Getting to know the real story behind Eli's grandparents' relationship had fascinated B. he'd always wondered which of the stories about how they came to be was true. Now he knew. Who'd would have thought that the very spa that his family went to in Denver had once been owned by the sweet elderly woman he'd started to call Gramma. It was an interesting fact that he'd learned. Eventually, he'd have to ask if he could rub that in his family's face.
That wasn't the focus at the moment. It was time to start packing for the wedding. The trip to San Diego was coming soon. No one could believe how quickly time had passed. B could hardly believe that it had been two weeks since he and Eli spent the evening with his grandparents in their cottage. He sat on the couch at Eli's parents' house and watched as the final fitting for Eli's suit went down. "Damn it," Eli cursed. "If this guy doesn't stop poking me, I swear to God I'm going to lose it."
"It wouldn't be so bad, Elijah Michael, if you would just be still", his father said.
"Well, father dear, I wouldn't be moving so much if this guy would stop poking me with the pins. I thought we already measured for me hem anyway. Isn't it Isaiah that needs to be measured?"
"He's having his stuff taken care of in New York", Miranda replied.
"Well if I had known that was an option I would have stayed in Chicago and had this done by the same tailor shop that did Gramma and Grampa's vow renewal in 2019. From what I understand, they don't poke you."
"Getting poked is a risk you take, dear", B said from his seat. "I get fitted for monkey suits all the time."
Malachai laughed. "No wonder my father likes you, B."
"What do you mean?"
"Dad hates suits too. He's protested having to wear a suit at every wedding since he and Mom renewed their vows."
"Even Aunt Maddie's wedding?" Miranda asked. "I don't remember him complaining then."
"He complained, Miranda. He's even asked me to apologize to you ahead of time because he's not wearing a tie."
"Really? What did he say?"
"Tell Miranda that I'm sorry, but there is no way I'm wearing a damn tie. I am 85 years old and I refuse to wear what amounts to a noose."
Miranda laughed. "Oh that's great. I can't wait to tell Callan that tonight when he calls." She sighed. "I cannot wait to have this baby", she groaned. "I can't take much more of this."
Eli laughed. "You're going to pop soon, sis. I already know it. I don't think you'll make it out the month."
She laughed. "You too, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"Your brother in law doesn't think I'll let it through the month either. Aunt Kenna isn't optimistic that I'll make it through the move. There are a LOT of people that don't think I'm going to make it to my due date."
“Well think of how big you’ve gotten, Miranda”, Mandy said. “You’ve put ion quite a bit of weight.”
“I’m willing to put money on that baby girl being a good 7lbs”, B commented with a chuckle.
Eli stepped off of the box he’d been standing on while the tailor had been hemming his slacks for the wedding. “Do you want to get into the baby pool, B?”
“We can if you want. I don’t care either way.”
“Would you really take a bunch of Marines for their paychecks?” Miranda laughed.
Eli laughed. “I wouldn’t take their money. If I won, I’d let them keep their checks. I’d just want what I put in back from them.”
“So if you put $200 in the kitty, you expect your $200 from each of them and that’s it?”
“No. I expect $200 collectively. If there are 20 people in Callan’s company in the pool, that’s $10 apiece. I understand that a lot of them are family men or women and that enlisted men don’t make a lot.”
She smiled. “You’re a good guy, Eli. Thank you for being so understanding.”
“I’m not a total ass unless I’m dealing with my future in laws.”
“But you have a really nice one”, B said with a laugh.
Everyone in Eli’s family groaned. “AH, COME ON! SAVE IT FOR WHEN YOU’RE BY YOURSELVES!”
---------------
When Seth and Matt went out to pick up their grandparents, Seth was feeling like a bit of a daredevil. “Don’t do it Seth. Messing with Grampa and Gramma is like messing with fire. It’s dangerous”, Matt said.
“I’m just going to joke around with them. They encourage being playful”, Seth responded as he drove the golf cart.
“Maybe I should have driven this morning”, Matt said as he shook his head. “I don’t trust this, Seth. You mess with Gramma and Grampa and you mess with your Dad and your Dad is going to ground you from now until Doomsday. Maybe I should drive back.”
