A Simple Life: Chapter 117 (Patreon)

I cook up our omelets and even manage some shredded hash browns in another pan as Winona looks through all the knick-knacks while she sips her coffee.  I was beginning to worry that we might have to eat without Grandpa when hear the clunk-clunk of him stepping onto the deck above.

“Perfect t-timing.”  I say as I start to dish out the fried potatoes.

“What is this smell?”  I hear his voice coming in from the stairway.

“Breakfast!”  I call to him.  “C-Come and get it.”

Grandpa appears in the doorway with a perplexed smile on his face.  He was probably wondering why I seemed so upbeat after what he knew was not a good meeting with my mom.

“Coffee’s on, Mike.”  Winona says.  “Lemme get you one.”  Tucking in beside me she pulls out a mug and pours him one.

“Sugar and cream.”  I whisper to her as I scrape out the last little bits of charred green onions out over his hash browns.

Without missing a beat she squeezes past behind me to finish his coffee.  With a stir and clink of spoon on ceramic she holds out his coffee, ready and just how he liked it.  “You’re coffee, Captain.”

His smile grows as he steps in and accepts it from her.  “Look at all this.”  He says, looking over the three plates that I was assembling.

“We p-promised you breakfast.”  I say.  “Our treat.”  After setting down the pan I wipe my hands and go to hug my grandpa.

Slipping his free arm around me he hugs me back and gives me a bristly kiss to the cheek.  “How you doin, Buttercup?”

“Better.”  I say with a smile.  “A lot b-better.”

He pats my cheek and gives it a loving rub with his thumb before turning to watch Winona already carrying plates and silverware to the little table.  “Let Avery or I get that.  You’re our guest!”

“Ah.”  She says.  “I got it.”

“Fresh cooked food and service with a smile?”  He says.  “You two are giving Chub a run for his money.”

With good feelings flowing we bring everything to the table then squeeze in around it.  With a happy twinkle in his eye Grandpa looks back and forth between us then proceeds to dig in.  Winona and I follow his lead.

Except for a couple of concerning coughing fits from Grandpa our breakfast together is absolutely wonderful.  We talk about all sorts of things.  From the Jackson’s leaving to Winona and Amos’ plan with the garage to the different trinkets around the room to an extended grilling about Grandpa’s experience with FoF.  Poor Grandpa really had to strain his memory to recall the details of the couple of times he tried the game but Winona ate it up so he did his best.  It was kinda cool for me too as it drudged up old stories even he’d forgotten about.

But the best, the very best, part of the breakfast were the little glances he would shoot me from time to time as Winona talked about this or that.  The spark I saw there made his faded blue eyes shine true again.  He liked her!  He approved of her and he really, really liked her, even when she was geeking out on FoF.  Just one of those little looks was enough to erase all the pain my mother brought me this morning.  My joy went so much deeper than simply being happy that he liked my girlfriend.  He knew that I had someone now.  I wasn’t alone anymore.  I had someone kind and caring and funny and perfect and smart and beautiful in my life.  He could see that I was going to be okay.  He wasn’t going to have to worry quite so much about his fragile little Buttercup anymore.

Too soon Winona wipes her mouth with a napkin and gets up from the table.  “I gotta go.  Dad’s waiting for me.”  She says as she carries her dishes to the sink.  “Can I just leave your bike in the lot, Sprout?”

“Oh, um, s-sure.”  I say as I hurry to get up.  “N-Need help?”

“Nah.  I got it.”  She steps into me.  In one smooth motion she hooks her hand around my slender waist and pulls me into her for a kiss.  “You guys have stuff to talk about.”

“Yeah.”  I whisper, a bit flushed from the smooch.  “M-Miss you.”

“Come see me after work?”

I nod.  “I’d l-like that.”  

She kisses me again then slips away.  “I’ll see myself out.  It was awesome meeting you, Mike.”

Grandpa was on his feet and the pair share a very grandfatherly hug.  “It was a dream, my dear.”  He says.  “You are welcome back here anytime you like.”  He looks into her eyes.  “And thank you.”

She grins and shrugs.  “It was nothin.”  After one last longing look to me she sighs.  “Okay.  Gotta go.”

“Have a g-good day Winsome W-Winnie.”

She points.  “Don’t even start.”

I giggle.  “Isn’t she winsome, Grandpa?”

He laughs, not in on the joke but catching the vibe.  “Oh yes.  Quite winsome.”

“You’re lucky there’s an elder here.”  She says as she backs out of the galley, still pointing my way.  “We’ll talk tonight.”

