DANCING ON MY OWN (Charlie Puth)

T H I R T Y F O U R

The sight that my eyes are met with is not something I expected to see when Charlie and I walked through the door. My grandmother is seated on our couch with Shawn right next to her, measuring out her yarn.

"Grandma?" I squeal, excitement overpowering my confusion. I use my crutches to hobble over to her as quickly as I can.

"Mia, dear!" She throws her crochet needles into Shawn's lap and hugs me. I breathe in her flowery smelling perfume and feel complete inside.

"Gran, what are you doing here?" I look between her and Shawn.

"I just thought I would pay a visit and see how you were doing, hon." She examines my legs from where she stands, assessing what she, as my care provider, needed to do. It warmed my heart that she was still looking out for me.

"Helen is teaching me how to crochet!" Shawn announces with a grin. Lord have mercy, what are we going to do with this boy?

I stifle my laughter and Charlie rolls his eyes at Shawn when he's positive that my grandmother isn't watching.

"Grandma, this is Charlie... my boyfriend." He steps up beside me with a smile, one hand on the small of my back, the other one reaching out to shake my grandma's hand.

She takes his hand and I can instantly tell that she already likes him a million times more than she ever liked Josh.

"I've heard so much about you, it's very nice to meet the woman that did such a good job of raising Mia." Charlie politely smiles at her and my grandma already looks like she's planning our wedding.

"Mia, where have you been hiding this one?" She gushes over Charlie as she observes him from head to toe.

"Seriously, if I were about forty years younger I'd probably steal him from you." Shawn and I both laugh out loud while Charlie's face goes red and he looks like he doesn't know what to say.

"Grandma, enough!" I lightly scold her for making him uncomfortable, even though I thoroughly enjoyed it.

"I'm just saying he's handsome and polite. You actually got one that wasn't a total piece of shit." I facepalm at this old woman's potty mouth and Charlie bites his lip, not knowing if laughter was an appropriate response. Shawn, however, howls with laughter on the couch.

"At least someone appreciates my sense of humor." She mutters, rejoining Shawn on the couch and resuming the crochet lesson.

"Shawn and I made some lunch, if you two kids are hungry." I nod my head and we both head for the kitchen with rumbling stomachs.

"Why are my grandma and Shawn doing everything together? Like, how long has she been here hanging out with him?" I whisper.

Charlie laughs and shrugs. "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure she stole my best friend."

I giggle and then remember the whole reason Charlie wanted to get home in a hurry.

"So much for celebratory sex, huh?" I jab his side with my elbow and his face instantly falls.

"Oh my God. I can not believe I just got cock-blocked by your grandmother." He shudders.

I snort, trying to keep from laughing too loud and pat his back.

"I'm going to have to fight her." He whispers with a serious face as he takes two bowls of soup to the kitchen table for us.

I chuckle at how upset this situation has made him and roll my eyes.

. . . . .

After we spent the day hanging out with Shawn and my grandma, who were now the best of friends, Charlie and Shawn decided to hit the studio, leaving myself and Grandma Helen to catch up.