After Jorden left, Grady made his way to the shop, Dragon Computers, a name that he'd been thinking of for his shop since he'd worked for his previous employer. It was going to be great, he knew it, if he ever got the thing opened. As he turned on lights he couldn't help but be both proud of his place and terrified at the same time.
Just as he was locking up behind him, his mom knocked on the door. "I came to help you out." He let her in, knowing that there was something else to this. It was Wednesday, and he knew that she had her garden club on Wednesday mornings. "I even brought some cookies from Emma to eat. Oh, and her and Lewis are having another cook-off this weekend. I think the main ingredient is pork. I cannot wait."
When he handed her a box knife and she just stared at it, he took it from her and told her to sit. She did so without question, and he was nervous. His mom had something on her mind, and he wasn't sure he could help her with whatever it was.
"I don't know how to be a grandma." He just looked at her, not sure what she meant. "I mean, Gavin, he makes it so easy. I think of us more as co-conspirators than grandma to grandson. He's such a joy to be around. But he's already past the stage of coming to me when his mom upsets him, or even Jorden. But a baby, that's a whole different ball of wax. I don't even know what to do with one anymore."
"I'm pretty sure that Gavin comes to you more often than you're saying. I know for a fact that the two of you are working on the charity thing like it's your job." She said that they were going to make so much money at this thing. "I agree. And he loves you so much."
"And I love him as well. But there will be newborns coming soon. Much sooner than I had thought. And while I'm thrilled beyond words, I'm just as scared of messing up." She looked at him and he could see her fear. "What if I don't have any idea how to take care of them? What if I don't follow the rules that Harper might have for her son? I've never-"
"Mom. Just calm down." She nodded and got up to pace the room. He watched her for several seconds before he continued. "What sort of rules do you think there will be? And so you know, I haven't had much in the way of time to talk to Harper about her baby. For all I know, she might want to give it up for adoption."
"She will not." He had to laugh but caught himself just in time. "You're not serious, are you? Do you think she'd do that? I mean, I know that she didn't have any say in the little guy being here, but she's not going to just discard him, is she?"
"I don't think so. But as I said, we've not talked about it." His mom nodded, but continued to pace. "What's brought this on? You've been a wonderful grandma to Gavin, and I'm sure that you will be to the rest of the babies born in this family. What's got you all upset like this?"
"There are rules, you know. I've been reading up on them. Like how to put the baby down for a nap." He asked her why that was important. "They are linking things more and more to Sudden Infant Death. Then there is the whole baby powder thing."
"Baby powder?" Her nod was just sad. "Look, Mom. I haven't any idea what you're reading, but I think you did a great job of raising us. But if you want, I'll talk to Harper when she gets back here today. She wants to hang out with me while I work."
"Good. I'll just ask her then. You think that she'll be all right with me taking on the role as grandma? I mean, she might have a grandma of her own that she wants to have the child love. Not that I won't love it too, but she might not feel the same way." She looked at him and Grady hugged her. "Oh Grady, I'm going to fail at this."
"No you're not. You're going to be the best grandma in the world. As for any other grandma, there isn't any. Her mother raised her alone for the most part, and she passed away a while back. Her father is gone as well; I'm still having Douglas look into that, but there isn't anyone else." His mom said that was sad. "Yes, it is. But you have to do double duty now … be a grandma for all the kids. But I have faith in you."
As they moved boxes around, him setting his mom up so that she could unpack some things for the shelves, he went to the area where he was setting up the computers he was going to sell. He was debating on whether he should pass on his great deal or try and sell them as if he paid full price when someone knocked at his door. At this rate, he thought, he'd be lucky to open in three months. He went to the door to ask whoever it was to either come in and help or go away. But he paused at the door when he saw the woman there.