Toronto, ON/Nova Scotia

My Grandma was a second mother to me. A brilliant, sharp, musical, tough, hilarious second mother. She died from ALS in 2013. The last Thanksgiving that she was here, I went back to Nova Scotia to see her. It was one of the last days she was able to talk a little bit. She asked me to bring her (enormous) jewelry box out to her. Her best friend and I held up piece after piece and she’d close her eyes (or roll her eyes), and breathe a “No…” We couldn’t figure out what she was looking for. Finally, I held up her wedding rings. Grandma looked at me. I looked back, stupidly, not understanding. Her best friend caught on right away.

“She wants you to have them.”

“But Grandma…they’re yours.”

Another eye roll and a flicker of a smile. Her best friend was teary, swatting at me: “Well, put them on so she can see.”

I did.

And I haven’t taken them off since.