The adventures of Red

Chapter 3: Granny's Story.

"Well we have to go all the way back to my teenage years." Granny begins while Zeke and Red sit in silence clinging on to every word she says. When Alfred and I started dating the wolfs didn't hide they lived amongst us. Back in high school Alfred and Roy were practically inseparable. You never could find one without the other, and as things got more serious between me and Al, the more uncomfortable it made Roy. I felt so guilty for making him feel like a third wheel, Roy was like the big brother I never had. So I decided one night when we were going bowling that I was going to bring my best friend Francis with. I thought if nothing else it would give Roy a friend to spend time with. I tell you what when their eyes met for the first time you could see the spark between them, I knew it was love at first sight. For weeks after that night all I heard from either one of them, was asking how the other was doing. Roy was driving Al crazy so we decided to set them up on a real date. I went home and sat down at my sewing machine and I made that very suit you are wearing for Roy to wear on their first date. The next day I made a blue polka dot dress for Francis to wear."
"Wait a minute, Red interrupts, "Are you telling me you and Papa are the ones that hooked Zeke's Grandparents up?"
"Why yes Red that is exactly what I am telling you. Only I didn't do it alone, Papa was a lot of help in the situation." Granny answers.
"So that's why you recognized my suit, because you made it." Zeke asks.
"Exactly right Zeke, that's what I do for a living I am a seamstress." Granny explains.
"So Granny, what made the pack go into hiding?" Zeke asked encouraging Granny to continue with her story.
" Well that was sometime later, Zeke." Granny answers. "We were adults by then. Grace and Penelope were so young, I think they were two maybe three. Roy and Alfred loved to go hunting together. I don't know what it was but it always made them feel better. At least until that last trip and that turned everything topsy turvy. They went into the woods and split up like they had done every other time. The path Alfred took ran him straight into a bear. Roy heard him crying out for pain and started his direction. By the time Roy got to Al he wasn't making any noise, Roy barely could hear him breath. He did the only thing he could think of to possibly save Alfred, he shot towards the bear. You see he didn't want to hit the bear just scare it off, and it worked the bear took off in the woods. Roy ran over to Al picked him up and ran all the way to the hospital. As he ran down the road it terrified everyone he passed. By the time Roy reached the hospital the police were there waiting on him. They were convinced that Roy was the one who attacked Alfred. I mean ok it's not often that you hear of bears in the area, but we are surrounded by forest, a bear traveling into the wood has happened before. Francis and I worked night and day to prove that Roy was innocent. We knew that he would never do anything like that, especially to Alfred. We finally did it, we proved he would never without a doubt that he would have never attacked Alfred. Unfortunately the damage throughout the community had already been done. People were so nasty and rude to them. One day I was here in the back yard picking wild flowers and Francis and Penny came running up to me like they were running from something. When I asked what was wrong she told me some shot at their house, and they didn't feel safe there anymore. I completely understood this, if someone shot at my house I would be terrified. So they came and stayed with me for a couple weeks, the next day after getting them settled in I drove down to the court house and I bought the woods. I went to the hardware store and sat it up for a cottage to be delivered and a professional team was going to come in and put it together for me. Day three I went to the furniture store and I furnished the whole house. On day four I moved them into their new home. I knew they would be safe out there. Once a week I go to the store and I buy their groceries and I place them in the hollow tree. That's how you were born in the hallow tree. Your mother was there doing a grocery pick up when she went into labor.
"Ok I am sorry for interrupting you again, says Zeke, but I still don't understand why you would do something like that. I get your husband and my grandfather were besties but people don't do things like that for nothing."
"Oh hun people do something like that when they truly love someone. Roy and Al were way more than besties they were like brothers. They started the pack kiddo. We were the original four."
"Ok Granny if you are playing guardian to Zeke's family, why did you never tell me? I thought we didn't have any secrets." Red asks.
"I couldn't tell you sweetheart, I wanted to but your daddy didn't want you having anything to do with the pack. He thought there was something wrong with us because we were friends with the Wolfs. When he and Momma got married he forbid her from going into the woods. I tell you I have never seen my Gracy Lou so sad before. Grace and Penny were best friends. But Owen got a little rough when Grace didn't listen to him so she had to obey him. They became pen pals, I would drop and pick up their letters from the hollow tree. Up until Owen passed away she kept the letters from Penny in a hat box." Granny explained.
"Well that definitely explains Grandfathers opinion about humans. Thank you very much for sharing that with me. He taught me a lot about my Grandfather." Says Zeke.
"I hope in a good way, your grandfather is an amazing man. He did everything he could to try to save Alfred. But not too many people survive a bear." Granny says.
"Yes Ma'ma, it helps me see that my Grandfather was not just a grumpy old man sitting there hating humans because he was afraid of them." Confesses Zeke.
The four of them fall into another awkward silence just trying to absorb everything they had just heard about. Red broke the silence by asking Granny if she and Zeke could play dress up.
Granny smiled the biggest smile Red had ever seen. "Of course sweetheart just make sure you let your Momma know so she doesn't worry."
"Ok Granny, I will text momma when I have service. Thank you so much Granny."
"Come on Zeke let's go" Red says reaching out for his hand. The two of them took of towards the house, leaving Granny behind to clean up.
Granny let's out this little giggle of amusement at the fact she still had to clean up.