuel tank.
Les walked over, glanced under the chassis, and frowned.
Lila bit her lip, her voice so small it was almost a performance. "Hope… I loosened it. I just wanted a little more time with Les… I'm sorry…"
Les reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, casual as breathing, as if he still had the right.
"Hey, relax," he said. "I'll get someone out here to fix it."
"Wait in the car for now." He turned, wrapping his arm around Lila. "Let me see if I can find some tools."
Lila leaned into him, then looked back at me over her shoulder.
Tears still on her face, but the corner of her mouth twitched, just slightly.