It was decided that Della and Perry would stay at Angela's until he was given the okay to travel. "Hey, pop, lunch is ready," Tony said from the kitchen door.
Della helped her husband to his feet, "you shouldn't be doing this," Perry said. Della just ignored him and held onto him. Tony held the door open. Della got Perry situated and then took a seat next to him. Tony joined them. "What is this?" Perry asked when he saw lunch.
"Skinless chicken and vegetables," Tony said, "doctor's orders. No sauce either."
Perry saw a slight smile cross Della's face, "you're not making surviving a positive thing."
"Oh, Perry," Della scolded him, "just eat."
He ate, but he hated every bite. "Where is everyone today?" Perry asked.
"Angela and Mona took Samantha shopping," Tony said with a frown.
Perry looked at his wife, "she must need a bra."
Tony looked at his father in shock, "how did you know that?"
"I have five daughters."
Della smiled, "and he was awful for each one."
"I was not."
"Really?" Della asked, "why don't I call them and ask them?"
"Hey, they were my little girls until one day, they weren't."
"Right," Tony said. "Sam's always been a tomboy. I don't know if I can handle her growing up."
Perry looked at his wife, "why didn't you go shopping?"
"Oh, well, I wasn't sure how well I could manage," she said as she stood and walked over to the sink, "besides, they didn't ask me."
Tony stood and walked over to his mother. He gently turned her around, "why didn't you just ask to go?"
"I didn't want to intrude."
"Eh-oh, Sam's your granddaughter."
"If she had wanted me to go, she would have asked. Besides, I couldn't leave you here alone with your father."
"Why not?"
Perry spoke from the table, "I wouldn't have listened to you."
Perry, Della, Tony, and Jonathan were in the living room. Tony in the chair, Perry and Della on the couch, and Jonathan on the floor. Angela walked in, "we're back," she smiled.
"Did you get a bra?" Tony asked.
"Yeah, and so did Sam," she smiled.
Mona walked in next, "are they ready?"
"For what?" Tony asked.
In walked Samantha in a grey and pink dress with a grey coat on. Jonathan walked up to her, "that's Sam under there."
"What do you think, dad?" Sam asked.
"You look so grown up."
"You look beautiful," Della smiled.
"Like a young lady," Perry smiled.
Della waved her granddaughter over, "let me see that dress."
After a few minutes, Sam took her things upstairs. "How could you do that to her?" Angela said to Tony. "She was so excited to show you."
They began to bicker, "pop, explain things to Angela."
"Tony, as much as I hated to see your sisters grow up, I didn't try to stop them."
"Thanks a lot," Tony said and went to the kitchen. He popped his head back into the living room, "oh, yeah, Angela, thanks a lot for inviting my mom to go with you," he said before going back into the kitchen.
"Oh my gosh, Della."
"It's alright, Angela. I needed to be here anyway."
"Still, I'm so sorry. I should have invited you."
"It's okay, really. I'm glad that Samantha had so much fun."
The next day was Samantha's birthday. "Here, Samantha," Della smiled as she handed her granddaughter what she and Perry got her.
Samantha unwrapped the gift and found a beautiful, platinum, jewelry box with little rhinestones on it. "Wow, it's so pretty."
"Open it," Perry said.
Samantha opened the jewelry box and found a small pair of diamond studs, "oh my gosh," she gasped.
"Do you like them?" Della asked.
"I love them," Samantha said.
Tony looked at his parents, "those aren't real, are they?"
"They're real," Perry said.
Samantha hugged her grandparents, "thank you, thank you," she said.
"You're very welcome," Della told the girl.
Samantha had a wonderful birthday. She loved all of her presents, but it was the second baseman's mitt her father gave her, that she loved the most.
The next day, the adults were in the living room watching television. Samantha and Jonathan came down the stairs. "Go on," Sam whispered.
"What if they say no?" Jonathan said nervously.
"They won't," Sam said.
Jonathan walked over to the adults. He walked right up to Perry and Della. The boy just stared at them nervously before running into the kitchen. Samantha ran after him. "I'll go check on him," Angela said.
"Angela, let me," Della said as she stood with her husband's help. She went to the kitchen and found Jonathan and Samantha at the table. She sat down next to the boy, "would you like to tell me what's wrong?" she asked.
Jonathan looked at her, "nope, I'm good."
Della saw the same look that Tony had always given them. A look of fear. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me." Della stood and returned to the living room.
"Want me to talk to them?" Sam asked.
"No, I've changed my mind."
"Why?"
"I'm too scared."
"I used to be scared too. Then I got to know them better."
During dinner, Jonathan decided to try again, "can you pass the peas, nana?"
The adults looked up in surprise, "nana?" Angela and Tony said, "peas?"
"Sorry," Jonathan said, "I asked grandma and Sam. They said it was fine. I guess I should have asked everyone."
Della smiled at the boy, "Jonathan," she waited for him to look at her, "it's more than fine." She went to hand him the peas.
"Oh, no thank you. I just wanted to try out 'nana'."
"I knew it," Angela said.
"Of course," Tony said, "he hates peas."
Jonathan stood and walked over to Della to hug her. He motioned for her to lean down and he whispered in her ear. The woman smiled, "yes, you can," she said.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. Right, grandpa?" Della looked at Perry.
"Right," Perry said gently. Jonathan turned and saw the man smiling. The boy hugged him before returning to his seat.
"Jonathan, is that what you came down to tell us earlier?" Angela asked.
"Yeah, but I chickened out. Sam told me it would be alright, but grandpa's a big guy. He could squash me like a bug and feed me to my lizards."
Everyone, especially Perry, laughed.