“There is a meteor shower tonight.”
I looked through the window.
“Really?”
“The biggest one we’ve had in years.”
“And we’re going to watch it?”
“That was the plan.”
I looked at Mom.
She nodded.
“Yes.”
Then I noticed something.
Grandpa’s hand was trembling.
Only slightly.
But I noticed.
“Grandpa?”
He quickly tucked his hand beneath the blanket.
“What?”
“Are you okay?”
He smiled.
“I’m fine.”
Mom looked away.
And suddenly, I knew.
Something was still being hidden from me.
We settled onto the mattresses.
Mom sat between us at first.
Grandpa adjusted the telescope.
He had apparently been working on it for months.
Every few minutes he’d make a tiny adjustment.
“Too far left.”
Then another.
“Too far right.”
Then he’d look at me.
“Your grandfather is a professional.”
Mom laughed.
“You once spent three hours looking for your glasses while they were on your head.”
“That was a completely different situation.”