“He he he!”

With a smile and a wink she is on her way.

Grandpa and I listen to her footsteps recede off the boat and down the plank before he turns to me.  “What a woman.”

“She’s the b-best.”  I step closer to him and put my arm around his shoulders.  “I f-found my Anna.”

“Watching you two together…I think you have my boy.”

After the dishes are dealt he grabs another coffee and I make myself a tea and we head up on deck to drink them in the fresh air.  We settle into our usual chairs and at the bow we sit to watch and listen to the harbor around us.  Grandpa lights up and takes a few puffs before at last speaking.

“I talked with Joni.”  He says.  “I knew it was going to be difficult.  I had no idea it was going to be that bad.”

“Yeah.”  I say softly.  “N-Now I understand why you w-wanted to keep it quiet.”

“Listen Avery.”  Putting his cigarette in the tray he reaches across to take my hand in his.  “Once the Anna Bella is yours…she’s yours.  If you want to keep her, you keep her.  If you want to sell her…”

“No Grandpa!”

He squeezes my hand.  “You do what you think is best.  Okay?”  He turns toward me to lean closer.  “I am so proud you Avery.  I love you so much.  In the end it’s just a boat, okay?”  He repeats to drive home the point.  “It is just a boat.  I don’t want it ever to become a burden for you.”

“It’s not a b-b-burden.”  I stutter as I feel tears begin to swell.  “I l-l-love you too G-Grandpa.”

“Come here.”  Leaning across he pulls me into a long and much needed hug.  After we settle back again he asks.  “If she gets too much let me know, okay?  I’ll talk to her.”

“Okay.”  After taking a breath and a sip of tea to settle myself again I say.  “Grandpa?”

“Yes Buttercup?”

“Whose m-m-my r-real dad?”

He freezes a moment as he stares back at me, stunned confusion etched across his weathered features.  He didn’t know!

“Your real dad?”  He says.  “What are you talking about Avery?”

“Mom.  She w-w-was angry.”  I say.  “Sh-She said that I w-was s-selfish.  Like m-my real dad.  She ch-cheated on D-Dad.  I’m n-not a B-Beckett Grandpa.”

“Oh my God.  She said that to you?”  In all our years I had never seen Grandpa more at a loss as to what to say or do.  “She said that to you!?”  Taking my hand again, this time gripping it in both of his, he holds it tight and says.  “Avery.  If I would have known, I would have told you.”

I swallow and nod. “I f-figured.”

“If I…”  His words are cut off by another spasm of coughing.  Not knowing what else to do I rub his back until he gets through it.  After a swig of coffee to clear his throat he lets out a huff.  Staring down into the water he thinks back.  “It was right around then that things started to go sour between your mom and dad.  I guess I’m not surprised but…to keep it a secret from you?”  Bending forward he sighs and covers his face with a hand.  “God.  What are you doin to him, Joni?”

“Sh-She blames me f-for Dad leaving.”  I whisper, rising feelings starting to choke my words.  The ticking timer on the hurt-bomb that my mom planted in my heart was just now reaching 0.  “At l-l-least I know n-now wh-why they n-never l-l-loved me.”

Grandpa is on his feet and pulling me to mine and into a hug before I even know it.  “Don’t you talk like that Buttercup.  They loved you!  Your family loves you Avery!”

I hug my Grandpa tight and hide my face in his shoulder.  “It’s n-not my f-fault, Grandpa.”

“No my boy.  No, it isn’t.”

“You know what?  Know wh-what?”  I sniffle angrily and swallow.  “I’m g-glad he’s not my d-dad.  I d-don’t n-need a dad!  Th-Th-They can have him!  Who n-needs a crummy, stupid old ugly dad wh-when you g-g-g-got the b-best Grandpa in the world!  Huh?”

“Aw my boy.”

“Y-You’re a b-b-better dad th-than he ever was!”

“Avery…”

“I’m g-glad I’m n-not his!  I’m g-g-glad he left!  I’m g-glad I’m n-not a B-Beckett!”  I gulp a few hard breaths as a flood of emotion I hadn’t even known was there comes rushing to the surface all at once.  “H-He d-doesn’t w-want me!?  W-W-Well I don’t want him!”  My body trembles.  “I h-hate him Grandpa!  I hate him!”

“Okay.  Okay.”  He says, his voice low and warm, as he strokes my back.  “It’s going to be okay.  Everything is going to be okay.”

Chapter 118