Oh, hell no!

Chapter 15

Chapter 15.
Jake and Jim talked about the wedding and the feelings he had for Grace and later he confessed to Jim that he would want to ask Grace properly to marry him. Then they decided on a plan how he would do it. Jake got his phone from his pocket and tried to type a text to Grace.
‘Hey baby…’ He read everything he wrote out loud as he typed so Jim could hear.
“Aww, you call her baby.” Jim teased, making cooing noises at Jim.
“Uncle Jakey looooooooves Gracie.” Jimmy sang when he heard his father teasing Jake. They really liked the idea of Grace being their aunt very soon.
Jake just smiled at Jimmy and he gave Jim a glare, before he concentrated on the task at hand. He began to read again.
‘Hey, baby. Want to come have a movie night at my apartment?’
“No, that won’t work. You want to surprise her remember.” Jim said
“Okay, so what then?” Jake sighed, erasing the text again, walking up and down the living room.
‘Hey, baby. Want to help me unpack my apartment?’
“No, we can do that after the wedding.” (Erasing the text.)
‘Hey, baby. Meet me at my apartment, need to talk.’
“No she would think I don’t want to go through with it anymore.” (Erasing.)
‘Hey, baby….’
“I got nothing.” Jake said defeated, raking his hand threw his hair.
“Uncle Jakey, can you take us to the park? Gracie loves to take us to the park.” Jane hopefully said, looking at her uncle to persuade him.
“Jane you are a genius!” Jake yelled, picking up his niece and swung her around. When he put her down he quickly finished his text and sent it to Grace.

*_*

Just after Anne left, Graces phone buzzed, the message alert flashed on the screen.
‘Hey, baby. Want to go with the twins to the park? J’
Quickly she replied; she loved spending time with the twins.
‘That would be great! G’
Seconds later her phone buzzed again.
‘Awww, no babe :-(, see you in an hour. J’
‘Did not know you were a pig. :@... G’
‘Not that babe. J’
‘If you want me to call you a pig, I’ll gladly comply. G’
Grace decided on light blue denim shorts that ended mid-thigh, a dark blue tight, but not to tight tank top with black flip flops. She pulled her hair into a messy bun and added mascara to her eyelashes and lip balm to her lips. Perfect for a day in the park.
“Mom, Dad I’m going with Jake and the twins to the park.” Grace told her parents as she left the apartment. So far the two of them had not argued yet and Grace was grateful for it.

*_*

Jake and the twins waited for her at the end of the hallway at the stairs. When she got closer the twins both let go of Jake’s hands, running to Grace, they hugged her legs. Luckily Grace knew that the twins always did this so she could withstand the impact.
“Gracie!” They yelled in unison. “Twins!” Grace yelled back, making them giggle.
“Hey baby.” Jake said, making Grace weak in the knees, she loved it.
“Hey pig.” She joked, earning her a playful glare from Jake.
“You are so going to pay for that.” Jake said in mock anger. “I’ll make you a deal. You and Jane take the elevator down and I, and my man, Jim here will take the stairs. Then we race to the park’s jungle gym.” Jake said with a hand stretched out to Grace, Jimmy copied Jake and held out his hand to his sister.
“What does the winner get?” Grace said, ready for the challenge.
“I don’t know yet.” Jake said. Looking at the kids. They agreed to help him with his plan and practiced the whole hour he gave Grace to get ready. He just hoped that all the other people do what they are supposed to and does not give away his plan. He has been really busy this past hour. “What do you guys think?” Pretending to think the twins tapped their chins.
“I know.” They said in unison. “The team that wins gets whatever they want and what they want the other to do, for the whole day.”
“Okay sounds like a deal.” Grace said already imagining what she would want Jake to do and chocolate… lots and lots of chocolate. She could already taste it. Shaking hands they started their count “ 3… 2… 1… Go!” The four of them yelled in unison. Lucky for Grace and Jane the doors slid open, just as they yelled go.
Unlucky for them the person on the second floor pushed the button to get into the lift, but when it stopped at the second floor no one was there, just as the doors closed the first floor button lit up and again no one was there.
“Oh, hell no!” Grace said under her breath. She can’t believe that cheating… pig! Then something occurred to her. It could not have been Jake, because Jake was standing next to her when the second floor light lit up just as Jane went in the lift. “Jane we are in big trouble.” She sighed.
The little girl beside her just chuckled and covered her mouth with her hand as if she had a big secret.

So far everything went according to plan, Anne pressed the second floor button just in time so this would not bring any suspicion to him. Jim had to press the first floor button just as the second floor button’s light went dead. It all went well and they high fived each other as the four of them left the apartment building. Anne had to make sure that Grace followed the correct root to the designated area that Jake picked out, so she ‘conveniently’ walked down the street, just as Grace and Jane left the building.
“Oh, Grace, where are you going?” She asked with a surprised look on her face. A cup holder with four cups of milkshake was in her hands.
“We are meeting Jake and Jimmy at the park.” She stated and her eyes lingered on the cups in Anne’s hands.
“Shoot. I knew I had to tell at least Jim where I was going, but I wanted to surprize the kids with their favourite milkshakes.” Anne faked disappointment and pouted.
“Milkshakes!” Jane exclaimed and the proud mother gave her kid a subtle wink.
“Uh, maybe you can walk with us. We were supposed to have a race to see who got first at the jungle gym, but I guess we lost already.” Grace said with just a little disappointment showing in her voice.
“Oh, dear, what was the prize?” Anne asked as they walked along to the park.
“The kids decided on whatever the winners want the winners get and the losers have to do whatever they tell them. I was looking forward to my mountains of chocolate.” Grace pouted and Anne could not help but to laugh.
When they reached a certain point Jane pretended to see a squirrel, stalling them yet again and then at another tree Jane took a different path as the one Grace normally picks.
“Jane, where are you going?” Grace asked, she did not know another path to the play area of the park, but she knew there had to be.
“Come Grace, I know this way.” Anne said following her daughter. Grace new if she would refuse to go the way Jane went, the little girl would throw a tantrum and they would never get to the jungle gym today, besides Anne said she knew this way.
A couple of minutes later they still had not arrive at the jungle gym, but Grace could hear the faint sound of water falling.
“Anne where are we.” She said nervously, she never where here before and the sun started to paint the sky in an orangey yellow.
And then as if you walk from one room through a curtain to another a clearing opened up before her and she could not believe her eyes.