“No Matt, I’ve got this. Just go knock on the door and let them know we’re here.”
Matt shook his head, having had to hold onto the bar on the passenger side of the golf cart as Seth drove out, and climbed out of the cart to knock on the door. “Gramma, Grampa, are you up and ready to go in?”
“We’ll be right out, Matthew”, his grandmother called.
“Ok Gramma. I’ll wait at the door.” He stood at the door and waited just as he said he would. When the door opened he hugged his grandparents in greeting and they walked out to the cart. “How are you feeling this morning, Gramma?”
“I’m ok, Matt. Are you worried about me?” Brie asked with a smile.
“Maybe a little”, he chuckled. “Do you need help into the cart?”
“Just do what you usually do and hold your arm out for me. If I need it then I’ll use it.”
He nodded. “Ok, Gramma.” He put his arm out for his grandmother as he spoke to his grandfather. “How are you this morning, Grampa?”
“I’m fine Matt. How about you?”
“I’m good. I’ve got a little bit of homework to finish before class Monday. Gotta pick up my homework before we leave Wednesday for the wedding.”
“Oh yes. Miranda’s wedding and our birthday”, David chuckled.
“Don’t forget that it’s Connie’s birthday too.”
“How could I? She calls me daily asking what Gramma and I are going to do with the two of you for our joint birthday and when we’re going to celebrate.”
“Did Uncle Malachai schedule the rehearsal dinner for the night before the wedding?” Seth asked.
“Yes”, Brie said as she scooted over in the seat so that her husband could sit down next to her.
“Well, could we do something the night before the rehearsal dinner?” Matt asked.
“That was the plan. Gramma and I have been looking at places to go and one of us will let you two know what the plan is.” David said down next to his wife and wrapped his arm around her like he usually did. Once Matt was in the cart, David saw the wheels turning in Seth’s head. “I don’t know what you’re plotting up there, Seth, but you had better drive carefully.”
“I will Grampa”, he said, the sadistic smile evident in his voice. His passengers had only a few seconds to brace themselves before his foot hit the accelerator and the golf cart started flying down the path between the cottage and the house.
“DAMN IT SETH, SLOW THE HELL DOWN!” David shouted over the wind.
Seth ignored him. “I thought you’d want to get to the house a little faster this morning, Grampa!”
“IF YOU DON’T SLOW THE HELL DOWN, SETH, I SWEAR TO YOU THAT YOU WILL BE IN MORE TROUBLE THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE.” He looked down at Brie, who was nearly in tears because the way the cart took off jarred her back. “YOU’VE HURT YOUR GRANDMOTHER! STOP THE DAMN CART SETH AARON!”
“We’re almost there, Grampa!”
When the cart pulled to a stop, David was seething. He looked at Matt. “Matthew, go get your Uncle Jake and your father.” Matt jumped to do what he was told. “Seth Aaron Draiman, don’t you fucking move. I have a bone to pick with you.”
---------------
Matt ran into the kitchen as skidded to a stop. “Dad, Uncle Jake- I told Seth not to do it, but he didn’t listen. Now he’s in a ton of trouble with Grampa and Gramma’s in tears. You have to go out and check on her”, he said hurriedly.
“Whoa Matt”, Jeremiah said to his son. “Repeat that about Gramma and Grampa.”
“Gramma is crying and Grampa told me to come get you. Seth decided to drive like a maniac from the cottage and when he took off, I heard Gramma cry out in pain and Grampa yelling at Seth to slow down.”
Jake sighed. “Go tell Grampa I’m grabbing my medical bag and I’ll be right there.” Matt ran out and Jake headed for the kitchen door. “‘Miah, go with him please. Let Mom know that I’ll be right there. I’m guessing that my son’s take off jarred Mom’s back.”
Jeremiah nodded. “On it.” He set his coffee cup down and headed out the back door. When he got out side he went straight to his parents. His mother was clinging to his father and sobbing in pain and his father was boiling mad. “Dad are you ok?” he asked.
“I’m fine, Jeremiah. I’m just pissed. It’s your mother that needs medical attention.”
“Well, Jake had to run up to his office and grab his medical bag.”
“Well once Jake gets out here, I’m going to lay into his son. I want him to hear what I have to say.”
