February has Arrived 🖤

 

Grand Betty (She'd never heard her grandkids call her anything else except G.B. lately) was at her wits' end, there was so much horrid news. She didn't even want to watch, but she couldn't help herself from listening in about the nineteen-year-old from Omaha who had taken the two girls from Indiantown, Florida. Of course, she guessed they must have thought it was just a roadtrip. It was someone they knew from a gaming app.

She could see Kat and Chloe getting into something like that. Leave it to Kat, no less. Betty didn't want to think the worst of Kat but she was becoming a teenager fast. And her father and mother had no time for her these days so Betty had to be the one to keep those two in line. She'd never really had any problems with Theo, but he didn't seem to notice anything about his sisters anymore. Too much gaming, she supposed, but there were plenty of boys in the neighborhood who would shoot hoops with him, so maybe he was looking out for them.

Still, she couldn't sleep lately. Her husband told her they were old enough to stay at their house on their own. "Isn't that why their other grandmother got her house in order for them?" He was being his usual Mr. Hard to Get Along Self. She didn't want to think he was a drama queen, but she knew he wanted all her attention. Still, he liked the idea the girls embraced his granddaughter Carrie, and the holidays had been sweet and cozy. Now it was February, and winter was hanging on.

The doorbell rang, and the girls hushed. Kat went to turn the TV down. It was as if no one wanted to go to the door. Of course, Kat was brave enough. It was a teen. Probably someone wanting Theo, but he asked if Kat could come out.

"No. I can't." She was rather adamant, but then Betty was the one who had taught her to keep her ground and not to give in.

Betty sighed. It was cold with an unbearable wind. "Let him in."

"But." Kat's face scrunched with attitude. Still, Betty was certain it must have been Theo's friend. Of course, he was wearing his hair tucked in a beanie and cool-looking shades in this deceptive sunny weather. She didn't know who he was.

Betty went to the kitchen to get a few juice boxes and the popcorn, which had no salt, but the little ones didn't seem to mind. It was better for them to have air-popped corn.

When she got back, there he was, looking all Prince Valiant, sitting next to Kat with his arm around her. Kat gave her a strained look as if this wasn't her fault.

Betty gave him the eye. What was going on? "Who is this?" Betty's dead stare made the boy remove his arm from behind Kat.

"Oh, it's just Gavin from the Youth Center." Kat shrugged. Her solid, straight lip made it seem this was nothing unusual.

Of course, Betty wanted to shout, "GET OUT!" and point him to the door, but she wasn't that kind of grandmother. If Kat had a boyfriend, then Betty would keep a watchful eye. 

"Gavin?" She started her twenty or so questions as if she wanted to know who Kat was seeing.

But he didn't seem to mind. He got up and helped her with the snacks. 

Before Betty knew it, Chloe was asking her, "Can he stay for dinner?"