Malachai and his family all came over later that afternoon and he noticed the absence of their parents on the couch. "Where are Mom and Dad", he asked Jake.
"Upstairs because Seth decided to be a little jack ass and drive the golf cart like a bat out of hell."
"Really?" Mandy asked. "What happened from that to cause Mom and Dad to be upstairs?"
"Seth punched the throttle on the golf cart. Caused what you're going to hear in five, four, three, two, one", he said and pointed toward the second level of the house. The sound of their mother's muffled sobs sounded. "He jarred Mom's back. Was told three times by Dad to slow down and ignored him. I'm just waiting on Dad to call me up there to sedate Mom again. Three, two", and they all heard Jake's name called. "Well, that me." He stood and headed up the stairs. "Good thing I put in that IV in." After disappearing for a few moments he came back down the stairs. "Lilah!" he called.
She came out of the kitchen. "Yes dear?"
"What is Seth's progress on the hot tub?"
"He's barely a quarter of the way through. He's taking his dear sweet time it seems."
"Oh hell no." Jake went through the kitchen. "Seth, get the lead out and get that hot tub cleaned. Gramma needs to soak for a little while. You had better stop lollygagging and get it done faster or I'm adding another month to your sentence."
Malachai chuckled. "Damn."
Delilah nodded. "Seth fucked up. I know he wasn't even dreamed of when Mom had her back surgery, but that's no excuse. He knows Gramma's back is bad and he knows better than to be foolish."
"I thought we were all supposed to be accepting that Mom and Dad don't have much time left?" Malachai said.
"We are", Jake said when he came back into the room. "But Seth's behavior could have affected more than just Mom and Dad. Matt was in the cart with them as well. He could have rolled the golf cart and really hurt if not killed Mom and Dad, and hurt Matt and himself in the process. The was reckless endangerment and he's going to be punished. He knows what grounding entails. He gets no TV, no games, no music, no new apps for his stuff- just him and the silence of his bedroom."
"What about Matt?" Mandy asked.
"Matt tried to keep him for doing the stupid shit therefore, that we know of he's not in trouble."
"Makes sense. What else does he have to get done as punishment today aside from the hot tub?"
"Oh all kinds of fun stuff", Delilah responded. "And it's all got to be done before we leave for San Diego." She looked at the her very pregnant niece. "How are you feeling, Miranda?"
"Huge. I'm ready to have this baby already, ya know?"
Delilah laughed. "Oh I'm sure any woman in the family that's had children can relate."
"And that would be pretty much every woman in the family that's older than you except Aunt Meagan", Mandy added. "Just wait until you go into labor. That is an experience like no other."
---------------
Matt had been worried all day that he was going to be in trouble along with Seth for what was going on with Gramma Brie. He did not want to be into trouble. He rather enjoyed his freedom. Being grounded usually meant doing lines after homework or having to help his mother with all of her herbal concoctions. When he saw that his father was available, he pulled aside with a quick tap on the shoulder. Seeing as he was quite nearly his father's height, it wasn't a stretch. "Dad, can we talk?"
Jeremiah looked at his son with a question on his face. "Sure Matt. What's up?"
"That whole crazy thing that went down with Gramma Brie and Grampa David earlier; I'm not going to get into trouble for that too am I?"
Jeremiah chuckled. "If you were going to get in trouble for what happened this morning wouldn't you be out there with him scrubbing the hot tub, son?"
Matt shrugged. "Maybe. Usually it depends on your mood."
"Touché my son." He sighed. "Look Matt. You tried to stop it. You tried to keep him from being stupid and when the time came to tell the truth that's what you did- disregarding the fact that Seth would be pissed at you for snitching on him. You did what was right. He fucked up and like you told him earlier, he has to suffer the repercussions of that."
"I know that. I just wanted to be sure that I wasn't in hot water because I was there and I wasn't more... forceful about it. If I had been more insistent then Gramma Brie wouldn't be in the guest room sedated with Grampa David at her bedside and Seth wouldn't be in the trouble he's in."
"Who are you trying to convince, Matthew? Me or you?"
"I don't know. But, I feel like I should have done more."
"Son, a man named Peter McWilliams once said, 'Guilt is anger directed at ourselves- at what we did or did not do. Resentment is anger directed at others- at what they did or did not do'. Right now you're feeling a lot of guilt because you think you didn't insist enough. Seth is probably a little resentful of you because 1) you told on him, and 2) you're not out there cleaning the pool with him. You have nothing to feel guilty for. If he didn't want to use common sense and listen to you. That's on him. Anyway, Mom and I don't believe in guilt by association, and neither do Uncle Jake and Aunt Lilah."
Matt smiled. "Thanks Dad. I kinda needed the pep talk."
"That's what Dads are for, Matthew. We crack the whip when we need to and we give those pep talks that are needed when they're needed."
"I still feel like I should apologize to Gramma and Grampa though."
"If that's what you feel you need to do, do it. More than likely, Grampa will tell you what I just told you."
"I know. Still, it would make me feel better."
---------------
David came carefully down the stairs and was greeted by his pregnant granddaughter. "Hey Grampa. We heard what Seth did. Are you ok?"
"I'm fine Miranda. It's Gramma that's messed up."
"We heard", Eli said. "How is she?"
"Sleeping for the moment", he said. "Your Uncle Jacob has kept her sedated for a better part of the day."
"Is she going to be able to join us at any point?"
"That's actually what I'm down here to check on. I've come down to see if the hot tub was clean and treated so that Gramma and I can soak for a little while so that Gramma enjoy a little time amongst the rest of the family rather than passed out on pain killers."