Jeremiah just nodded and gently rubbed his mother’s back to try to ease the pain. Jake came running out of the house with his bag and jogged over to the golf cart. “What happened?” he asked.
“Ask Seth, Jake”, David said.
“What did you do, Seth?” he asked as he examined his mother’s back, watching her wince every time he touched her.
“I wanted to have a little fun so I got here faster than normal”, Seth said with a shrug.
Jake’s eyes popped open wide. “You know, as much as I want to bite your head off right now, young man, I can tell your grandfather wants his piece of your ass first. So, once your grandparents have both said their piece, I’ll deal with you.” He went to whispering to his mother as he tried to figure out what she experienced when Seth made the golf cart leap.
David took a deep breath. “Seth, you had better turn around a look at me, boy”, he said. When Seth was facing him, he continued. “What the fuck were you thinking? Were you trying to give me or Gramma a fucking heart attack?”
“I wanted you to have a little fun, Grampa”, Seth said.
“FUN?!” David said, finally raising his voice. “YOU WANTED UP TO HAVE FUN?! WHAT ABOUT JARRING YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S BACK TO THE POINT WHERE SHE IN CRYING IN PAIN IS FUN, SETH AARON?! WHAT ABOUT IGNORING ME WHEN I TOLD YOU TO SLOW DOWN IS FUN?! WHAT ABOUT DAMN NEAR ROLLING THE FUCKING GOLF CART IS FUN?!” Seth’s eyes drifted down to stare at his hands. “YOU HAD BETTER ANSWER ME, YOUNG MAN.”
“Nothing, sir.”
“So again I ask you; what about this ride to the house from the cottage was supposed to be fun? Where you trying to give me a fucking heart attack?”
“No sir. None of it was fun and I wasn’t trying to give you or Gramma heart attacks.”
Matt cleared his throat. “Grampa David may I interject?”
“You have something to add, Matthew?”
“Well, not as far as Seth’s ass chewing is going, but I do have information.”
“Oh? What?”
“Matt…” Seth said.
“No Seth. You fucked up. You have to face the consequences and I’m not going to lie for you.” He looked at his paternal grandfather. “I don’t know how long he’s been planning on doing this, but he told me this morning that if Uncle Jake asked us to do pick you up that he was going to do it. I told him that I should drive and he said, ‘No Matt, I’ve got this’ even as I protested.”
David nodded slowly. “Is that a fact?” He looked over a Jake. “Jacob, as soon as you’re done tending to your mother, you had better get your son out of my sight for a while. If this was premeditated he had no idea how pissed I’m going to be.”
Jake nodded. “I’m going to have to give Mom an intravenous pain killer and sedative on order to control the pain. Jeremiah’s going to have to carry her inside. Her legs have no feeling.” He looked at Seth. “Now that your Grampa is done with you and Gramma is in too much pain to speak, you had better get up to my office.”
“But Dad…” Seth said in protest.
“DID I STUTTER?!” Jake shouted.
“No sir.”
“Then you had better start moving then, hadn’t you?”
“Yes sir”, he said as he got out of the golf cart and headed toward the house.
“And you better beat me there. Do not pass GO; do NOT collect $200. Directly to my office and nowhere else.” Seth started moving faster as he ran into the house and toward the stairs.
Jeremiah carefully maneuvered their mother out of the back of the golf cart. “Mom, you have to wrap your arms around my neck for me to move you. I know you’re in pain, but you have to work with me here.”
She wanted desperately to cling to David, but she knew that he couldn’t carry her into the house anymore. He whispered to her. “Go with Jeremiah, love. I’ll be right behind you”, he said, muttering against her hair before he pressed his lips against her curls.
She nodded and wrapped her arms around Jeremiah’s neck, moaning softly in pain as she moved her body. She grabbed Jeremiah’s neck. “Be careful Jeremiah. I’m in enough pain as it is.”
Jeremiah chuckled softly. “I’ll be as gentle as I can, Mother. Just be hold on tight and I’ll get you to the guest room where Jake can sedate you for a couple of hours.” He looked at David. “You coming, Dad?”
“I’m right behind you, ‘Miah.”
---------------
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Jacob said to his youngest son.
