Consequences of the Heart

Chapter 13

Quinn's POV

After work I say goodbye to everyone rushing home as quickly as I, and now currently in the kitchen baking fudge with my grandma Etta. "Thank you for helping me out today honey." Etta says giving me a side hug which gets me to smile, "Grandma I have been helping you do this since I was knee high, and every year you thank me for no reason." I say leaning against the counter, "Yes but you choose to help me bake every year, and for that I am thankful." I just let it go because I know better than to argue with my grandmother,

 "Grandma can I ask you something?" I ask sitting down at the kitchen table while Etta opens the oven to check on the fudge, "Of course, you know that you can ask me anything in the world." Etta closes the oven and takes the seat at the table that is across from me, "Did you have Christmas traditions with your kids?" Etta sighs nodding her head slightly, "When the three of them were all little we did all sorts of Christmas things, but unfortunately when your grandpa Bill passed away those kind of things stopped." I can see the longing in the eyes of my grandmother which hurts my heart because Grandma Etta is the purest soul I know.

"Why? I would have thought that his passing would have brought the four of you closer and farther apart." Etta stands up from the chair and starts walking over to the oven. "We did get closer as a family, but at the same time each one of my children went off on their path. Your uncle Caspian buckled down on his school work and moved to New York fresh out of high school." I smile at Etta because I have a special place in my heart for my uncle Caspian and uncle Evan.

"Your father took on the role of man of the house by taking any job that he could if would help out the family, and I have to say that him stepping up like he did really help me through those years because I couldn't have done it all alone." I nod my head as Etta pulls out the two trays of fudge. 

"Then before you knew it your dad has discovered the police academy, and I don't need to tell you how much that changed his life." Hearing Etta talk about my dad like this sort of makes me understand on why he is the way he is today, he lost his dad and then lost the love of his life.

"Then you have your aunt Penny who was rebellious and determined, from sneaking out of her bedroom at night to go to parties or on dates, ruining almost every car that we had at least once, and then when she went college she protested just about everything but the two thing that she was very passionate about was the way women were treated differently than men in sports and animal rights." I can Etta's face light up as she thinks about each one of her kids.

"Now look at her, she is fully trained UFC fighter who lives on a massive farm with the love of her life, and thankfully Tevin seems to have mellowed her out just a tiny bit." Etta cuts the fudge into squares just as the front door opens as in walks my dad and Brenton. "He always manages to show up just when I have finished cooking or baking something." Etta jokes throwing her hands up in the air getting all of us to laugh while Brenton walks over to me and my dad gives Etta a kiss on her cheek.

"How did it go at the station?" I ask Brenton who shrugs his shoulders, "I think it went well but I should know in a couple of days." I kiss his lips and he kisses me back until my dad clears his throat making us pull away from each other. "What job did you apply for?" Brenton looks away from me and over to my dad who nods his head before turning his attention back to me. 

"I applied for the record clerk position and I also applied for an officer position." I knew he was going to try for the officer job but I hoped that with his Marine training that they would just give him the record clerk job. "I already can feel the stress." I say laughing in a sarcastic tone which just gets Brenton to wraps his arms around me giving me a loving hug.

"Your fudge smells fantastic mom." Etta slaps my dad's hand with a wooden spoon, "Not one bite until Christmas Eve George Isaac Callahan, and that also goes for everyone else in this house." She points the spoon at Brenton and I with a serious look on her face, "I got it Grandma." Etta turns her gaze to Brenton, "Orders received loud and clear ma'am." Brenton says saluting my grandma. "Brenton we need to get ready for that double date tonight." Brenton looks down at me and nods his head,

"Double date?" Etta asks starting to take the fudge squares out of the tray and into a plastic container. "Yeah, Quinn and I are double dating with a Marine buddy of mine and his girlfriend." Etta nods her head putting the tray into the sink, "Just make sure that you two are home by curfew." My dad says with a smile on his face as he slaps Brenton on the back as hard as he can.

"George, I am surprised that you know the word curfew, because I remember getting countless calls from the police academy saying that you got locked out and were in trouble again for curfew violations." I look up at my dad with a cocky smile on my face. "What were doing dad that was more important than the academy?" My dad gives me a look telling not to push it too far,

"He was with your mom." Etta says without a second thought as she puts the second tray of fudge squares into the plastic container. "Do you have to remember everything little thing I did?" My dad asks turning around to face Etta who simply scoffs at him. "I was a single mother who raised two hormonal boys and a rebellious girl." Etta takes off her oven mitts and places them on the counter,

"I remember every little thing that you and your siblings ever did growing up, that is how I learned from my mistakes and gained experience." Etta pats my dad on his cheek before walking into the living room. "I love Etta." I say giving my dad a kiss on the cheek before Brenton and I head up to my room to get ready for that double date.