It's All Relative(138)

Kai had to laugh that she’d found a silver lining in all of this. But then he sighed, as he looked over the hope on his grandmother’s face. She was praying he would stay here, even knowing what he knew now. And he planned to, but not in the way she was imagining. His home was with Jessie, and his grandmother needed to know that, but his relief that she was alive evaporated his earlier nerves about sitting down and talking with her. He could get through this, because she was okay, and she was still going to be okay after he told her everything that was in his heart. They all would be.

Rubbing her shoulder, he told her, “Well, about that, Gran…” He glanced over at Jessie, then grabbed her hand. “Jessie and I have some things we should talk to you about. How about we go inside?”

When the trio walked back into the house, Kai easily spotted the evidence of today’s tragic events—an overturned chair in the kitchen, a shattered teacup on the floor. Gran sighed as she looked around. “She invited herself over for tea. I knew your father was speaking with you, Kai, since he called me this morning, so I welcomed the distraction. Plus, I liked Betty. She was a sweet old gal. I tried to help her when she collapsed, but there was nothing I could do.”

She sighed again, her face forlorn, and Kai patted her shoulder. “You did your best, Gran.”

Releasing Jessie’s hand, he got to work cleaning up the mess. Gran shouldn’t have to keep looking at the reminder. Jessie moved to help him, and Gran shook her head. “I can handle that. You two don’t need to.”

Her face sparkling with relief and love, Jessie smiled at the older woman. “We know you can, Grams, but we want to help. So please don’t be difficult and let us.”

Gran threw her hands up in the air, but there was a prideful smile on her face. While Kai and Jessie cleaned up the mess, she explained again everything that happened with her neighbor. As badly as he felt for Betty, Kai was still awed and amazed that Gran was fine; he’d been so sure that had been her on the stretcher.

After the kitchen was returned to normal, Gran lifted an eyebrow at Kai. “Ready for that talk now? I’m sure there is a lot you want to say to me.”

Grabbing Jessie’s hand again, for support and comfort, Kai nodded. Yes, there were several things he wanted to say. They moved to the living room, where everyone would be more comfortable. Kai and Jessie sat close together on the couch, while Gran took a seat in her favorite chair. Kai and Jessie were still holding hands, but Gran didn’t seem bothered by the affection. If anything, she seemed pleased that they were closer than ever after the bombshell Kai had just received; hopefully she’d still feel that way after she learned just how close they really were.

Kai stroked the back of Jessie’s hand while he tried to think of a good way to open the conversation. His grandmother watched the movement with furrowed brows, but then her expression shifted to concern. “Kai, dear, are you all right? What you learned about your life, couldn’t have been easy for you. It’s been difficult…for everyone involved.”

Kai had to agree with her assessment. This sham, this lie…it had stressed his relationship with his father, caused him to doubt his mother, and made him think for a long time that Mason hated him. He glanced at Jessie before answering his grandmother. She was the only bright spot to come out of it, and it was bright enough to shove the dark spots so far into the background, they didn’t hurt him nearly as much as they should. Returning his eyes to Gran, he calmly said, “Honestly, I’m fine, Gran.” He frowned as he considered that she wasn’t really his grandmother. “Do I still call you Grandma?”

Reaching over, she swatted his knee just as she’d swatted his bottom when he was a toddler. “Of course you do. Who fathered you doesn’t change the fact that we’re family.” Her aged eyes shifted from Kai to Jessie. “We are all still family.”

Jessie bit her lip, and she and Kai locked gazes. Kai knew just what she was thinking, since he was thinking it too. They had to tell her, and she’d just given them an opening. When they both looked back at her, Gran was clearly stumped over their silent conversation. Kai cleared his throat. “Um…Gran.” He worried his lip for a moment, unsure how to proceed. How did he explain that he was in love with the woman he’d been told was his cousin? “I…well, we…” He indicated Jessie with his free hand while simultaneously lifting their joined fingers. “We’ve decided…not to be family.”

Gran bunched her brows, deeply confused. Then her expression turned fiery. “Now listen here, Kai Harper, you can’t just decide something like that. You are family, regardless of what your blood says, and I won’t allow the two of you to think otherwise. You don’t abandon family, and you can’t choose to not be connected anymore. It doesn’t work that way.”

Kai grinned and a nervous laugh escaped him. “Well, no, we’re still going to be connected, Gran. Deeply connected…just not in a family sort of way.”

Still not understanding, Gran shook her head. Kai was about to try and explain further, when Jessie laughed and looped her arms around his body. Snuggling into his side, she said, “What he’s trying to say is that we’re dating. We’re boyfriend and girlfriend.” She turned to him and smiled so brightly, Kai felt it all the way to his toes. “We’re in love with each other.”

Kai peeked at his grandmother, to see her reaction. Many things fluttered across her face. Understanding, compassion, clarity, and curiosity. “Oh…I see,” she whispered. She seemed paler than before, and definitely shocked. She hadn’t seen that coming. Kai hoped the news didn’t send the ambulance back here.