Playing Up Her Sweet and Caring Side

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the old lady's expression shifted. "With Daddy and Mommy?"

She lifted her head slowly, and there he was—the grandson she'd dreamed of day and night—standing right in front of her.

"Ethan... you're back?" Her voice trembled.

Ethan stood rooted to the spot, his gaze tangled as he looked at the woman before him.

Sophia gave his fingers a gentle squeeze and murmured, "Ethan, this is your grandma."

He drew in a deep breath. "Grandma, I'm home."

Alexandra reached out with her wrinkled hand, cupping his cheek, tears welling in her eyes.

"These past three years, I never stopped searching for you. You're finally here..."

Ethan bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Grandma. I put you through hell."

He gave her the short version: the plane crash, washing up at sea, getting rescued, and the amnesia that followed.

Alexandra patted his shoulder with a pang in her heart. "It's okay, sweetheart. You're back—that's what matters."

She took his hand and led him to the tea table, easing him into a chair. "Let me get a good look at you."

Sophia scooped up Buddy and stepped aside quietly, giving the two of them some room.

"Ethan, you've gotten so thin. And tanned." Alexandra studied him closely, her eyes brimming with worry. "How've you been holding up these last three years?"

Ethan soothed her gently. "Grandma, I've been doing alright."

"Well, that's something." Alexandra clasped his hand, unable to tear her eyes away for even a second.

She could tell he wasn't keen on diving into the details of those years, so she let it drop.

Then she called for the butler to fetch a photo album. "This might jog your memory a bit."

She flipped it open, page after page of Ethan's life from babyhood on up.

Sophia sidled over with Buddy in her arms.

Buddy stretched out his little hand, pointing at a photo of a young boy. "Is that Daddy when he was little?"

Alexandra ruffled her great-grandson's hair. "Sure is, all of these are your daddy."

Buddy's eyes went wide. "Whoa, Daddy looks just like me!"

Alexandra chuckled, her laughter warm and full, easing the ache in her chest.

"Buddy, you've got it backward. You're the one who looks like Daddy, not the other way around."

Buddy bobbed his head, grinning ear to ear. "Hee hee, I look like Daddy, and Mommy too."

Sophia smiled softly, pinching his chubby cheek.

Alexandra shot Sophia a thoughtful glance.

Sophia knew she was being watched but played it cool, keeping her eyes elsewhere to dodge the eye contact.

Truth be told, aside from the pre-amnesia Ethan, Alexandra was the only other person who straight-up scared her.

Those eyes of hers could peel back your layers in a heartbeat, leaving you with nowhere to hide.

***

They lingered at Grandma's place for hours, not heading out until Buddy was yawning his head off.

Dusk had settled in by the time their car cruised steadily along the highway.

Buddy was out like a light in his car seat.

Sophia watched her son for a bit, then turned her attention to Ethan just across from her.

He was leaning back, eyes shut, catching some shut-eye.

After spending the whole day together, she could sense his hot-and-cold vibe toward her.

One minute, things felt like they were warming up from that morning, and the next, he flipped back to distant stranger mode.

She'd never figured on reeling him in overnight anyway.

But this amnesiac version of Ethan? His head was even tougher to read than before—way more of a handful.

That much she hadn't seen coming.

Sophia mulled over her next moves in her head, her gaze drifting out the window without thinking.

That's when a small shape caught her eye.

In the gathering dark, a little golden pup was dodging through traffic.

One of its back legs looked banged up, making it limp along all pitiful-like.

Cars whipped past, some coming way too close, and it froze dead center in the road, too spooked to budge.

An idea sparked in Sophia's mind right then.

"Pull over!"

Orion hit the brakes without missing a beat, easing the car to the shoulder.

Ethan's eyes snapped open, and he gave her a puzzled look. "What's up?"

"There's a little dog out in the middle of the road. It's gonna get hit."

She tossed that out and shoved the door open, bolting out.

"Ma'am!" Orion yelped, scrambling after her.

Sophia crept up to the pup nice and easy. "Hey, easy now. I'm here to help you out."

She cooed softly, holding out her hand.

The dog's eyes were huge and round, swimming with fear as it backed away slow, its injured leg slowing it down.

Sure, hopping out to play hero had a performative edge to it.

But seeing the poor thing up close twisted something in her gut.

Sophia eased down into a crouch, beckoning gently. "Come on, pup. Over here, yeah?"

She kept her voice feather-light, terrified of spooking it back into the flow of cars.

Orion hustled up beside her. "Ma'am, this traffic's nuts. Too risky—let me handle it."

"Don't come closer. It's scared out of its mind. A stranger getting in its space could set it off."

Sophia waved him back. "Grab a blanket from the car for me."

Orion nodded and jogged off.

Sophia inched nearer to the dog, still murmuring sweet nothings. "It's alright, buddy. I won't hurt you."

This little guy looked just like Rocky, the dog she'd hidden away as a kid.

The thought of Rocky hit her like a punch, her chest tightening up.

That pup she'd yanked back from the brink, her one true pal growing up, sold off by her aunt for a quick buck to some dog trader.

She'd sobbed till she could hardly breathe, dropping to her knees and banging her head on the ground, begging them not to take him.

But nobody gave a damn about how she felt. Her aunt just lost it and laid into her with a beating.

Sophia edged a tad closer and, when the dog wasn't looking, grabbed it firm by the scruff.

Maybe it sensed she meant no harm, because it didn't fight—just let out these heartbreaking little whimpers.

"There you go, all good now." Sophia stroked its head softly, checking out the damage.

The thing was skin and bones, ribs poking out, not just the back leg messed up but scratches and blood all over—like it'd been through the wringer.

Orion was back in a flash with the blanket.

Sophia wrapped the pup up snug and cradled it against her.

Ethan had slipped out of the car at some point, standing by the door, his face lost in the shadows.

Sophia hurried over to him. "Ethan, I just saved a little dog."

She lit up like a kid waiting for gold stars from the teacher.

Ethan's look turned a shade complicated. "That was reckless as hell. You could've gotten hurt."

Sophia dropped her gaze. "I just panicked thinking it'd get smashed. Didn't stop to think, but hey, I promise I'll play it safer next time."

Ethan eyed her. "Let's get back in. We'll drop it at the vet first thing."

Sophia climbed in with the dog in her arms.

By then, Buddy was stirring, blinking those big eyes. "Mommy, doggy."

"You bet, a sweet little pup. You like dogs, Buddy?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then we'll keep him around, make him your playmate. Sound good?"

"Yeah!" Buddy wriggled with glee, waving his arms.

Sophia soothed her son while tending to the dog, sneaking peeks at the man beside her now and then to gauge his reaction.