Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy!
Chapter 4- Grandpa Arrives
It was Friday, and the Mutou house was rather quiet.
Yugi was at home alone.
Despite the fact that Heba hated leaving Yugi alone, Heba did leave Yugi at home alone that day because he had work at the Game Shop that he needed to do, and Yugi chose to stay at home to do some studying for the classes that he would be teaching.
However, instead of studying, Yugi was thinking of the situation with his brother and sister. 'I know that Heba and Mai are just trying to protect me, but I need to make my own decision. I love those two to death, but I can't let them continue to act like this. I can't let them keep this up.' Yugi thought.
Yugi leaned back in the recliner and sighed. "I know that my blindness does limit me in some ways, but I'm not stupid. Mai and Heba need to realize that I am twenty-four. I have to make my own mistakes in my life and learn from these mistakes." Yugi said.
The phone then rang suddenly.
Yugi stood up and walked into the hallway over to the phone. He picked up the receiver and said, "Hello?"
"Yugi, my boy! How are you?" a cheerful voice said.
Yugi smiled brightly. "Hi, Grandpa. I'm fine." Yugi said.
Solomon chuckled. "Glad to hear it. Where is Heba at?" Solomon asked.
"He's at the Game Shop. I decided to stay home to do some studying for the classes I'll be teaching." Yugi answered.
"Oh my. This is a predicament then." Solomon said.
Yugi frowned. "Why?" Yugi asked.
"Well, I was able to get an earlier train to Domino, and I'm at the Domino Station now. I didn't realize that Heba was going to the shop today. I didn't have time to call you and tell you before the train left." Solomon said.
"Man. That is a problem." Yugi said, scratching the back of his head. He then thought of something. "I can get you, Grandpa." Yugi said.
"Yugi, be realistic. I know you can do a lot of things despite your blindness, but driving is one thing that is out of the question." Solomon said.
Yugi laughed. "I know that, Grandpa. I was going to call Joey and ask him to come and get me so that we can get you at the train station." Yugi said.
"I don't want to inconvenience Joey, Yugi." Solomon said.
"You won't. Joey doesn't work, and Seto's at work today. I'll give Joey a call, and we'll be there to get you soon." Yugi said.
"All right. There's a café here, so I'll wait in there for you." Solomon said.
"All right, Grandpa. Bye." Yugi said before hanging up.
~Kaiba Mansion~
Atemu and Yami had gone over to the Kaiba mansion that day.
Bakura, Ryou, Marik, and Malik were there as well.
Seto had taken the day off to be there, and Mokuba what the day off from school.
"I'm sorry about that, Yami." Joey said.
"Joey, it's not your fault." Yami said.
Yami and Atemu had told them about what had happened with Heba and Mai earlier that week.
"Mai and Heba are very protective toward Yugi. They do whatever they think it necessary to protect Yugi. Granted, we have always thought that they went too far a lot, but there's not a lot that we can do." Ryou said.
"We know that. I just wish I knew why Heba was so set on thinking that rich people are players the way they think that Yami is." Atemu said.
"Well, one might think that with the different people Yami was seen in the media with that that was true." Malik said.
Yami glared at Malik.
Malik held his hands up. "No offense meant, but that is what some people think. I know that's not true, but I'm looking at it from the viewpoint of someone who doesn't know you." Malik said.
"And some of those dates were actually just publicity stunts." Yami said.
"Most of them were publicity stunts." Atemu added, crossing his arms.
"Well, Heba and Mai are so protective because there have been people that have tried to take advantage of Yugi because of his blindness. I don't blame them for being protective, but they went too far this time." Serenity said.
"How about I go give them a piece of my mind?" Bakura asked, holding up a fist.
Ryou put a hand on Bakura's fist. "Kura, that won't help in this case. Violence won't help." Ryou said.
"Besides, that won't help me." Yami said.
Joey leaned back. "Maybe we should help you talk to Yugi. Let him decide." Joey said.
"By now, they've probably shown Yami in a dark light to him." Atemu said bitterly.
"Not necessarily." Serenity said.
Seto glanced over at her. "Meaning?" Seto asked.
"I mean that if Yugi didn't know Yami or Atemu were there, Heba and Mai wouldn't have said a word. If they could keep Yugi from knowing that they were there, they wouldn't say a word to Yugi." Serenity said.
