It's been a week since grandpa was admitted to hospital. He's recovered perfectly apparently it was just a scare, he'll be alright but just has to take things slow, he was released the next day from hospital and is home with grandma looking after him. We visited on Sunday and he looked better, not one hundred percent but still better than the night I saw him in the hospital. I haven't been able to shake that picture from my mind. I remember the beeping of the heart monitor, the pale color in his cheeks. Apparently he'd just fainted, he'd been out in the garden working and had over done it in his old age. I awake to a light tickle on my nose, it's Saturday morning and I know it's also way to early for me to be awake. I lift my hand to my face and it bumps something on the way there.
"Morning baby girl." It's Bennett. I open my eyes and am looking straight into his.
"Morning. What are you doing here?" I say moving into a sitting position.
"I had to drop some things off to your dad for Andrea." I smile up at him before reaching out and pulling him to me. He places a very light kiss to my lips before pulling away. He strokes my face and smiles at me.
"What are you doing today?" I ask, he either has something planned or he was bored and decided to come and wake me up.
"Well you're dad actually told me to come and get you up. Apparently I'm a nicer wake up call. I believe we're going on The Grace." I smile at that, we haven't been on The Grace in forever. "So get dressed sleepy head." He gets up and walks to the door as I get up and head to the shower.
Within half an hour I'm showered, dressed, fed and we're headed to the pier. It's nine thirty which really isn't too early but I would have liked a sleep in, especially with Bennett. We get to the pier and get out finding Theo and Kat there as well.
"Morning all." Theo says as mum kisses his cheek and then does the same to Kat.
"Hello my boy, how are you sweetheart." Mum asks Kat, she replies but I don't hear her, we've started down towards The Grace. When we get to her Mac is busy with some rope.
"Mac, how's she doing?" Dad asks, he's family Christian this morning and also in a playful mood. I just hope it sticks.
"Mr Grey, she's all ready. Everyone else is on board." Everyone else? I head onto the yacht to find Aunt Kate and Uncle Elliott, Ava and a boy I don't recognize, Aunt Mia, Uncle Ethan and grandma and grandpa. I head over to my grandparents and grandpa envelops me in a big bear hug.
"How's my baby girl doing?" He asks as grandma ushers him to put me down so she can hug me.
"I'm good grandpa, how are you?" He brushes off my concern pulling my mother into a hug and I look at grandma. "Is he alright?" I ask concern leaking through.
"He's fine darling, nothing to worry about as long as he takes is easy." I nod and she lets me go to hug mum. I walk over to Ava and Mr. Mysterious.
"Hey Ava, who's this?" I ask as she pulls me into a hug.
"Madi this is Brett, Brett this is my cousin Madison." She introduces the two of us and I shake Brett's hand.
"Hi, nice to meet you." He says and I smile at him before an arm snakes around my waist.
"Hey Ava, Bennett Pembroke nice to meet you." And Mr Protective has entered the building. Bennett offers his hand to Brett who shakes it introducing himself. I look to Ava and we laugh at the two off them. Theo then makes himself present introducing him and Kat to Brett.
"Shall we go to the front deck away from the parents?" I say to the group, it's getting crowded and it's a nice day so some sun would do us good. They all agree and I lead the way laying out on the deck chairs. Bennett sits behind me putting my head in his lap. I look up to him and he smiles down at me.
We spend the day on The Grace, dad had lunch prepared and we played a group game of Texas Hold Em'.
"Careful Elliott, she's smarter than me and cheekier than her mother." My dad warns, I was about to floor Uncle Elliott and make him question everything he knows about poker.
"It's alright Christian I can handle her." He quips back not breaking eye contact with me. I smile back sweetly lowering my cards as he does. I watch as the life drains out of Uncle Elliott's face as he see's my Royal Flush. I look at his Three Of A Kind and laugh.
"Sorry Uncle Lelliott." I say as sweetly as I can. "Just be thankful we're not playing for items of clothing." I finish with a wink. This earns me a look from dad but he knows I'm right.
"Best out of three?" Bennett asks him. I didn't think Uncle Elliott was that stupid but I'm mistaken.
"You're on girly. This time though loser jumps in commando." He says staring directly at me.
"NO! THAT IS NOT HAPPENING ON MY YACHT!" I laugh at dad who's gone bright red.
"Underwear, just so you can keep part of your dignity, and so I can keep my eyesight." I say looking straight back at Uncle Elliott ignoring dad.
"Done." Grandpa shuffles the cards and deals them out. There's dad, Theo, Bennett, Uncle Elliott, Uncle Ethan, Brett and myself. Bennett was apprehensive to let me play at first, this was apparently a boys game but when dad told him I could hold my own he caved. He was now getting a taste of how much I could hold my own.
"Where did you learn to gamble young lady?" Bennett whispers in my ear.
"Same place I learnt to swear." I say looking directly to Uncle Elliott, he had taught me many things in life but I don't think he expected me to pick up poker so fast. I knew at the end of the day it had nothing to do with skill but the luck of the cards but I could keep a poker face and half the time that's what really counted. Being able to scare your opponent out of a bet was a great feeling.
"Come on Uncle Elliott we don't have all day!" I yell, he'd lost again and was currently stood on the edge of the yacht in his underwear.
"Shut it young lady or I'll take you with me!" He yelled back but I knew he wouldn't. I'd won fair and square. He stood on the edge for a few seconds longer before launching himself off the yacht. We hear a splash and I look over the edge to see him resurface. Dad throws a ladder over the side and he climbs back up, shivering. He grabs a towel and we head into the cabin ready to make our way back to shore.
