Chapter 224 Grandpa Jack Needs Help
Balancing the threat between running through the snow and ice to catch Case and potentially falling again, this time with no one to catch her, and losing him—at least for the time being until he calmed down—Andrea half ran, half shuffled through the snow, calling Case’s name, praying he’d stop.
If he was already worried that something was going on between her and Malcolm, and that’s why he’d been acting so oddly the last day or so, then hearing her jokingly tell Malcolm, “You know you want me,” definitely hadn’t helped the situation, even though she would’ve thought Case would know she was joking. As quickly as he was walking, though, she had a feeling he didn’t think any of it was funny.
Case wasn’t headed for the house. It was clear from the trajectory of his march that he was headed right for the rental truck. That meant he was leaving. If he left, it would be so much harder to explain herself. “Case! We were joking!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “Please, stop! Let me explain!”
He seemed to slow for a second, but he was obviously highly irritated because he didn’t even turn to look at her. Andrea swore under her breath as Case continued.
Then, the front door opened, just as Andrea entered the main yard, and her mother lurched out. “Andrea! Case! Help! It’s Grandpa!”
That was enough to get his attention. Case spun to look at Karen as quickly as Andrea did. “What’s the matter?” Andrea shouted, running toward the steps. Case was closer and faster and got their first. Her mom leapt back inside, and Case followed, Andrea scrambling to catch up.
“I don’t know. I thought he was reading his paper, but when I went in to check on him…. He’s so still! He has a pulse, but I don’t know what to do!” Karen said, running into the parlor.
“Call the emergency number!” Andrea insisted, following Case into the parlor. Grandpa Jack was sitting in his chair, his head over to one side, the paper limp on top of him. “Grandpa!”
They both kneeled down next to him. Case checked his pulse while Andrea grabbed his hand. “Jack—open your eyes, Jack!” Case insisted.
Grandpa stirred slightly, looking up at them through slanted eyes. “I heard shouting,” he said quietly.
“Everything’s fine. Don’t worry about that,” Case said, though the look he gave Andrea said otherwise. “What hurts?”
“Are you sure?” Grandpa Jack asked. “It sounded like you were fighting.”
“Don’t worry about us, Grandpa,” Andrea said. “Where are you hurting? Is it your heart?”
“Yes. My heart aches because the two of you are fighting,” Jack said, sitting up slightly. “What’s going on?”
Andrea was confused. She looked at Case, who wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Nothing, really. It’s just… I went on a walk with my friend, Malcolm. I slipped on the ice, like you said I might, Grandpa, and he tried to catch me, but we both fell. We were joking around, and Case overheard and thought I was serious. But… Grandpa, my friend Malcolm is gay. That’s what he wanted to talk to me about.” She wasn’t really talking to her grandpa at the time, she was talking to Case.
He was looking at her now. “Gay?”
“As they come.” The voice behind them was Malcolm. “Is Grandpa okay?”
“Oh, I’m fine!” Grandpa Jack said with a chuckle, sitting up all the way. “Just concerned about all that shouting. And a little tired.”
“Wait—you’re fine?” Case asked, turning to look at Karen who was standing in the doorway next to Malcolm.
Andrea’s mother shrugged. “Well, we couldn’t let the two of you continue to fight over something silly, could we?”
“You were in on this, Mom?” Andrea couldn’t believe what was she was hearing.
Again, Karen’s shoulders went up and down. “We had to do something to make you talk.”
“All that shouting… and then there was the could shouldering that had been going on since yesterday. That was uncomfortable for everyone,” Grandpa added.
“So you pretended like you were dying to get us to talk?” Case stood and folded his arms.
Grandpa Jack looked sheepish. “No one ever said I was dying.”
Tim walked in from the back of the house. “Is everything okay?”
“Fine—now,” Karen said, grabbing her husband by the arm and leading him back the way he came. “Talk it out, kids.”
“I think I’ll go now.” Malcolm was backing toward the door, giving Andrea a little wave.
“All right. Good luck with Alexander. And Merry Christmas,” Andrea called, but she wasn’t about to hug him goodbye, not in front of Case.
“Good luck with… everything.” Malcolm looked at Case and then headed out, calling, “Merry Christmas,” over his shoulder as he went.
“Let’s go upstairs and talk,” Andrea requested, offering Case her hand. He needed to hear her out, but they needed their privacy.
“All right,” he agreed, taking her hand.
Grandpa Jack chuckled again, and Andrea turned and glared at him. Maybe she should be thankful for his trickery, but it sure had scared the crap out of her.
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