Living Happily After

78: Grandparent

"Ma'dam is inside the living room."

Violet nodded.

They walked into the living room and saw Mrs. Bougainvillea slowly stand from her seat.

One thing Violet thought about for a second is that her last name is 'Bougainvillea' as well, except that she used the name 'Evergarden' for her work.

It'd be rather confusing if she were also called 'Ma'dam' or 'Mrs.' Bougainvillea. Just a random thought though.

Lady Bougainvillea smiled at the sight of them. "Look at you dressed up." She said towards Gilbert. "And have you seen yourself, dear? You look very beautiful." She commented towards Violet.

They both smiled. Gilbert walked towards her and gave a peck on the cheek. "Mother, I'm sorry I don't visit you often. Are you well?"

"It's alright, I feel much better than other days. Especially since you accepted my request. I'm glad to see you both again." The Mrs. said. "And of course, I'm glad I get to meet my grandson as well."

Violet smiled and walked towards Gilbert's mother. "Do you want to hold him?" She said, with Robert in her arms.

With the mrs. eagerly nodding, Violet carefully placed her son in her mother-in-law's arms. "Careful, he's quite heavy."

Gilbert's mother, and now Robert's grandmother, smiled at Robert. "He is so handsome. Just like his father."

Gilbert smiled at that and glanced at Violet, "His name is Robert Jacob Evergarden-Bougainvillea. He's going to be a month old in a few days."

"Oh, his name is Robert, that's-...I know you weren't really close with your father, but to think that you'd name your son after him is..."

...

...

"...is Dietfried here?" Gilbert asked.

"Yes, he is. He's upstairs, we're just waiting for the photographer to get here." Mrs. Bougainvillea said, sitting down with Robert on her lap.

Gilbert nodded, "I'll go meet him upstairs." He motioned to Violet that she stay there, then he headed upstairs.

Violet sat beside her in-law and silently watched the both of them.

...

"Did you...choose the name?"

Violet nodded.

"I thought so..." She seemed a bit down.

Violet noticed. "But..."

Mrs. Bougainvillea looked at her.

"He thought it was a fitting name for him. Gilbert thought Robert looked like his father, so...he was not opposed to it, or anything." Violet hoped she said the right thing.

She nodded. "...Gilbert and his father didn't see eye to eye, but they also didn't argue. No one could tell, but I could. I knew they secretly respected each other." She said, looking at Violet. "But then he died before either of them got to say it."

Violet processed what she was saying. Gilbert didn't really talk about his father, occasionally his brother, but rarely his father, so she really did not know.

...

"Thank you...for sharing, m-...ma'am." Violet said, slightly whispering the last part. It's still quite uncomfortable to say.

Mrs. Bougainvillea slightly smiled. "I told you to call me, mother."

Violet wanted to deny, but she accepted the fact that both Lady Evergarden and Lady Bougainvillea were the mother figures she's ever going to get so...

"Then...will 'mother-in-law' be fine?" Violet tapped her lap.

"It's a good start, dear."

Just in time, the photographer came. And in coincidence, the Bougainvillea brother's came downstairs.

With all of them dressed up and slightly color coordinated, as if though all of them thought of the same thing and wore dark shades of blue and grey, with a hint of green.

"You want the photo colored, correct?" The photographer asked.

"That's correct."

"Alright, can Sir Dietfried stand on the left, yes. And have Sir Gilbert in the middle, okay. And have Mrs. Bougainvillea sit in the middle, and have Ma'dam Violet beside Sir Gilbert. Alright, look at the camera in three, two, one." The photographer took a photo.

"One more time, in three, two, one..." The photographer nodded. "Okay, is that all? You want 3 copies, yes?"

"Isn't colored photos expensive?" Dietfried commented.

"It's fine, I'm paying for it anyway, and yes, 3 copies will do, thank you. Besides, it's much cheaper than hiring a professional painter."

"Alright..." Dietfried nodded. "Are you two staying for dinner?"

"Actually, we'd like to take a raincheck if it's alright. We'll have to leave as well." Gilbert said.

"That's unfortunate. I'll see you then, alright? I'd like for you to come visit me again before I'm dead, okay?"

"Mother. You know not to make jokes like that." Gilbert furrowed his eyebrows.

"I'm not joking, Gilbert. Make sure to visit me, alright?"

Gilbert bit his lip before nodded and giving her a slight hug. "I'll make sure...bye."

"Farewell."

Then they left and arrived home.

Gilbert sighed. "I'll take a nap, wake me up later, okay?"

Violet just nodded, watching him as he walked up the stairs and into their room.

She was still removing her shoes, and Robert still in the stroller. 'I wonder what's wrong...' She arranged the shoes before taking Robert and her bag upstairs.

They started trying to leave Robert in his room, but Violet was still uncomfortable with it. Violet had a reasonable explanation though.

What if something had happened to him and he wouldn't cry for her, that's what she's worried about. The doctor said it was normal, that every baby is different, Robert was just quite is all.

The doctor checked his senses and reactions, and it was normal she said. She said, the reason he didn't cry much is that he's aware of his surroundings, and that it means he's calm and feels relaxed.

He'll cry if he needs help, he's cried before after all when he's uncomfortable or hungry.

Violet carried Robert to his room and wrapped him in a swaddle blanket, and laid him on his back on his crib. She set the bag down and kept the door open.

Then she went to their room. She saw Gilbert laying down, clearly exhausted, he was already half asleep.

She changed her clothes and washed up before laying down beside Gilbert.

It was still afternoon, but Violet understood why he was tired. Because 6 in the morning he had already left for work, he wanted to get a head start on the paperwork to finish that day so that he could leave early.

Actually, Violet woke up the same time Gilbert did. She also worked, multitasking between some addresses she needed to write and send before deadline, and taking care of Robert.

Violet remembered when they talked about getting some help.

She decided to give Gilbert the bed and take a nap in the guest bedroom/Robert's bedroom.

'I didn't tell Gilbert yet...that I'm being suspended out of work starting next week.'

(A/N: I hoped you liked the extra long chapter if you even noticed. Thanks again for reading! I'll see you next time! (｢'･ω･)｢?)