"You look like you need to sit down, Grampa”, Kelsi said.
“No Kelsi dear. I’m fine. I need to talk to Uncle Jake.” He looked to Malachai. “Where is your brother?”
“Kitchen Dad”, Malachai said, pointing to the door that lead to the room where everyone ate.
David nodded and carefully made his way toward the door, calling to the family doctor. “Jacob!”
“Yeah Dad?” he asked, coming to the door.
“How’s the progress on the hot tub?”
“It’s filling up and I’m about to go take care of the pH and all of the treatment stuff. After that, I’m going to come check on Mom. If she’s feeling up to it, I’ll have Samantha and Matt go out to the cottage to get your swim clothes so that you can both soak in the hot tub because I know she’s not the only one in pain. Now Dad, I know that you want your freedom but you also need to soak in that hot tub. I’m not asking you as your son, I’m telling you as your doctor that you’re both going to soak in that hot tub for a little while. I dare you to argue with me.”
David looked at his son in shock. “What did you just say to me?”
“I said that I’m pulling rank and telling you that you’re getting in that hot tub with Mom, like it or not. Doctor’s orders.”
“Wow. You’re pulling rank on me? I am your father, not the other way around.”
“And? Do you have a medical degree, Dad? No. You don’t. I do. I said you’re getting in the hot tub.”
David chuckled. “I had planned on it. Your mother never soaks in a hot tub without me, not even after we had the one at the house in Israel put in. But, you pulling rank is odd. Not used to this and I certainly not sure that I like it.”
“Well Dad, I hate to say it but you have no argument here. I’m the medical doctor in the house- not to mention the family. As far as this goes, you are outranked. Now, I’ve got to go get said hot tub ready for you and Mom. Please Dad, go back to the room with Mom and relax for a little while longer. Put your feet up and get that bolster back under your knees.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Mom needs you with her right now. Are you really going to fight me on this?”
---------------
The hot tub was finally ready and David and Brie were finally sitting in it hot tub, the heat soaking into their tired muscles. “I can finally feel my legs again”, she said softly.
“Good. I’m very glad. Do you think that you can walk into the house when we finally climb out of this thing or do you think Jeremiah will have to carry you back in?” he whispered.
“I can walk it. It was nice to have our children carrying my while I’m conscious. I wish was you, but I understand that you can’t do it anymore.”
He sighed. “Nope. I wish I could. I miss it.”
“Me too.”
They sighed in content, just glad that they could finally feel their extremities again. As they relaxed, they heard a throat clear. “Gramma Brie, Grampa David- can I talk to you two for a moment?” Matt asked.
“What’s the matter, Matthew?” David asked.
“I feel bad about what happened earlier.”
“Why?” Brie asked.
“I feel like I should have protested more and you guys wouldn’t be in the pain you’re in.”
They both chuckled. “Matthew Ryan, you did nothing wrong. You did everything in your power to stop Seth from being stupid”, David said. “You let me know that he was planning on doing it after we got here. You have nothing to feel guilty for. Seth, however, is getting off light if you ask me.”
“Why?”
“He should be grounded until graduation.”
“Grampa. That’s mean.”
“No. I would have done it to your Dad and any of your Aunts or Uncles.”
Matt laughed. “If you say so Grampa David. I’m going to go inside. Do you need anything?”
“Water”, they said in unison. “And tell your cousin to come out here”, Brie added. “I have something I want to say to him.”
“You’re not going to scream at him, are you Gramma Brie?”
“No dear. Screaming and yelling isn’t really my style unless I have to. Just send Seth out here and let him know that I want to speak to him.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Matthew walked away and they sighed. “So you’re NOT going to rip into Seth like I did?”
“No. I’m going to put on the worst guilt trip he’s ever felt though.”
When Seth came out, he looked at his grandparents. “Yes Gramma and Grampa?”
“Seth, sit down at the edge of the tub there. I have something I want to say to you about this morning”, Brie said. Once he was sitting, she spoke again. “You will maintain eye contact the entire time I’m speaking to you, understand me?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“I know that you’re too young to know a lot about this but not long after your older sister was born, I had to have back surgery. I have to have two of the vertebrae in my back separated. Since then, I’ve had problems with my lower back. Now, do you understand why you were yelled at like you were this morning by your grandfather?”
“Now I do. I didn’t think it would hurt you Gramma. I really didn’t.”
“Seth, we are in our 80’s. It wouldn’t have mattered if I had back problems or not. The fact of the matter is that you acted recklessly this morning. If that golf cart had flipped and Grampa and I had gotten seriously hurt- or worse had died- what how would you have felt?”
“Bad. Really, really, bad.”
“And if you’d killed yourself in the process? And your cousin Matt? How do you think that would have gone over? How would your parents have felt? How would Uncle ‘Miah and Aunt Jona have felt having lost their oldest son? Hell, their only son.”
“They would have all been upset.”
“You have to think about other people besides yourself, Seth Aaron. You could have seriously hurt someone this morning. You understand that?”
“Yes Gramma.”
“Will you ever be so reckless and thoughtless again?”
“No ma’am.”
“Good. Now, you need to get back to those chores you were assigned.”
“Do you think you could talk to Dad about my sentence?”
“No. You deserve everything you’re getting and then some, Seth Aaron Draiman. As far as Grampa and I are concerned, your father’s taking it easy on you. But, if you’re asked to slow down the next time you’re allowed to drive the golf cart you’re going to do so from now on, aren’t you?”
“Yes ma’am. I’m really sorry, to both of you. I love you both.”
“We love you too. Now, get back to what you were doing and give us a little quiet.”
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