06/12/2025
I TOOK GRANDPA OUT ON HIS FIRST “DATE” SINCE GRANDMA PASSED – AND I NEVER EXPECTED THE OUTCOME
It had been almost a year. He never said much about it, but I could tell—he still set out two coffee mugs in the morning. Still muttered “night, love” before bed. Still kept her robe hanging by the door like she’d be back any minute.
So I asked him if he’d go out with me. Just brunch. Just us. No reason. He hesitated, then said, “Sure… but only if we can get waffles. Your grandma would’ve liked that.”
He came out in his tan jacket, the one he always wore to church. Hair combed, shoes shined.
Grandpa always used to tell me stories of their younger years—how they met, the adventures they had, how Grandma made him laugh every day.
“You know, your grandma never liked it when I got the waffles,” he said, stirring his coffee absentmindedly. “She always said I’d have a heart attack if I kept eating so much sugar.”
I chuckled softly. That sounded like something Grandma would say. But Grandpa wasn’t laughing.
“She wasn’t wrong, though,” he continued, looking out the window as if the memories were suddenly too heavy to hold. “I miss her more than I ever thought I would. Sometimes I wake up, and I forget. I forget she’s gone for a split second, and then the reality hits, and it’s like a wave all over again. I never thought I’d be doing this… dating again.”
I almost choked on my drink. “Wait, dating?” ⬇
