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What Happens At Grandma's, Stays There

Sean

The young boy rubbed his eyes as the morning rays landed across his face. Feeling the nudging of an elbow in his side, startled him awake. He turned his head looking over his shoulder at the teary eyed girl beside him. Cara had been crying again and woke her twin brother up for comfort. She’d been having nightmares since their mom died. One would say that his lack of sleep could correlate to their Mom’s absence. Sean had become quiet and distant, not many people were able to get him to speak, except Cara.

Today was going to be unlike any day since their Mom’s untimely death; their father was coming to get them from their grandparents. Major Erick James Hadley rushed home from abroad to get the twins and wrap up any lingering legal paperwork. Being a Marine officer who seemed to always be busy at work, was all the kids knew about him. Sean and Cara never got to know him as Dad.

The children’s nervousness was boiling over with severe anxiety thinking about their new lives without Mom. She was the backbone and sole caretaker of the kids since they were born. The twins, Sean and Cara, had spent very little time around their father, EJ. His job was being a Marine. Unlike their mother, Eleya, being a parent was not something that came natural to him. He could command a group of men, but wrangling twins had the well-trained officer spinning in his heels.

Sean rolled around and put his arm across his sister drawing her in close. Cara’s sobs were muffled in his chest, his shirt soaking up her tears. Between his sister’s growing restlessness and the murmurs of the conversations from within the house halted his attempts of falling back asleep.

The lingering smell of food wafted into the bedroom, but like his sleep, his appetite dwindled to a bite here or there. His mom’s grandparents tried their best to sooth the children, but nothing worked better than a mother’s loving touch. It pulled at their heartstrings making them feel helpless in the children’s time of need.

Sean eavesdropped on numerous conversations regarding the growing concern of their father being their sole guardian now. Eleya meticulously organized their home,  the kid’s needs and challenges with witty confidence rivaling even her own mother’s parenting. How could their father handle one child, much less two, when he barely spent much time with either at home? They felt like he was more so a stranger, than the children’s own father.

Sean had showered and dressed while Cara curled into his pillow on the bed.  A dried crusty trail of tears still evident on her chin as she lightly slept, carefully Sean had walked over to the bed and sat down. He placed his hand onto her shoulder to wake her.  Starting off with a gentle shake he shook a bit more and called her name.

“Cara,”he said a bit louder than he’d intended, but she was a hard sleeper.  She batted her eyes open looking around the bedroom. Cara’s gaze diverted to Sean.  “Grammy and Gramps have breakfast ready.  They’ve called us a couple times already.”

Cara nodded and slithered out of bed. Her shoulders slouched as she meandered around the bed and into the bathroom.  Sean could hear the running water from the sink and shook his head.  She’d only washed her face.  Coming out of the bathroom, she gave him a somber look and gaze down onto the floor waiting for him to lead them to the kitchen table.  

Sean took her by the shoulder, moving them through the doorway and down the hall to the dining room.  Gramps had pulled out a seat for Cara allowing her time to sit before scooting it back in place.  He mussed up Sean’s hair and motioned for the young boy to take his seat.  The plates and silverware were already set and a glass  juice sat nearby.  Sean looked to the older couple and gave a thankful nod and grin.  Cara stared down upon the plate and knives, not really hearing the conversation occuring around her.

Grammy had started spooning out the food and handing the small tray-like plates towards Sean passing around the food for them to pick and choose. Sean had gotten a hefty spoon of eggs and a biscuit.  He’d waited for the gravy bowl to come around to pour it over the biscuit.  He recalled that being his favorite meal at his grandparent’s house.

Grammy looked between the members at the table, she hesitated several times trying to put words together.  She took a slow deep breath and a sip of her herbal tea.

“Cara, Sean,” she mentioned.  “Your father will be here today to get you.  Won’t you be glad to have him home?”

She looked between the grandkids trying to gauge their reactions.  Cara sat stiffly in her seat, the food now being passed to her.  She shook her head.  “No,” she replied cooly.  “I just want Momma.”

