Guess what? Someone dropped a bomb on me today. Not literally, but well...it was to me. I mean, how could it not?
Grandpa turned hundred this year. Our family members were all glad that he could live to such a ripe age, but he suddenly collapsed last week without any warning. The doctor said something about a weak heart and that he did not have much time left. It came as a shock to all of us. He was a very fit and healthy old man.
Today, we visited grandpa in the hospital and he requested to talk to me, alone. I was curious as to what he wanted to talk about, but never have I thought that this was what he wanted to say.
"Xael, you're 18 this year, right?" He asked, but before I had a chance to respond, he continued. "Please, fulfill grandpa's death wish," he said in a weak voice, seeming out of breath. Now, how could I reject a dying man's last wish? Grandpa wouldn’t make me do something ridiculous right?
"What is it grandpa?" I asked with a frown. "Promise me you'll do it first," grandpa told me weakly. "I'll do it. What is it?" I replied without hesitation.
"Please marry... Uncle Mark's grandson."
"What?!" I exclaimed with wide eyes. I don’t even know who this guy is.
"Xael, I'm sorry this came at such short notice. But you have to fulfill grandpa's last wish, alrig—" Before grandpa could finish his sentence, the heart monitor sounded with a piercing flat sound. The constant breaks between the beeping of the monitor was no longer present.
"Grandpa, no, wake up!" I shouted as I reached out for the emergency button.
*
Grandpa passed away that evening. Mom and dad didn't ask me what grandpa wanted to talk to me about earlier that day. I could sense that they already knew.
*
It has been a week since grandpa's death. We all went to the funeral and sent grandpa on his way. We grieved, but we all knew that grandpa was in a better place.
*
After all the happenings, I thought that the promise I made about the marriage with uncle Mark's grandson was forgotten, but I was wrong. That day, while I was cleaning my room, mom came to look for me. She said that she wanted to talk.
Oh boy.
