Chapter 69

The next few months flew by. On moment, Miranda and Callan were bringing Gracie over every day so that David and Brie could love on her and spoil her. The next, they were saying good bye because Callan had to report back to get his official orders for Japan as well as military ID's for Grace and Miranda. It was almost as if they had blinked and things changed.

The meeting with Jax's family went well. Wallace Tompkins- Wally for short- sat and talked medicine all day with Jake.  Even over dinner, they sat and talked shop.  Jax interjected where he could, but for the most part he let his father and father-in-law-to-be talk shop.

Eli and B decided not to have a huge ceremony for their wedding. Instead, they were married by a judge right there in Colorado Springs. "It was important to us to be able to have both of our grandparents there", B explained. "That's why we didn't wait until next year."

“What brought this on, Eli?” Brie asked.

“I was tired of waiting.  I wanted him to be my husband sooner than next year.  No one knows when you two are going to join your parents and brothers on the other side and I’m impatient.”

No one said anything further.  It was a better choice not to argue or question it.  The bright side was that David and Brie were alive to attend the court ceremony for Elijah and Brandon.

Summer rolled around.  Brie celebrated 82 years of age.  As a bit of a twist, Miri, Jax, and Zeke treated grandparents to dinner instead of the usual Gramma and Grampa buying dinner.  Miri pulled her cousin Zeke aside earlier that day to talk to him about it after talking it over with Jax.  “You know what today is, don’t you?” she teased when she woke him up that morning.

He took a deep breath as he came out of his slumber and shrugged awkwardly.  “I don’t know.  Is it Fathers’ Day?  Do we need to go get something for your Dad and Grampa?”

She rolled her eyes.  “You had better be thankful I’m not a violent person because you just almost got smacked.  Guess again.”

He chuckled.  “Miriam, I know what today is.  Happy birthday gorgeous.”  He stretched up and gave her a happy birthday kiss.

She laughed as his lips connected with hers.  When the kiss broke, she gave him a very serious look.  “Do you know who else’s birthday it is today?”

He shook his head.  “No.”

“Gramma Brie and my cousin Zeke.”

“Ah.  Does this mean I’m dining without you tonight?”

She shook her head, her long brown curls flying in her face.  “Not a chance.”  She tucked her hair behind her ear and spoke again.  “I want to do something special for my grandparents today.  They’re in their 80’s.  They shouldn’t have to be the ones doing all of the treating all the time.  They took Matt and Connie out while we were in California, but I’m not 16 anymore.  I’m grown and we have the ability to treat them.”

“So you want to treat your grandparents because it’s about time it happens?  Do I understand this correctly?”

She nodded.  “It can be our present to Gramma.”

He nodded.  “No problem love.  See what your cousin Zeke thinks about it and we’ll go from there.  We can surprise your grandparents with it when it’s time to go to dinner.”

She smiled.  “I knew I loved you for a reason”, she giggled and kissed him softly.

He smiled mischievously.  “Consider that one of a few presents I have for you today.”  He reached over and got into her nightstand and pulled out a long velvet box.  “Happy birthday”, he said as he handed her the box.

She took it and sat up, folding her legs underneath her.  She gently opened the box and discovered a gorgeous white gold necklace with a heart shaped pendant.  Her jaw dropped.  “Oh my God.  Jax.  You didn’t.”

He chuckled as he sat up in the bed as well.  “You’re very welcome.  I saw it the other day while we were in town for your parents and thought of you.  And it’s only one of the gifts you’re going to get from me today.”

She smiled and flung herself at him, giving him a fierce hug.  “You’re the sweetest, most considerate man I’ve ever been with”, she whispered in his ear with tears in her voice.  “Thank you so much.  It’s lovely.”

He pulled away enough to see tears rolling down her face.  “Why are you crying, Miri?  Have I done something wrong?  If you really don’t like it I can return it.  Get you another even.”

She shook her head softly, her mahogany curls slipping from behind her ear.  “No.  I adore it.  They’re tears of joy.  No man has ever bought me such a pretty anything.  I couldn’t love it more.”

He grinned.  “I’m glad you love it so much.  It means that the other things you’re going to get later on today were good choices too.”

“What else did you get me?”

“Oh, a little of this.  A little of that.  Nothing for you to worry those pretty curls over.”

---------------

They headed downstairs for breakfast and saw that her grandparents hadn’t come in yet.  Her father was sitting at the kitchen counter reading the paper and drinking his coffee.  “Good morning Daddy”, she said with a smile as she and Jax walked through the doors hand in hand.

Jake looked up at his oldest child and smiled.  “Good morning princess.  Happy birthday.”

She smiled.  “Thanks Daddy.  It’s been a good birthday so far.”  She caressed the heart pendant at her throat.

