Title: Grandparents
Disclaimer: I don't own Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys
Note: I have issues with commitment. Like how I should be finishing my other stories before I start something new. Oh well!
Warning: Megan may or may not be getting pimped out. There may or may not also be some mild CRACK!
Summary: Grandma always wanted a granddaughter and she sure as hell was going to get one.
...
"Grandma and Grandpa are coming to visit!"
Everyone at the dining table paused in their eating to stare at Caleb.
Regina forced a smile and said, "How do you know that, honey?"
Caleb, oblivious to the stares of everyone else at the table, spooned some mashed potatoes into his mouth before speaking."Grandma called and said so."
A few pairs of eyes glanced back to Regina. It looked like she might've been on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
John looked over at his youngest son. "Did they say when they were coming?"
Ian spoke up. "Yeah, their plane lands tomorrow afternoon."
Indignant cries broke out among the boys. Megan glanced around, confused.
Do they not like their grandparents?
When she managed to get everyone quiet, Regina asked Ian, "You knew about this too?"
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm the one that answered the phone."
"When did they call?"
"Yesterday, while you were at the store."
Regina rubbed her temples, no doubt praying for that patience that always seemed to elude her.
Megan decided to speak up. "Is it bad that they're coming...?"
The family exchanged a few glances.
"It's not really bad," Finn said. "We love them and all. It's just...our grandmother is a bit..."
"Crazy!"
John and Regina narrowed their eyes at Doug.
"What? We were all thinkin' it!"
No one countered his argument.
John rubbed his neck. "Alright, my parents are coming. Nothing we can do about it."
Sean, usually quiet and reserved at the table, closed his book and said, "Who's picking them up?"
The table erupted again, everyone shouting out excuses to avoid going to the airport.
"I've got a Spanish project to finish-"
"I have to stay after school-"
"I've got practice-"
John put his fingers to his lips and whistled loudly, cutting off all of the voices.
Regina put her hand on his arm, saying, "I will go and pick them up, but someone has to come with me."
The boys looked down at their plates, entirely focused on their supper.
"Boys..."
"Why do we got to go?" Doug said. "It ain't like it takes more than one person to drive the car."
Regina pointed her fork at him. "Just for that, you're the one that's going."
"What? That's-"
"Keep it up and you're going to be doing the dishes."
Doug sank back into his seat, glaring at his plate.
Megan glanced back to Regina, noticing the tenseness in her shoulders. She could only imagine how long that car ride would be for her now.
Sympathy swelled in Megan's chest and before she knew it she was saying, "I can go with you too, if you want."
Regina looked up, giving Megan a big smile. "Actually, I would like that very much."
Doug grunted from the other end of the table.
Everyone resumed eating and Megan really hoped that the McGowan's grandparents weren't as bad as they were made out to be.
...
Doug was slumped down in the back seat, his arms folded.
"Man, I really hate this airport."
Megan couldn't help but smile. No doubt he was thinking about when he had to rush to the terminal to stop her from getting on a plane to Korea.
Regina parked the car and the three of them jumped out, making their way towards the elevator.
"So, what are your grandparents like?" Megan asked Doug.
He snorted. "I already told you. They're crazy."
When the elevator doors were closed, Regina reached over to whack Doug upside the head.
"Ow!"
"They're not crazy," Regina said, addressing Megan. "They just have some...quirks about them. Particularly, John's mother."
"Quirks?"
Doug rubbed his head. "Grandma always bugs us to do boring stuff with her. And she's always asking if we've got girlfriends."
Megan raised her eyebrows.
The doors opened and they stepped out, walking towards the nearby terminal.
"Shirley loves the boys," Regina said. "But I think it really bothers her that she never had a girl. She only had sons, and now her sons only have sons."
Megan winced.
I guess Regina's not the only one hurting for some female bonding...
"Regina!"
They all looked up to see an elderly couple coming towards them, luggage in tow.
