inkspresso

a man's worth

The Uber stops in front of a suburban house. Zach and Jack get their bags, and the brunet leads him to the front porch.

Jack looks around, already sweating.

"I told you to pack light." Zach nudged him.

"Oh, I'm so gonna sleep naked tonight." He mumbles, making Zach chuckle.

He rings the bell by the door and knocks on the mesh door. "Grams! Open up!"

An old woman comes to the door. She smiles. "Will I be damned, Zachary Dean is that you?" Her southern accent was thick.

"Hey, grams!" He hugs her tightly. "Oh, I missed you so much." He kisses her cheek.

"And who's this handsome fella?" She looks at him up and down. "Do I need to remind you that I'm still very happy with your grandfather?"

Zach chuckles. "This is my handsome boyfriend, Jack." He looks at him."This is my grams, Francesca Herron."

"Babe, are you sure she's your grandma? She looks so young." He smiles.

The woman nudges Zach. "I like him." She turns around. "Come on in, darlings. The pie I've baked must be cold by now."

Zach signs him to enter. They fist bump, and Zach leads him to the kitchen by the hand.

The modest kitchen smelled deliciously of pie.

"It's my darling's favourite, pumpkin pie." She pinches Zach's cheek. "Oh, when your brother told me you were coming, I just knew I had to make you your favourite." She sets a plate with a generous slice in front of each of them.

"You're the best." He hugs her before he digs in.

Jack takes a bite and hums. "Oh my god." He moans.

"Grams, you outdid yourself." Zach hums as they eat their slices of pie.

She chuckles. "Only the very best for my darling Zachary Dean."

"Babe, don't take this personally, but I think this is a bit better than your cooking." Jack admits.

The woman scoffs. "And who do you think taught him how to cook?" She shakes her head. "You should always tell him that his cooking is the best, even if it isn't, you silly boy."

Zach chuckles. "Grams, he always tells me my food is better when we go out to eat. It's okay." He reassures.

She looks at Jack sideways. "As he damn should." She looks at him up and down. "What do you do for a living?"

"Jack runs his family's café, it was how we met, actually. " He sets his fork down. "Gonna go to the bathroom." He steps out.

"And for the future?"

"I'm hopefully starting a business degree next year to help my family and eventually move towards other things."

She looks at him up and down. Her voice goes lower. "If you ever hurt my sweet Zachary Dean, I will walk to whatever shithole you came from and make you regret the day you were born. Are we understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. "He gulps.

She squeezes his arms. "They're good enough to work in the field."

"If it helps, Mrs.Herron," he starts, "I'd work in your field as long as you wanted me to if it meant I could be worthy of even a shred his love."

The woman smiles softly. "I see my Zachary Dean as chosen well." She comments aloud.

Zach returns from the bathroom and continues eating his pie. "Have you been getting my texts, grams?"He asks.