"That's true." Malik agreed.
Joey's phone suddenly rang. "Sorry." Joey said, fishing his phone out. He then answered it. "Hey, Yugi. What's up?" Joey asked.
The others were surprised that Yugi called.
"Joey, I need a favor." Yugi said.
"What's the favor?" Joey asked.
"Well, Grandpa just called me, and he managed to get an early train to Domino. He's at the Domino Station already. Heba's working at the shop, and I don't want to call him away from it. I was wondering if you could come and get me and then take me to the station so that we can get him." Yugi said.
"Oh. Sure thing, Yug. I'll be over there in a minute." Joey said.
"Okay. Thanks, Joey." Yugi said.
Joey then hung up.
"What was that about?" Ryou asked.
"Grandpa got an early train, and he's at the station here in Domino now. Heba's working at the shop, so I'm going to go and get Yugi and then go to the station." Joey said.
"Sure thing, Puppy. Just be careful." Seto said.
"Al right. I'm taking the Mercedes." Joey said before running out.
"Joey!" Seto shouted, jumping up.
Mokuba started laughing. "Give it a rest, Seto. By now, Joey's gone." Mokuba said.
Seto growled. "I have told him that I don't want him driving that car." Seto said.
"Seto, that hasn't mattered to my brother since I can remember. If a person tells him not to, he'll most likely do it." Serenity said.
"Glad I don't have to put up with him all the time." Marik said.
Yugi was waiting at the door for Joey. When he heard a car pull up, he picked up his wallet, keys, and sunglasses and left the house.
"Hey, Yugi!" Joey called as he got out to help Yugi in.
"Hey, Joey. I appreciate you doing this for me. I owe you one." Yugi said.
Joey opened the car door and took Yugi by the arm to show him where the car was.
"Thanks." Yugi said, getting in the car.
Joey got back in the driver's side.
Both buckled up before Joey left the house.
"Don't worry about this, Yugi. I'm glad to be able to help you out." Joey said.
Yugi smiled at his friend. "Thanks, Joey. I knew that Heba had a lot of work to do at the shop, and I didn't want to disturb him." Yugi said.
"Were Mai and Valon busy?" Joey asked.
"Well, they're both at work, so I really couldn't call to bother them." Yugi said.
"Oh. Anyway, glad that I could help. It helped me get the Mercedes." Joey said with a smirk.
"Why was getting the Mercedes so important?" Yugi asked.
"Because Seto told me that he doesn't want me to drive it." Joey answered.
"Ah! You were told not to drive it, so naturally, you drive it anyway." Yugi said.
"Exactly." Joey said.
"I get the feeling that you are going to get into some trouble when you get home." Yugi said.
"It doesn't bother me. Besides, what's Seto really going to do? He can't do much to me without being thrown to the couch." Joey said.
Yugi laughed. "So, that's how you get out of getting on trouble." Yugi said.
"You'll learn that when you find someone." Joey said.
'If I'm ever given the chance to, that is.' Yugi thought.
Joey looked over and noticed Yugi's downtrodden expression. "Something on your mind, Yug?" Joey asked.
"It's nothing, Joey." Yugi assured him.
"Come on, Yug. You can tell me anything." Joey told him.
"I know, Joey, but this is something that I think I need my grandpa's advice on. Don't worry. I'm going to talk to him about it." Yugi said.
"Okay. As long as you do." Joey said.
"Joey, I don't want you to think that I don't trust you, but-" Yugi started.
"No worries, Yug. I understand. Believe me. I'm not mad." Joey said.
"Okay, Joey. I'd just hate for you to get mad at me when we've just gotten back into Domino." Yugi said.
"I'm not mad, Yug. Trust me." Joey said. 'Heba and Mai are a different story.' Joey thought, a little upset at how they treated Yami and Atemu.
It wasn't long before Yugi and Joey arrived at the train station.
"Well, we're here. Where did Gramps say that he saw?" Joey asked.
"At a café around here." Yugi answered. He put on his sunglasses before he got out of the vehicle.
Despite the fact that Yugi was not ashamed of the fact that he was blind, he wore the sunglasses when he was going to be out in public for a while. It cut down on the questions about how Yugi's eyes looked. His eyes were always a clouded amethyst, and it got irritating when people were asking constantly about it, so Yugi used the sunglasses to prevent the questions.