Jake spotted it and looked at it closely though his glasses.  “Very nice.”  He looked at Jax.  “A gift from you, I’d guess?”

Jax nodded.  “I surprised her with it this morning.  I think she likes it, but I can’t be sure.  She was crying after I gave it to her.”

She laughed.  “Tears of joy, Daddy.  They were tears of joy.”  She looked out the back door.  When are Gramma and Grampa coming in?  Have you talked to them this morning?”

Jake nodded.  “I have.  Grampa was making Gramma breakfast in bed.  They’ll be in shortly.  Why do you ask?”

“Well, I still need to run it past Zeke because from what Aunt Kayla mentioned he’s been dancing in some of the videos she’s been choreographing so he’s working.  She even said she’s opened him a bank account with a spending limit.  I want to see if he wants to chip in on something for Gramma and Grampa tonight.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“We want to treat them for one.  Grampa always pays for dinner when they take their birthday grandkids out for dinner.  It’s time that one of us that’s old enough repays them for that.”

He nods.  “Noble of you, but your grandparents may argue.”

“Well, if they want me to have a good birthday they’ll let this happen.  It’s the only way I’m going to dinner with them.”

Jake laughed.  “Nice.  Give them an ultimatum.  That may be the only way you’re going to get them to agree to it.”

“Then we’ll do what it takes”, Jax said.

“Oh, so you’re in on this too?” Jake laughed.

“Oh yeah.  I’m in on this too.  I think that it’s a marvelous idea and I’m happy to put money toward it.  And it gives me the perfect occasion do to something special for the birthday girl here.”

“What?” Miri asked.

“It’s a birthday present.  I can’t tell you.  It will spoil the surprise.  You know that.”

She pouted.  “No fair.”

“I guess life’s not fair.  You’ll be grateful that I didn’t spoil the surprise when it happens though.  You’ll love me even more than you already do.”

“Awfully cocky”, Jake laughed.  “But I think I know what you’re going to do.”  He winked at his future son in law.  He knew what was going to happen.

“You okay with that?”

Jake shrugged.  “I’m not upset that you’re doing it in front of her grandparents and not me, if that’s what you’re asking.  If you’re asking if I’m generally ok with the thought, I’m getting there.  I’ll be there soon enough.”

Jax nodded.  “Good.  I was a little scared that you were going to take my head off.”

Jake shook his head.  “Nah.  Believe me, if I wanted you gone Jackson, you’d already be there.  My sons and nephews don’t play when it comes to their sisters and female cousins.  If I said, ‘Run him off’, then they’d run you off.”

Jax chuckled.  “Sounds like my Dad.  He’s not afraid to use his boys and his knowledge of anesthesia to run someone off.”

Jake laughed.  “I knew I liked your Dad for a reason.  Maybe he’ll give me some tips.”

“I’m sure he will if you’ll give him tips on having daughters old enough to date and not overreacting.”

“We’ll have to talk”, Jake said.  “I’m sure that my knowledge of the topic will help him cope with your little sisters dating.  A lot of what I know I learned from my Dad.  I’m sure that he won’t mind me passing on the knowledge.”

“Speaking of”, Miri interjected, “I think I hear your phone buzzing Daddy.  That may be Grampa saying that he and Gramma are ready to come in.”

“Doubtful”, Jake chuckled.  “Gramma and Grampa are still celebrating.  I’m sure of that”, he said as he grabbed his phone.  He looked at the number.  “Nope, that’s work.  I’ve got to go and take a patient.  I hate working when it’s you kids’ birthdays.  Nothing pisses me off more.”  He kissed his daughter’s cheek as he stood to take the call.  “Again, happy birthday, Princess.  I’ll see you later.  Mom and I have something for you.  Mom’s at work and I’m about to go in and deal with a crisis.  I’ll let someone know to pick Gramma and Grampa up when they’re ready.”

“Just text me and we’ll pick them up.  No need to bother anyone else.”

“But it’s your birthday, Miri.  You shouldn’t be doing that.”

“But I want to, Dad.  Just text me and we’ll go get Gramma and Grampa.”

Jake smiled.  “You’re one in a million, Miriam Rebekah.”

“I know, Dad.  You don’t have to remind me.  Now go get your things for work and call your receptionist back so that you can get the low down on what’s going on.”

---------------

While Jake was at the office, Makayla came over his her kids so that Zeke could spend the day with his grandparents.  Miri and Jax were sitting on the couch watching TV when they all came in.  “Hey Aunt Kayla, hey Uncle Kylely”, Miri said when the door opened.  She didn’t bother turning around.  She knew who it was.

“How did you know?” Makayla asked.

“I know the sound of your car and Kylely yelling at Danica to stop goofing off is unmistakable”, she laughed.

Kylely chuckled.  “Nice to know I’m memorable.  By the way Miri, Happy Birthday.”

