Pretend (30 page)

             
He made us all laugh
 
because this was probably the hundredth time that he'd watched this single episode
. We never corrected him though. I
t
would have
only caused him more confusion.
 

             
"Now, I hope that my favourite
granddaughter
is going to look after herself whilst we're gone?" Grandma asked as she looked me dead in the eyes.

             
"Of course," I said as I sat in the chair next to her and threw my legs over hers.

             
"I'm staying with Uncle Harr
y, what could possible go wrong?
" I said with a smile on my face.

             
"Please don't force me to answer that, I might have a heart attack," she replied as she touched my nose with her index finger.

             
"That reminds me, I must phone Susan before we leave to tell her about the change of plans. Make sure
that you remind me before we go,"
 
M
om said as she stood to her feet.

             
"Ok," I replied.

             
"Right, I'm off to the little ladies room," she said before exiting through the door.

             
"So, how's Aunt May?" I asked in a more serious tone.

             
"Not too good sweetheart. We just have to try and make her last days comfortable," she replied as she tried to force back the tears that had now glazed over her eyes.

             
"I'm sorry G
randma," I said as I gave her a tight squeeze.

             
"Oh, it'll be ok, we all have our time on this earth and it has to come to end. She will be at peace with God, don't worry," she said as she winked at me.

             
"Anyway, enough about us oldies, tell me about that handsome young
 
man of yours," she said as a smile crept onto her lips.

             
"What handsome young man?" I asked with a confused expression on my face.

             
"Aiden
of course.
He has grown up lovely and I must say you two are quite the couple. You were so cute when we were all playing charades," she said.

             
"Oh no, G
randma, Aiden's not my boyfriend, he's just a friend. Well he's my best friend
’
s brother that's all," I said as I battled with my cheeks, trying to stop them from changing colour.

             
"
I know who Aiden is
.
I looked after you all enough times when you were younger. What I want to know is
why
he isn’t
your
boyfriend
?" She asked.

             
Oh great, she wasn't going to let this go.

             
"Well he's my best friend
’s brother G
randma and he's just a friend," I said in a bid to sound convincing.

             
"Nonsense, it doesn't matter who he is, when a boy looks at a girl like that, well it tells a story," she replied.

             
"What do you mean?" I asked in a state of confusion.

             
"Oh April, you'll find out soon enough. Now I think it's time
that
we started heading
 
to the airport don't you think?" She asked Bob who was now sat next to Gramps' wooden chair and watching touched by an angel with him.

             
"Yeah, M
oms just two minutes, this bit is getting good," he said as Grandma rolled her eyes at him.

             
"Yeah, ok. No p
roblem, I'll let her know," my m
om said as she entered the room. When I turned to look at her, I realised that she was on
 
her cell
 
phone.

             
"That was your u
ncle Harry," she said as she looked in my direction.

             
"What did he say?" I asked.

             
"He said that he had
forgotten that his
lady friend
was staying tonight, so he thinks it'll be better if you didn't stay after all," she said in a rather
disgusted voice. I assume that Uncle
Harry had given her much more detail than she cared to know, in his version.

             
"So, what am I going to do?" I asked in shock.

             
"Well it looks like you'll be staying at Susan's after all. Good job I didn't call her yet. I think
that
it's best that you stay there for the
 
whole week, since y
our uncle is going to have his
friends
round," she said as she smiled at me.

             
"Yeah, great," I mumbled.

             
"Right, time to get going," Bob said as he began helping Gramps out of his chair.

             
"Not
so rough Phillip! I bruise easily you know," Gramps shouted at Bob.

             
"Sorry P
ops," he said as he tried to hold back a laugh.

             
None of us actually knew who Phillip was but he insisted on calling Bob it, which I have to admit was funny.

So,
off to the Daniels' residence we go.
G
reat.

* * *

             
I had been sat in the car for ten minutes before my phone began to vibrate. When I looked at the screen, it was a message from Jake. I can't say that I was too excited to see his name pop up but I suppose it was a slight distraction from the whole situation right now.