Joey took Yugi by the arm and led him through the crowds as they looked through the crowds.
"Man. There's so many people here that I don't know if we're ever going to find the café." Joey said.
"Joey, you do realize that we could just call him and tell him where we are." Yugi said.
"Oh. Right." Joey said. He took out his phone and was about to call Solomon when he looked up and said, "Never mind. I see the café, and I can see Gramps sitting in a booth." Joey said, leading Yugi to the café.
"I'll take your word for it, Joey." Yugi said.
The two entered the café, and Joey headed them over to the booth that Solomon was sitting at.
"Hi, Gramps!" Joey said.
Solomon looked up and smiled. "Joey. Yugi. I'm glad to see you both." Solomon said, standing up.
"Hi, Grandpa." Yugi said.
Solomon smiled. "It's good to see you, Yugi." Solomon said, hugging his grandson.
"It's good to see you, too, Grandpa. Did you have an easy trip?" Yugi asked.
"Yes, I did. How have you been, Yugi?" Solomon asked.
"I'm fine. Just getting ready for when my teaching job starts." Yugi answered.
"Hey, Gramps." Joey said.
"Joseph, it's good to see you again." Solomon said, giving Joey a hug. "You haven't changed that much since the last time I saw you." Solomon said.
"Thanks, Gramps. You haven't changed, either." Joey said.
Solomon chuckled. "I have gotten older, Joey." Solomon said.
"You wouldn't know it." Joey said.
"Well, I suppose I'll take that as a compliment." Solomon said.
"Are you ready to go, Grandpa?" Yugi asked.
"I believe so." Solomon said, reaching for his bags.
"I'll get 'em, Gramps." Joey said.
"Oh. All right, Joseph." Solomon said.
"Well, you can always lead me to the car, Grandpa. Not like I can get there on my own." Yugi said.
Solomon chuckled. "I suppose not." Solomon agreed.
The three then left the café with Joey carrying the bags and Solomon leading Yugi to the parking area.
Joey put the bags in the trunk of the car.
"Grandpa, why don't you sit in the front with Joey?" Yugi said.
"I don't have to sit in the front, Yugi. You know that." Solomon said.
"Go ahead, Grandpa. I was in the front on the way here, remember. Go ahead and sit in the front. We can still talk if I'm in the back." Yugi said.
"Well, all right. If you insist." Solomon said. He opened the back door for Yugi, so that Yugi could get in the car. He then got in the front.
A moment later, Joey slid into the passenger seat. "We set?" Joey asked.
"I believe so, Joseph." Solomon said.
"Well, we'll head back then." Joey said. He started the car and got out of the train station parking lot before he headed toward Yugi's house.
"Yugi, what's this new job you have?" Solomon asked.
"Well, I'll be teaching a group of students at the Domino Deaf and Blind School. All of these students are going to be blind, too." Yugi said as he took the sunglasses off.
"What grade level will you be teaching?" Solomon asked.
"Well, it's high school level, actually. I'll be teaching history to them. I'll be teaching tenth graders and twelfth graders. I have two classes of tenth graders and four classes of twelfth graders." Yugi said.
"Ah! And what are you teaching the two groups?" Solomon asked.
"The tenth graders I'll be teaching world history, and I'll be teaching the twelfth graders government one semester and economics the next semester." Yugi answered.
"It sounds interesting." Solomon remarked.
"To you maybe." Joey muttered.
Yugi laughed. "Well, not all of us have the luxury of living with a rich man, Joey." Yugi said.
"Hey! Seto and I are married." Joey protested.
"We know that, Joey. Besides, you hated school a lot." Yugi said.
"Which is why I don't see why you want to go back." Joey said.
"I like it, Joey. That's why. You know that I've always wanted the chance to teach, and I have that chance now." Yugi said.
"Well, good luck with that." Joey said.
"Thanks." Yugi said.
Solomon chuckled. "So, is there anyone in your life, Yugi?" Solomon asked.
"No, Grandpa. There's no one." Yugi said. 'Although there might be someone interested.' Yugi thought, thinking of Yami.
'Unfortunately, the one person that has an interest in Yugi is being stopped from seeing him by his brother and sister.' Joey thought.
"What about Heba? Anyone in his life?" Solomon asked.
"I didn't think so." Yugi answered.
