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“So, let’s discuss some things, shall we?” Gram says, taking a sip of her piping hot tea.
“Jude, if I may?” I say with a gentle smile.
She frowns but waves her hand anyway.Proceed.
“We’ve discussed the wedding and what we want and, well, Gram, as this is just as big a milestone for you as it is for us, we would like to give you the creative control to plan the wedding and have it go as you see fit.”
Gram smiles. “Of course, but I don’t believe that was ever a question, Chase.”
I hesitate to reply.
“I’ve already got you a planner and everything. I mean, the wedding is less than two months away. We needed to have things planned yesterday. You really think I was just sitting on my hands waiting for you to give me permission?”
I clear my throat, “I thought that’s what we were here to discuss.”
“Chase, honey, we have plenty to discuss, not in terms of your wedding though. But of yourmarriage.”
Jude audibly swallows next to me. That makes two of us.
“Oh,” I say through a limp laugh. “Wonderful. Well… fire away Gram.”
And fire away she does. An unending barrage of some of the most invasive questions Gram could possibly ask.
“You’ll be buying a new home, won’t you?” Gram begins.
“She’ll move in with me.”
“She can’t move into your bachelor pad.”
The historic Savannah home I purchased nearly ten years ago is a far cry from a bachelor pad. “It’s already a home away from home for me,” Jude says.
Gram’s eyebrows fold with impending ire. “You don’t mean to tell me she’s already staying there, Chase.”
“No, no! Of course not. That would be –”
“Improper.”
Jude nods. “Yes, we’d never dream of being improper.”
At least Jude is on my side insofar as trying to sell Gram on our fake relationship.
Questions continue from there, even when the food comes. Gram ignores her food to continue talking while I try and nudge my plates of extra food toward Jude. She doesn’t seem to take the bait. And she barely touches her anemic-looking oatmeal.
“You won’t be returning for the next school year, I take it?”
Jude freezes. “Um.”
“Seeing as you’ll be marrying Chase, you’ll need to keep the home now. You can do your art in your free time if you like, right, Chase?” Gram asks.
Jude looks over at me, shame painted on her face. “Yes, that’s the plan.”
If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t be in this position in the first place.
“That’s wonderful. Wonderful, Jude.” Gram reaches out and grabs Jude’s hand. “That means you two can start on the children as soon as possible.”
I drop my fork. It clatters harshly. “Gram.”
“Do not admonish me with that tone, I’m yourgrandmother.”