             
Hey! Are you any good at bowling?
Jxx

             
No! Hell no! I'm terrible. I remember one time that
 
me, Aiden, Crystal and Anthony
 
went bowling, I actually forgot to let go of the ball and well, the rest is history. I didn't really believe that the ball could take you down the aisle with it until it actually happened to me. I was mortified and had tried to avoid bowling at all costs but I could
hardly tell Jake that, could I?

             
I'm not too bad, I suppose.

             
xXAprilXx

             
As I looked out of the car window, I realised that I was about five minutes away from having to face Aiden, since our kiss. I still can't believe that I did that.

             
What was I thinking?

             
The problem was that I couldn't get it out of my mind, so how was I suppose to cope w
hen he was stood in front of me?

             
As I felt my phone vibrate, I opened it and read the new message from Jake.

             
Cool. Bowling it is. See you around 7.
Jxx

             
Great! I
didn't bother to text back. M
y stomach was too busy doing back flips as we pulled up outside of Crystal's house.

             
"Ok, now behave yourself kiddo," Bob said as the car came to a halt.

             
"Of course she'll behave herself, she's a good girl," Grandma, quickly inter
r
upted.

             
"Thanks
Grandma," I said as I turned to kiss her on the cheek. She of course pulled me into a tight hug, which felt great.

             
"Have a safe journey, I'm going to miss you," I said when she finally let me go.

             
"You too sweetheart, you take care of yourself and remember my wise words," she said as she winked at me.

             
I had no idea what she meant but I smiled anyway and then stepped outside of the car. I walked up to Bob's door as he opened it and stepped out.

             
He gave me one of his big, bear hugs and kissed me on the forehead.

             
"Now, no parties, boys, drinking or any silly things whilst we're gone, ok?" He
 
said as he held me by the shoulders so that he could stare into my eyes.

             
"I won't," I said as I let out a laugh and hugged him again.

             
"I'm going to miss yo
u kiddo."

             
"You too Bob," I
replied as I buried my head in
his shoulder.

             
"Now, go
and say goodbye to your g
ramps before you make a grown man cry," he said as he wiped the corner of his eye.

             
"You're such a wimp Bob," I teased as I ran
a
round the car so that he couldn't catch me.

             
"You’re g
etting more
and more
like your grandma every
day, I see," he said as he smirked at me.

             
"She should be honoured. It could be worse, she could be getting a beer belly," she said as I burst out laughing.

             
"
Oh leave him alone Mother," my m
om said as she laughed and stroked Bob's belly.

             
Grandma just rolled her eyes and laughed. I'm sure
that
Aunt May's last days will be very entertaining with these guys around.

             
"By
e
Gramps," I said as I opened the car door and gave him a tight squeeze.

"Ok
Kelsey, stay out of trouble," he said as he attempted to twirl me round as usual.

             
"I will," I said as I closed in the door and walked towards my mom, who was already heading towards the house.

             
She quickly wrapped her arm around my shoulders and gave me a little squeeze.

             
"Oh, I'm going to miss my baby. A whole week without me telling you to get up for school, do you think
that
you can manage?" She asked.

             
"Of course M
om.
I'm going to miss you though and those bacon sandwiches of course," I said as I giggled.

             
"Well you just behave yourself and help around the house, don't be lazy, ok?"

             
"Yes M
om," I said as I rolled my eyes at the thought of chores.

             
"Good," she said before knocking the door.

             
"Coming," I heard Crystal and Aiden's mom say from behind the door.

             
"Right, if you want to talk to me, here's the number, oh and here's the address in the case of an emergency," she said as she handed me a piece of paper along with my mini suitcase.

             
"Ok," I replied as I folded it up and slipped it inside of my pocket.

             
"Kelsey!"

             
"Susan," my mom replied as they threw their arms around each other.

             
"Oh, it has been a long time. I'm so
sorry to hear about your aunt.”

             
"It's ok and thanks so much for a
greeing to let April stay," my m
om replied.

             
"Oh, it's no problem at all, it's my pleasure. Wow and how grown up and pretty are you," she said as she turned to face me before throwing her arms around me.

             
"Thank you," I answered shyly.

             
"Right, we better be off," my m
om said.

             
"Yes, of course,"
 
Mrs Daniels
 
replied as she waved her hand in the air at Bob, Grandma and Gramps.