A Simple Life: Chapter 116 (Patreon)

When the hug was done Winona does not let me go, instead keeping one arm firmly around my side as we turn and slowly make our way toward the Anna Bella.  It was as if she was worried I might go running off at any second again.  She had nothing to be concerned about.  At her side was the only place I wanted to be right now.  She doesn’t prod me with questions or concerns, even though I knew she wanted to, instead just letting me feel safe in this moment.  She had faith that I would open up in my own way and my own time.  Not giving a damn who saw me I lay my head on her shoulder in a way that most would see as effeminate.  I needed her strength right now and she wasn’t only happy to lend it, she walked beside her needy baby girl boyfriend with pride!

As we near Grandpa’s home we are greeted from the yacht across the way.  “Good morning Avery.”

I look up to see a smiling kindly face peering down at us from the bow.  “Oh!  H-Hello Mrs. Jackson.”

“And who might this tall, dark and winsome creature be?”

“Winsome?”  Winona chuckles.

I giggle too.  “This is W-Winona.  My g-girlfriend.”

“Ah!  A cuter pair of June bugs I’ve never seen.”

“Whose this?”  Mr. Jackson steps up behind his wife, slipping an arm around her waist in much the same manner as Winona was holding me.  “Avery!”

“And Winsome Winona.”  Mrs. Jackson quips, then in an easily audible whisper adds.  “Avery’s lady friend.”

“Good to meet you two.”  Winona nods while they smile and nod back to her.  “You can call me Winnie if ya like.”

“This is M-Mr. and Mrs. Jackson.”  I say to her.  “Grandpa’s neighbors.”

“Neighbors for one more day.”  Mr. Jackson says.  “We’re moving on I’m afraid.”

“Oh!  You’re leaving?”

“Yeah.”  Mrs. Jackson says.  “We thought we’d head up to Vancouver Island for awhile then back home to California.”

“Ehkolie has been wonderful.”  Mr. Jackson gives his wife a squeeze.  “But we miss the grandkids.”

“Aw.  I b-bet they m-miss you very much.”

“Oh I know they do.”  He says.  “Mama here spoils them ROTTEN!”

“I do not!”  His wife playfully slaps his hand, then after a moment says guiltily.  “Well…maybe a little bit.”

We all share a chuckle.  “Hey.  That’s a grandma’s prerogative.”  Winona says.  “And nobody can say otherwise.”

“Yes!  Exactly.  She gets it.”

With a great big smile Mr. Jackson rolls his eyes.  “Anyway, it’s been great to meet you Avery.”

“Yes!”  I say.  “The feeling is m-mutual.”

“We should be up this way next year.  If not, the year after.”  He says, before adding under his breath.  “God willing.”

“We hope to see you again then.”  His wife says.

“I d-don’t plan on going anywhere.”  I say.  “I-I’ll be here.”

“And I hope we see you too winsome one.”  She winks.  “Maybe with a little Buttercup junior in tow?  Mmm?”

“Pffft!”  Winona guffaws as I blush.

“Claire!”  Mr. Jackson exclaims.

“We were both thinking it, I’m just allowed to say it.”  She says brightly while eating up the reaction the comment got.  “It’s a grandma’s prerogative.”

“And on that note I think we’d better get back to getting ready.”  Her husband says, shaking his head.  “It was good to meet you Winnie.  Avery, you take care of yourself young man.  And you keep looking after that Grandpa of yours too, okay?”

“I will.”

He points at me.  “Promise?”

I nod.  “I p-promise.”

“Good man.”  He nods back.

We say our goodbyes and the next minute I am leading Winona back up onto Bella.  I unlock her and have Winona follow me down into the galley.  I check on the coffee maker.  It was already turned off of course.  Grandpa getting me here had never been about the coffee.  Knowing that Winona had told her dad that she wouldn’t be long and that our trip to Chubs was likely out at this point I turn the coffee back on and start looking through the fridge.

“How’s an omelet sound?”  I say as I am already pulling out the eggs and bacon.

Winona stood in the little attached dining area looking around the room at the cornucopia of kitsch that covered ever square inch of wall.  “He won’t mind you raiding his kitchen?”

“Huh?”  That concern hadn’t even dawned on me.  “No.  G-Growing up I spent nearly as much t-time here as my h-house.”  I smile as I look around this oh so familiar room.  “And a l-lot more happy times.  This is h-home.”

“This place is so cool!”  She steps up to the starboard wall and leans in to start inspecting all the little items and souvenirs more closely. With a laugh she taps a plastic little grass-skirted hula dancer in front of her to watch it wiggle.  “Look at this stuff.  This is better than the museum.”