"If you two don't start dating, you'll be living together until you're as old as me." Solomon said with a chuckled.
"If it happens, it happens." Yugi said.
The group talked until they reached the house.
"Well, we're here." Joey said.
All three got out of the car. Joey got the bags before they headed into the house after Yugi unlocked the door.
"Uh, which room is yours, Gramps?" Joey asked.
"I don't know, Joseph. This is my first time in this house." Solomon answered.
"Don't worry. I know which room is his." Yugi said. He set his wallet, keys, and sunglasses on the table before they headed upstairs.
Yugi showed Joey what room was his grandfather.
"Where do I set the bags, Gramps?" Joey asked.
"Set them anywhere, Joseph. I'll unpack later." Solomon said.
"Okay. I'd better get home." Joey said.
"Can't you stay?" Solomon asked.
"No. Seto took today off, so I'd better get home." Joey said.
"Joey! Why didn't you tell me Seto was off? I wouldn't have asked you to do this otherwise. I could have just called Heba." Yugi said.
"It wasn't that big a deal, Yug. Besides, it only took a couple of hours. Seto will survive." Joey said.
"Well, thanks for coming, Joseph." Solomon said as they walked downstairs.
"Glad to help. I'll see you later. I can assure you that Ryou, Malik, and Serenity are going to want to come and see you, and we want you to meet our significant others." Joey said.
"Wait until tomorrow for that." Solomon said.
"Okay. Bye, guys." Joey said as he walked out the door.
"Bye." Yugi and Solomon replied.
Once Joey was gone, Solomon turned to Yugi and said, "Do you want a cup pf tea, Yugi?"
"I could use one." Yugi replied.
The two walked into the kitchen.
"Now to see if I can find where everything is." Solomon said aloud although he was talking more to himself than to Yugi.
"The tea is in the second cabinet from the left. The teapot is in the cabinet right below that at your feet." Yugi said as he sat down at the table.
"How did you know that?" Solomon asked as he got where everything was.
"I know in case someone's over and no one else is here." Yugi answered.
"Back to the system of everything stays the same?" Solomon asked.
"That's the way I've lived, Grandpa." Yugi answered.
Solomon set the teapot on the stove and started boiling it. "It should be ready in a minute." Solomon said.
"Thanks, Grandpa." Yugi said. He thought a moment before he said, "Grandpa, can we talk?"
Solomon chuckled. "I thought that's what we were doing." Solomon said.
Yugi smiled. "Yeah. I guess it is." Yugi agreed. He sighed and said, "I meant the way we used to talk when we had a cup of tea together, and it was just us."
"You have a problem, and you want to talk with me about it." Solomon said.
"Yeah. I need your help and advice." Yugi said.
"Well, I'm always ready to help out with that. What's this about?" Solomon asked.
"Well, the problem centers on Mai and Heba." Yugi said.
Solomon blinked. "Mai and Heba? What does your problem have to do with them?" Solomon asked, a little surprised.
"Everything." Yugi answered.
Solomon sighed. "You might want to start from the beginning." Solomon said. The tea had finished boiling, so Solomon was finishing it.
"Well, it started earlier this week. When Joey and the others came, they brought their significant others. They also brought Atemu and Yami Sennen, Seto's younger cousins, to meet us." Yugi said.
"Was there a problem?" Solomon asked, looking through the cabinets.
"No. It was a lovely visit. There were not problems at all. The cups are in the cabinet to the right of the refrigerator." Yugi said.
"Thank you. When did the problems start?" Solomon as he got two cups down and carried them and the teapot to the table.
"It started a few days ago. I was upstairs, and Heba and Mai were in the kitchen talking. I heard the doorbell and headed downstairs. It was Yami Sennen. Apparently, he was there because he wanted to see me. Heba and Mai weren't very kind about it. In short, Heba noticed that during the visit the first time, Yami seemed to have taken a liking to me, and Heba and Mai didn't want him around me." Yugi said.
"As in a romantic way?" Solomon asked.
"I don't know. They never said, but Heba seemed to think it was lust. He and Mai basically told Yami that they wouldn't let him near me again. Later that same day, Atemu Sennen, Yami's older brother, came over. In short, he and Heba got into an argument over what happened with Yami earlier. I found out that Heba thought that Yami's only intention with me would have been sex because he heard from the news that Yami was with a different person at every event he attended. Heba just assumed I'd be another quick boyfriend. He also thought that because Yami was rich, he was a player." Yugi said.