She smiled.  “Thank you Uncle Kylely.  So far it’s been pretty great.”  She turned and smiled at her aunt and uncle.

“OOH, that’s nice”, Makayla said when she saw the pendant around Miri’s neck.  “Who gave you that?  Your parents?”

Jax chuckled.  “She may call me ‘Daddy’ upon occasion, but I assure you that I’m not her father”, he said.

Makayla made her ‘ah-ha’ face.  “I see.  It was a present from the man.  I like it.  He’s got good taste.”

Miri nodded.  “I know.”  She looked over Makayla’s shoulder to the best of her ability.  “Where’s Zeke?  I need to talk to him about something.”

“I think he’s out front with Matt and Seth.  Has your Dad let him off of his grounding yet?”

Miri shook her head.  “Not really.  He’s got a few liberties, but he really messed up from what I understand.”  She leaned over and kissed Jax real fast.  “I’ll be right back.  I need to go talk to my cousin that shares my birthday.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Miri ran outside and got her cousin’s attention.  “Zeke, I need to ask you something.”

Zeke looked at his cousin over his shoulder as she kicked up his skateboard.  “Hey Miri.”  He turned the nose of the board up so and headed in his older cousin’s direction.  “I’ll be right back”, he told Matt and Seth as she rolled past them.  When he got to Miri he stopped.  “Hey.  Happy birthday”, he joked.

She laughed.  “Back attcha.  Now, I have a question for you.  Have you been dancing in the videos your mom choreographs?”

“Yeah.  Been making good money at it too.  Why?”

“I had the idea to treat Gramma and Grampa tonight.  Kinda like, either you let us treat you or we don’t go kinda thing because you know how they can be.  I just feel that it’s time for us to take care of and kinda spoil them rather than them doing it to us.”

Zeke nodded.  “Let me talk to my parents about releasing the funds and I’m with you.  I agree with you 100%.”

She nodded as her phone vibrated in her pocket.  She pulled it out as she spoke.  “Cool.  I’ll let Jax know.  You talk to your Mom and Dad and get back to me about.”  Looking at the message her father had left her.  “Now, if you’ll excuse me I need to grab Jax and go get Gramma and Grampa from the cottage.  They’re ready to come in for the day.”

“When are we going to break it to Gramma and Grampa that they’re not paying for dinner?”

“When they bring it up to us about going to dinner.  That would be the best time I would think.”

Zeke nodded.  “Sounds good.  I’ll catch you later, Miri.”

Miri went back into the house as Zeke took off to skateboard with his cousins- one of which being Miri’s younger brother- for a little while before talking to his parents about Miri’s proposition.  “Baby, we need to go get Gramma and Grampa for the day.  They’re ready.  Dad just text me.”

“Alright.  Let’s go get your grandparents.”

---------------

It didn't take long for Miri and Jax to get out to the cottage to pick up her grandparents. When they pulled up, her grandparents were already standing there waiting for them. "Well hello there, birthday girl", David said jovially. "How are you today?"

She smiled as she got out of the golf cart.  “I’m good Grampa.  Thank you.”  She looked at the woman with whom she shared a birthday.  “Happy birthday, Gramma.”

Brie smiled at the girl.  “Thank you Miri.  Same to you.  How does it feel to be yet another year older?”

She shrugged.  “Not so bad.  I don’t mind it.  What about you?  You’re 82 today.  That has to be crazy for you.”

“It’s not so bad.  Today is one of the better days.  My back feels good.  My hands are working and not quite freezing.  It’s one of my better days”, she said, shrugging as well.

“To change the subject”, David said as he took a seat in the back, “have you conversed with Zeke on where you want to go for dinner tonight.”

Miri resisted the urge to laugh out loud.  “We’ve talked but not about that.”

“When are you going to talk about it?”

“We’re not.  Actually, we want to treat you two tonight.  This is not negotiable, by the way.  We pay or you two go to dinner alone.”

Brie laughed.  “And Zeke actually agreed to this?”

“All he’s got to do is talk to his parents about letting him spend a little bit of his money he’s been making dancing in the videos that Makayla’s been choreographing.”

“Oh yeah.  I forgot that Kay mentioned that when we talked last”, David mused under his breath.  “You’re dead set on this?  There is no bending you or changing your decision?”

She shook her head.  “Nope.  If you want us to have a happy birthday, then you’ll let us pay.”

The elderly couple laughed.  “Wow.  Then I guess we’re going to let you and Zeke treat us tonight”, Brie said.  “Happy birthday, Miriam.”

“Happy birthday to you too, Gramma.  Just sit back and enjoy the day.  Taking care of you today the least the rest of us can do for you and Grampa.  At least let us grandkids wait on you today.”

“If that’s what will make you happy Miriam, then your wish is our command”, David said.  “We won’t lift a finger.”