“I know, right?”  My heart is BEAMING with pride for my Grandpa’s eccentricities.  “I love it.  Even now I f-find stuff I never knew about.”

Straightening her glasses she looks up and down the wall of treasures as I busy myself with the creation of omelets.  For Winona I was already planning extra bacon, herbs and cheese for myself, and I would make Grandpa’s last so that it would be warm for him when he got home.

“Is this her?”

I look back over my shoulder to see her looking up at the photo of Anna which held pride of place among the menagerie.  “Yeah.  That’s Grandma.”  I say.  “He’s got a p-picture of her in every room.”

“She’s the only one he’s ever been with?”  She says softly as she touches the frame of the picture.  “The only woman he’s ever loved?”

“Yeah.  She’s the one.”

“I can see why.”  Winona says.  “She’s beautiful.  I can see a bit of her in you Sprout.”

“Th-Thank you.”  I smile.  “I always thought she w-was pretty.”

“What a woman she must have been.”  Stepping back she looks around.  “I see that he’s got a lot of pictures of someone else in here too.”

“Hm?”

“There.  There.”  She points at more photos hidden among the knick-knacks.  “Down there.”  Each of the pictures featured either just me or Grandpa and I together.  “I think he might have another special one in his life.”

“Yeah.”  I whisper.  “Paige, J-Jack, Josh, they all had their f-friends.  I had G-Grandpa.  I d-don’t know why he l-liked me so m-much.”

“Because he loves you, silly.”  Taking a mug from off of a hook she laughs as she looks at the photo printed onto it.  “Ha ha!  You’ve even got merch!”

I grin and shake my head at the silliness of that particular item.  “I d-don’t know why he got that made!”

“Ha ha ha!  Look at you!”  She studies the mug which depicted me at 12 standing in tall grass beside a mountain creek facing the camera with a big grin while pointing back behind me at an empty branch.  “What are you pointing at?”

“Nothing.”  I giggle.  “There WAS a bald eagle th-there.  It t-took off the moment G-Grandpa got the camera.  He t-took the picture anyway. I d-didn’t even know it had t-taken off.”  I turn and start cracking some eggs.  “D-Don’t ask me why he m-made a mug of that.”

“It’s because you were happy.  Look at that smile!”

“You w-want a coffee?”

“I’d love one!”

I hear her put the mug back on its hook.  “You can use it.”

“Oh no.”  She says as she steps in behind me and wraps her arms around my chest.  Nuzzling my ear she whispers.  “That one’s special.”  She kisses me.  “How you doin baby?”

I close my eyes, let out a long breath and melt back into her.  After a moment I answer softly.  “Mom was…extra d-difficult today.”

“We shoulda chosen another day, huh?”

“Yeah.”  I take another long breath.  “I’m…I’m g-glad we s-saw her today though.”

“Oh?”

“Dealing with Grandpa’s news…she l-let her guard down.”  I say.  “She l-l-let a secret slip out.”

“A secret?”

“Yeah.”  I open my eyes.  “A big one.”

I slip from her arms to get us both a mug then pour out a couple of coffees.  Winona stays at my back, her hands resting lightly on my shoulders.  In a very gentle voice she asks.  “Did she hurt you Avery?”

I shake my head no.  “J-Just my feelings.”

Turning me around to face her she touches the bottom of my chin and gazes into my eyes.  “That counts too baby.  Your feelings count too.”

“I know.”  I whisper then let out a long sigh.  “I’m f-feeling better now.”

“Okay.  If you need to talk…”

“I know.”  I say.  “I will.  B-But first I need to think about this for a little.  And I want to t-t-talk to Grandpa.”

She gives me a single understanding nod then lightly brushes my hair from my brow.  Still gazing she smiles.  “Hey.  I love you.”

Smiling back I say.  “I love you too.”

“In the meantime, you want me to off her?”

“Pbbssst.”  I giggle.  “Off my mom!?”

“No questions asked boss man.”  She jests in a hokey Godfather accent.  “You just say the word and she’s sleepin wit da fishes.”

“That’s a bit extreme d-don’t you think?”

She chuckles and pats my cheek.  “You’re probably right.”  Pulling me back into a strong hug she kisses me hard on the side of the head.  “You’ve got an interesting family Sprout.”

“Yeah.”  I say as the question of my paternity begins to flit at the edges of my thoughts.  “M-More than you even know.”

Chapter 117