Regina put on a smile and stepped forward to greet them.
"Shirley! Kurt!"
Shirley hugged her tight, kissing each of her cheeks. She turned and spotted Doug.
"Douglas, honey!"
He flinched as she came forward to hug him, planting a big kiss on his cheek. Megan tried to hide her laugh when she noticed the big red lipstick mark on his skin.
"You've gotten so big!" She tilted her head, spotting the earring be donned.
"Douglas, why are you wearing this? You look like a thug!"
She turned to Regina who was hugging Kurt.
"Why did you let your son do that?"
Megan thought she saw Regina twitch. Regina looked over at Doug.
"I didn't," She said dryly.
Doug looked around, avoiding his mother's gaze.
Kurt sighed and picked up their two suitcases. "Shirley, leave the boy alone. Times have changed."
Shirley snorted. "I'll say. Back in my day the only jewelry a man wore was his wedding ring."
Doug coughed back a laugh and leaned over towards Megan. He whispered, "Too bad back in her day all the jewelry was made of dirt."
Megan made an amused sound. She knew Doug was being disrespectful, but she really couldn't help herself.
Shirley turned and seemed to take notice of Megan for the first time. Her bright smile made Megan freeze.
"Oh, Douglas, why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend!"
Doug choked on air and all of the color drained out of Megan's face.
"Oh, gross! She ain't my-" Doug couldn't even finish his sentence. He almost looked like he was going to be sick.
Megan opened her mouth but couldn't seem to form sentences.
She thinks I'm his girlfriend?
Regina stepped forward, putting an arm around Megan's shoulders.
"This is Megan Meade. Her parents are good friends of ours and she's been staying with us."
Kurt came to stand beside his wife, appraising Megan. "It's nice to meet you sweetheart."
Megan smiled, grateful for the subject change. She shook the hand that was offered to her.
"It's nice to meet you, too."
Shirley looked between her and Doug. It looked like she wanted to say something but Regina quickly intercepted her by saying that they should get to the house.
...
Megan sat in the back between Shirley and Doug, feeling rather uncomfortable. Shirley kept staring at her, not being subtle about it at all. She looked like she had a million questions to ask.
Kurt glanced back at them in the rear view mirror.
"How's school, son?"
Doug looked over at his grandfather. "Goin' good."
"Good, good. How about you, sweetheart?"
Megan looked up. "School is good."
He nodded and smiled at her. She felt her cheeks flush and looked down at her lap.
"Here we are," Regina said, pulling the car into the McGowan's driveway.
All of the doors opened as soon as the car was in park. Kurt and Doug went the the back to get the suitcases as Regina and Megan led Shirley to the front door.
John and the others got up from their positions on the couch.
"It's good to see you, mom!" John greeted enthusiastically, stepping forward to hug her.
Shirley was all smiles as she hugged John and then moved on to hug and kiss each of her grandsons.
"Oh, it's so good to see my boys!"
Shirley turned back to Megan, pulling her forward with an arm around her shoulders.
She smiled and squished Megan's cheeks, saying, "So, which one of my boys is dating this pretty little thing?"
The room was silent.
Megan could feel her cheeks burning. She didn't dare look at any one McGowan brother, lest Shirley catch her stare and make an even bigger scene.
Caleb and Ian were both making gagging noises.
"Yuck! Why would we want to be Megan's boyfriend?"
Shirley rolled her eyes. "Oh, she's much too old for you young ones."
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
"Miller is far too shy, and Douglas already said that he was not her boyfriend."
Her gaze focused on the three oldest boys.
Sean merely raised an eyebrow.
Evan's cheeks took on a pink hue, but there was a mischievous look in his eyes.
Finn's face slowly turned red from the neck up. He kept glancing at Megan before quickly looking away.
Megan cleared her throat, struggling for words. "Mrs. McGowan, I'm not dating any of your grandsons..."