Sean’s gaze shifted around the room and between the grandparents and Cara.  He had mixed feelings.  He was missing his mom, but likewise, it could be the chance to get to know his father.  EJ was a busy man and never seemed to have time at home when on leave to spend time with him or Cara.

Instead of giving a definitive answer, he just shrugged and nodded.  “I dunno,” he mumbled.

The grandparents gave each other a nervous look but continued with the meal.  Sean’s appetite was chaste and he still had half a biscuit loaded with gravy on his place.  Cara’s plate was untouched.  Her eyes fixed on one point, unwavering.  

Sean wished there was something he could say or do, but like himself. He longed for their mother.  Unlike Cara, he was willing to give their father a chance.  It was all they had left aside from their mother’s parents.  The lack of her presence was intense among everyone.  

Sean wondered if they would be going back to their house on the outskirts of base or if they would be living in the housing on base.  If they were moving, when and where.  He had a few questions he wanted to ask, just so he could prepare himself for what was to come for them.  There was only so much that a 9 year old boy could do for his twin sister, but he would do what was in his capabilities to help. He only hoped that their father could see the turmoil that Cara was going through.

Breakfast had come and gone with very little noise heard from the grandchildren’s rooms as they mottled about packing their things for the arrival of their father.  Sean had grown a collection of stuff since his arrival to their mom’s parents house.  Most of it was memorabilia off their mom when she grew up.  He proposed staying in her room versus Cara, but his sister ended up sleeping beside him on the bed anyway.

Sean had looked at all the pictures and drawings plastered on the wall, mostly of his mom in her teenage years and her friends.  Some were drawings she had done in various clubs and her art class.  He had even squirreled through her yearbooks and photos finding different photos to remind him who his mom was.  It had come to his realization through this pilfering that he favored their mom, while Cara favored EJ’s mother.  Sean had the straight sandy blonde hair and sky blue eyes, while Cara had strawberry blonde hair and hazel-blue eyes.  Her eyes tended to go from a blue to a blue-green.  The madder that Cara got, the greener her eyes would turn.  Sean tended to be the most laid back of them both.  

In the end, their facial structure and body frames both appeared the same.  Eleya kept them busy with various community activities from sports, arts, museums, scouts and anything that would help expand their ever-growing minds and hearts.

Sean had gotten a small shoulder bag that he put those things in, while his duffel bag was filled with his clothes and a light jacket.  He’d folded up the freshly washed clothes and placed them into the side pockets.  

Worry started growing in his little mind.  Would he ever get to see Grammy and Gramps again?  Or would this be the last time?  He hoped his father wouldn’t be so cruel to keep them away from the last happy connection to their mother.  

From past experience, he knew his father’s strict policies and expectations of the kids.  They were to be polite, courteous, and prompt.  Sean recollected the night when Cara was sick and backtalked their father absentmindedly.  Their father took a wooden spoon from the kitchen and paddled her with it. Cara cried for several nights after that telling Sean that it hurt to even lay down.  Their mother attended a book club that night and it was just the twins and their father.  

Sean and Cara agreed silently that their time with EJ would be minimal when he was on leave.  They coerced their mom into spending nights with friends or grandparents instead of being home when he was.  Now, the two kids didn’t have a choice in the matter.  It was dad or nothing, or so the kids thought.

The phone in the living room rang and Sean paused in his place.  Small footsteps padded over the carpeted hallway and stopped.  He put the last bits of his stuff and zipped up the bag.  A cool wind whipped into the room with his sister.  She looked at Sean with a deep fear in her eyes.  

“Dad’s on his way,” she whispered.  “He’s at the base and leaving to come here.”

She grabbed his arm and squeezed.  “Can’t we stay here?” she pleaded.  Her hand repetitively grabbing his arm hoping that he could talk to their dad about living here.  