“Like I sad to Grampa, I just wanted to have a little fun, Dad. I thought that a little speed would be enjoyable for them.”
“Were you asked not to do it by Matt?”
“Yes sir.”
“Did he offer to drive?”
“Yes sir.”
“And still you did it, even after you were asked to slow down. How many times did Grampa ask you to slow the fuck down, Seth Aaron?”
“Three”, he said, staring at his feet.
“YOU WERE ASKED THREE TIMES TO SLOW DOWN AND DIDN’T?!”
“No.”
Jake took his glasses off and set them beside him on the desk where he was leaning. “Go to your room and stay there until I call for you. I need to call your mother and tell her about this. This needs to be a joint decision. And you had better avoid your grandparents until I figure out what I’m going to do with you for punishment. Now, get lost.” Seth walked out of the office and Jake grabbed his personal cell and place a call to his wife.
“Hello?” she said.
“Baby, I know you had to go into the clinic for a client, but I have an emergency here at home. About when do you think you can get home?”
“I just walked in the door, where are you and why do I hear Mom screaming in pain?”
“I’m in my office and I’ll explain it when you get up here.”
“I’ll see you in two minutes.” She hung up and he chuckled. It was funny how she always seemed to know when he needed her to be home and she was usually there with bells on. She just walked in the open office door. “Alright, what seems to be going on?” she asked, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from the desk.
“Seth decided to be stupid this morning and drove like a maniac with Mom and Dad in the golf cart, thinking that it would be fun. Took off like a bat out of hell and jarred Mom’s back, sending her into tears. Dad told him three times to slow down or stop and he ignored Dad. Dad has already gotten to take his piece out of Seth’s ass; Mom was in too much pain to really speak so that she could chew his ass. I’m going to have to sedate her so that the pain will subside a little bit. Matt said that he asked Seth to let him drive and Seth told him no, no matter how much he protested.”
“And we both know that Matt wouldn’t lie about that.”
“Seth didn’t deny it.”
“Is that a fact?”
“Yep. What are we going to do about this, Lilah?”
“There are plenty of things around here that need to be done before we go to San Diego for the wedding. The pool and hot tub need to be cleaned, the grass needs to be mowed, my garden needs to be weeded and taken care of, and I’m sure that we can find a million other things for him to do between now and then.”
“I like it. I was also thinking of grounding him for three months. One month for every time Dad asked him to slow down.”
“Sounds like justice.”
“Alright. I sent him to his room to stew. Do you want to go get him or should I?”
She laughed. “I’ll go get him.” She stood up and walked down the hall to Seth’s room and beat on the door. “SETH AARON, YOUR FATHER’S OFFICE. NOW!”
The door opened and Seth started down the hall with Delilah behind him. When he walked into the office, Jake looked at him. “Sit.” He pointed to the chair. “Your mother and I have talked and we have decided that the only fitting punishment is for you to do a shit load of household chores before we leave. Your mother’s garden needs weeded, the pool and hot tub need to be cleaned, there’s grounds keeping to be done. And guess what, Seth. You’re going to do it… ALONE.”
Seth groaned. “Dad…”
“Oh, I’m not finished yet. You’re also grounded for three months. One for each time Grampa told you to slow down. I’m seriously tempted to tack on another month for the hell you’ve cause your grandmother. Do you realize what I’m going to have to do to get Gramma up on her feet again?”
“No.”
“I’m going to have to put her to sleep with pain medication for a good portion of the day, Seth Aaron. Gramma and Grampa may have to sleep in here tonight because you have to be a little peckerwood. It will never happen again, Seth Aaron. Do you understand me?”
“Yes sir.”
“And WHEN Gramma decides to bite your head off, you WILL stand there and take the ass chewing like a man. Am I clear?”
“Yes sir. Crystal.”
“Good. Now, take yourself out to the back patio and start the pool and hot tub to draining so that you can scrub them. And you mean scrub, Seth Aaron. While they’re draining, you will get your cleaning supplies together. Go.”
Seth stood and left without a word to go do what he was told. “Now what?” Delilah asked.
“Now to go put my mother temporarily out of her misery”, he said, grabbing a syringe from his desk drawer.
“Alright. I’ll go get started on something for lunch.”
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