John, whose jaw had gone slack at his mother's accusation, spoke up. "Megan is just our house guest. The kids have rules specifically against...dating each other."
He seemed to have trouble speaking too.
Shirley looked offended.
"You have a lovely teenage girl like her living here in a house full of hormone crazed boys? And she isn't allowed to love any of them?"
Megan struggled for air. When did love come into play?
"Shirley," Regina spoke up from behind them. "Why are you so caught up on this? Megan is just staying with us while her parents are in Korea."
"Korea?" Said Kurt. He looked at Megan. "Why are they in Korea?"
Megan shot Shirley a cautious look before addressing him. "My parents are lifers in the army. My dad got relocated there."
Kurt smiled warmly at her. "So, you're an army brat?"
Megan nodded and he reached forward to clap her on the shoulder.
"I've got a lot of respect for those in the armed forces. You tell your folks I said so too."
She smiled at him. She was really beginning to like Kurt. Shirley though...
"She should be Evan's girlfriend. He's almost out of high school, he's got scholarships lined up, and they would make the most beautiful babies."
"What?" Megan blurted out.
Evan cleared his throat. "Uh, grandma, maybe we should take your stuff upstairs..."
Shirley gasped, ignoring him.
"Sean would be even better! They can get started on a family right away!"
Megan swayed. Regina gripped her arm to steady her, her own cheeks coloring in embarrassment.
"Shirley, Megan is only sixteen years old."
The McGowan grandmother had another look of insight.
"Finn then! Oh, they'll be high school sweethearts! Why didn't I think of it sooner?"
Megan slanted a look at Finn. He was staring back at her with a look somewhere between fear and wonder.
Regina raised her voice. "Shirley. The boys are not allowed to date Megan. While she is in our house, they are brothers and sister."
Shirley wasn't even phased. "We'll move her out then. I can help plan the wedding!"
"Dude, why are you trying to pimp Megan out?" Doug spoke up from behind Megan.
He shrank back when his grandmother whirled on him.
"Now, look here. I've waited too long for a precious little granddaughter and if she marries one of you boys then I'll have one. And who knows, her children may be girls too, and then I'll have great-granddaughters."
Megan croaked. "Can we please stop talking about my future children?"
"Oh! She does want kids!"
"That's not what I-"
"I can even make your dress, honey! I'll just have to get your measurements!"
Before Megan could protest any further, Shirley was up the stairs.
Kurt sighed. "She's...easily excited."
He went after his wife.
Everyone stayed silent. The children all looked mortified.
"Well," John began. "That escalated quickly."
Doug mumbled to Megan. "I told you they're crazy."
...
"Hurry so that I can measure your bust dear!"
Megan dropped into the dining room chair across from Kurt with a sigh.
"Is she still giving you a hard time, hon?"
She looked up at him.
"She's trying to measure me for a wedding dress."
Kurt chuckled, taking a swig from his beer bottle.
"I'm sorry honey. I'll go talk to her in a little bit...but just to be safe, you might want to lock your bedroom door tonight."
Megan groaned and rubbed her temples.
Ever since she arrived yesterday Shirley had been trying to get Megan to do all sorts of things with her.
Clothes shopping, needle point, drinking tea, every little girl thing that Megan just did not give a damn about.
She looked up at Kurt desperately.
"Why is she so concerned about having a granddaughter? Doesn't she do stuff like this with her friends already?"
"Well sure she does. But this is just something really personal for her."
He reached across the table to grip Megan's hand.
"She also really seems to like you. I think that's why she wants you to...get along with the boys so much."
Megan smiled a little, almost laughing at his wording.
"Thanks."
He gave her a warm smile and they both fell into a comfortable silence.
That was when Shirley came into the room with a long veil in her hands.
"Try this on, sweetie!"
...
Note: So, this is basically just about random adventures featuring Megan and the McGowans. Some chapters may be related to others and some may not be.