Sean shook his head and tried to listen to their grandparent’s hushed conversation in the room.  From Cara’s pleas to him, it seemed that Grammy was pleading the same to Gramps.  Neither males knew what to say or do.

“Let’s give Dad a chance,” he said to Cara.  “We aren’t the only one who lost someone.  Okay?”

Sean hefted the duffel bag on one shoulder and had the other bag in hand.  “Come on,” he said over his shoulder to Cara as he walked out of his mom’s childhood bedroom.  Cara fell to the floor and watched him leave.  

Sean walked to the living room and placed his bag out of the way and took a seat near the arm of the couch.  His attention moved between his grandparents and the front door as he sat quietly on the couch.

Cara eventually made her way out to the living room and sat next to Sean.  She looked down and kept her eyes closed.  He wasn’t sure, but didn’t think she dozed off.  

The knock on the door startled everyone, a squeak was heard behind them in the kitchen.  It must’ve been Grammy, Sean thought.

Gramps strolled to the door and opened it.  EJ was there.  His 6 foot tall structure seemed much more intimidating when he was in uniform.  Today, he was wearing a button up shirt and blue jeans.  He appeared to look like all the other kids’ dads, normal.  

EJ shook Gramps hand and let the older man pull him in for a hug.  EJ appeared to be doing it more out of respect than the desire to need a hug.  A personal conversation could only be read on their lips as Gramps tried to plead to EJ’s nature.  Let the kids stay.  They aren’t a burden.  Sean could only make out a few things here or there and put the pieces together.  

EJ looked over at the two younger versions of him and Eleya and back to the older couple.  “I think we just need some time, Sir,” he said with a small crackling of his voice.  “I will think it over.  The kids school principal told me upon arrival that they could take as much time off as they needed to recover.”

“How about you?  Your work, Erick?” asked Grammy wiping her hands on a towel, tears starting to creep over her eyes and onto her cheeks.   

EJ looked towards her and nodded.  “I’m done,” he said softly. “My contract ended, I was just doing extra work.” 

His eyes and head lowered for a bit.  “My CO said it would be best that I not be the lifer that I had initially wanted to be. He said it would be best I go home and be a dad to the kids.”

He gave a small, nervous chuckle. “I’m not sure how I’m going to do that, ma’am,” he said.  “I’ve instructed new Marines.  I’ve commanded platoons on the battlefield.  I’ve yet learned how to navigate parenthood.  I left that solely to Elle.  She was a natural.”

His face contorted with different emotions as he thought about his deceased wife.  He was processing how to handle her loss and the gain of two young kids.  He was lost.

“Erick,” said Grammy.  “You don’t have to do this alone.  We can help.”

She moved towards him and wanted to extend her own affections and sympathy to him, but held back.

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said, clearing his throat.  “I’ve also received news that with my contract ended that we’ll have to move.  The house is owned by the base.  That allowed Elelya the ability to invest and spend the allotted rent monies elsewhere.  I’ve got to look over all the household paperwork she filed and documented, before I can make any confirmed decisions.  We’ll be staying another month, at the latest.”

Sean and Cara looked between one another.  This could be their chance to stay here.  Cara reached and squeezed for Sean’s hand at the news.

“So, what are your plans for this evening, EJ?” said Grammy.

EJ took a deep breath in and exhaled letting his shoulder slump.  Exhaustion rippled through his body like a strong undercurrent. His eyes grazed over the kids huddled together on the couch behind her.

“I think we’ll head home tonight,” EJ said.  “There’s a lot of things I need to start doing, however, we can stay for supper.”

A small twinkle in his eyes overrode the sleepy eyes. He recalled that his mother-in-law’s cooking was mouthwatering tasty. Besides, after being stationed abroad for 3 months, he was in dire need of a home cooked meal.  

Cara bounced in her spot on the couch clapping her hands.  Sean looked hesitant, nervous about what the future would hold for them after they left Gramps and Grammy. Knowing they would be going home after supper, alone with their father, left a pit of ugliness in his stomach making him feel he should retreat to the bathroom.