"So, Heba based this mostly on his preconceived notions about how rich people act as well as on what the media said." Solomon said.
"From what I understood, yes. There were a few things that Atemu said that kind of got to me. He said that not every person that had money were the stereotypical rich person that everyone seemed to think they were. He also mentioned that Heba needed to get rid of those notions he had." Yugi said.
"He's right. Heba's views are skewed. I did not raise that boy this way!" Solomon growled.
Yugi frowned.
"I take it that there is more." Solomon said.
"Well, Atemu mentioned to Heba that he was trying to control my life because of my blindness, and Heba was insulted by that. He said that he was trying to protect me because I can't see." Yugi said.
"I see. How do you feel about what Atemu said?" Solomon asked, watching his grandson closely.
"Grandpa, I don't want you to get mad at me, but I was thinking that before Atemu said it. There's a difference in protecting me and controlling me. Grandpa, Heba didn't tell me that either one of them came over." Yugi said.
Solomon blinked. "Then how do you now all this?" Solomon asked.
"I was coming down the stairs and heard everything each time. Since it was about me, I thought I had a right to know." Yugi said
"Indeed, you do." Solomon agreed.
Yugi sighed. "I don't like what Mai and Heba are doing. It's like they don't trust me to make decisions about my life." Yugi said.
"Yugi, Heba is my grandson, and Mai is my granddaughter, and I love them, but a line has to be drawn at some point." Solomon said.
"Grandpa, I know they have my best interest at heart, but I can't let this continue. I can't let them control my life. Maybe if they had told me that Yami and Atemu had come over, I would feel differently, but they didn't say a word. They never even hinted at it." Yugi said.
Solomon put his tea down. "Yugi, what do you know about Yami Sennen?" Solomon asked.
"Nothing." Yugi said.
"Would you have gone with him had he asked?" Solomon asked.
"I don't know, but I would have liked the chance to make the decision for myself. I don't like having decisions about my life made without my consent or knowledge." Yugi said.
Solomon thought a moment. "Yugi, I can understand why you feel the way you do. I want you to think about this, though." Solomon said.
"What's that?" Yugi asked.
"Do you want this to continue? Mai and Heba think that you don't know about this, so they have no reason to defend their actions. You have to understand that this is going to cause a fight if you confront them about things like this. They're not going to like this, but if you want them to stop this, you are going to have to make them understand that you need to make decisions abut your life." Solomon said.
"Meaning I have to take up for myself and make them see that I can make the decision about my life without their approval and that making decisions for me is wrong." Yugi said.
"Exactly. I will tell them myself that I don't approve of their actions. However, you have to be willing to tell them this yourself." Solomon said.
Yugi tightened his hands on his cup. "So, you won't be upset if I do confront them?" Yugi asked.
"No, Yugi. This is your life and your decision. You must make them." Solomon said.
Yugi smiled. "Thanks, Grandpa." Yugi said.
"Now, I think that you should learn more about Yami Sennen before you make a decision about that." Solomon said.
"So, don't confront Mai and Heba until after that?" Yugi asked.
"That's up to you. However, you need to learn more about him regardless." Solomon said.
"I can ask Joey. He's married to their cousin, so he's bound to know more about Yami than anyone." Yugi said.
"A good idea. Joey will be honest." Solomon said.
Yugi sighed. "I know this won't go over well with Heba and Mai." Yugi said.
"No, it won't, but you have to do it if you want them to stop trying to control your life and respect the fact that you can make your own decisions about your life. Otherwise, this won't stop." Solomon said.
"You're right, Grandpa. Thanks for the advice." Yugi said.
Solomon reached across the table and took Yugi's hand in his. "Anytime, Yugi. You know that." Solomon said.
Yugi smiled at him, and Solomon smiled back, even though he knew that Yugi couldn't see it.
Hope you liked it. I know the conversation between Yugi and Solomon was a shortened version of the last chapter, but I thought Yugi should put it in his own words about what happened.
Next: It will either be Yugi talking to Joey about Yami or Yugi confronting Mai and Heba. It'll probably be Yugi confronting Mai and Heba, and then Yugi talking with Joey the next chapter. I'll see, but it's definately one of those two.
R&R.