Just So I Could Call You Mine

Chapter 3

                                           Jess

Grandpas sick again today, so I just sit with him and we talk. I re-adjust myself on the chair and prop another pillow behind grandpas back. He gazes out the window craving to be up and moving, he never stays still this long, even though he's old.

Grandpa loves new places and scenery, he's an easy to please man, to be honest. I love hiking and adventures and was devastated when we had to sell Grandpas log cabin last year.

"Jess can we go on a walk outside? I'm getting a bit restless just laying here, I need to stretch my old bones," he pleads. I'm a sucker when his brows knit together and his tone turns softer.

"I'm not sure grandpa I'll go fetch Lisa and if she gives the all green then we'll just go for a walk in the gardens," I tell him warily, careful not to get his hopes up.

I tell grandpa I'll be right back and leave down the hall to the main living room. I say my usual hellos to everyone and give them bright smiles. I'm greeted back with happy hellos and grateful aged faces.

Lisa is at the long table doing  a cat puzzle with Mrs Hugo today. I walk over and compliment Mrs Hugo on her gorgeous orange sweater. It's really quite something, perfectly complimenting her flashy personality and the fall aesthetic.

"Hey Lisa, Grandpa Rob was wondering if he can go on a little walk just around the garden for ten minutes?" I ask nicely.

"Yeah that shouldn't be a problem Jess, he seems to have his strength back today," she replies after a moment considering what I'm asking.

"Hold on a second, Helen, I need to get Rob up out of his bed," Lisa says kindly to Mrs Hugo. Lisa stands up and we walk back down the hall.

"So I heard that you and Mac are partners for chemistry," she hums casually. I turn to my right and look at her with confusion. I go over in my head how she would know such a trivial thing without me telling her.

"Yeaaah, um, how do you know?" I stutter. "He told me," she said and then finally looks over at me and notices my look of puzzlement.

"Oh Jess, Mac is my son," she says as if nothing. I'm slightly stunned. Kind, loving Lisa is stone-faced Mac's mother! I turn to look at her face and it all makes sense.

They have the same dark hair and beautiful jade eyes, not that I have looked into Mac's eyes deeply. Their noses are different though and Lisa is only a tiny bit taller than me whereas Mac is unfairly tall. I also wonder where the little curls at the top of his hair come from.

"That makes so much sense and no sense at the same time," my words slip out. Lisa laughs, her laugh light and contagious.

I've never heard Mac laugh, only smirk.

"Is that why he was here on Wednesday?" I ask, intrigued to know more about my new chemistry partner. Piece by piece I will unravel the mystery that is Mac.

"Oh yeah, he was dropping me in dinner. He's such a sweetheart," she smiles fondly and it makes me smile too. Another thing I now know about  Mac, his mom is Lisa is my grandpa's primary carer, and he drops her in dinner.

I think about how cute it is that he might actually cook the dinner himself for her.

"He's a good kid," Lisa says softly and her lips form into a smile as she glances at me. I wonder if she knows how differently Mac is in school.

What other sides of Mac do I not know?

We got Grandpa Rob's walking frame and he was pretty steady on his feet. We wrapped him up in a coat, a scarf and a hat to keep him warm and then Grandpa Rob and I walked out the back doors.