Chapter 3

Arthur took a white envelope out of his jacket pocket and placed it on the table for Rob, which he leaned forward and took off the table. He opened it but the contents confused him even more.

"What's this?" Rob asked as he held a cheque for one million dollars in his hand.

"Robert." Violet spoke up as Rob grimaced at the use of his full name. He only got called that when he was in trouble. "This is for you to sign custody over to us and walk away."

"Excuse me?" Rob asked trying to keep his anger, shock, and horror from exploding. He didn't look at his parents but could tell they were feeling the same as him.

"Robert, you have to see it from our view." Arthur said as he tried to avoid Rizzo and Kenickie's glares.

"You're a good person and father to our grandchildren but they deserve more than what they have. We loved Laura but she threw away everything we gave her and never showed us any thanks for it.

"Maybe because she didn't want it and you forced it on her." Rizzo butted in.

"Ma stop." Rob turned to Rizzo before looking back to Arthur to let him continue.

"That may be the case, but she still didn't appreciate what she had." Arthur continued. "We can however give our grandchildren what our daughter threw away which is why we want custody. We know you have a very comfortable business with a good income, but it is small in comparison to what we can give them. We knew that the courts wouldn't find anything as you are a good father so now, we are at plan B."

"What is it exactly you can give them that I can't?" Rob asked

"A better education at private school, a better circle of friends, learning life skills instead of being stuck under cars all day, playing jokes on people and Dale can be shown off for the diamond that she could be." Violet said.

Rob, Rizzo and Kenickie sat silent shocked at what they heard. They knew that they we were snobby but not this bad.

"First off." Rob said breaking the awkward silence. " Laura and I did discuss private school for them, but we decided a good public school was best. We could afford private school; I just don't want my kids there." Rob said to them. "They have good friends already, so I don't see why they need new ones. All four of them love working on cars and I wouldn't force them to if they weren't happy doing it. Jackson's never played a prank on anyone to hurt them, just to make them laugh. I'll agree at times it isn't always funny but most of the time it is the laugh that we need. As for Dale. She is the most beautiful little girl in the whole world and doesn't need to change. She stands up for herself, is an amazing athlete and a caring person. She's already the shiniest diamond there is."

Rob took the cheque in his hand and torn it in two as he handed it back to Arthur

"As you said I'm a good father and I can provide them with what they need." Rob said as he leaned back.

"How much more do you want?" Arthur asked as he got his cheque book out. "Name your price."

"You can't buy my kids." Rob almost shouted as his anger started to show.

"Come on Robert." Violet said trying to ignore Rizzo's burning eyes into hers. "This could set you up for life. You can retire now, travel the world, and even meet someone new to start over with. You can still see your children when their new schedule will allow."

"Let me be perfectly clear." Rob replied sternly straightening up. "I'm not retiring as I love what I do and will show my kids that they need to work hard in life. As for meeting someone else, Laura was the only one I loved, and no one will ever replace her. If I sign custody over to you she'd come back and haunt me as well."

He paused for a moment to let them know how serious he was. "There is no amount of money in this world that would make me sign custody over to you.

"You may see it like that but your children may think differently." Arthur replied placing his cheque book away.

"I can guarantee that they won't." Rob smirking knowing he was right.

"Regardless." Violet snapped back. "We would like to see them and show them what we can offer them."

As much as Rob knew his kids wouldn't want to stay with their other grandparents, they still had a right to see them.

"Ok." Rob said as he stood up and walked towards the house. "I'll be back in a moment."

"Aren't you going to invite us to your home." Violet asked.

"You are not welcome inside our home." Kenickie said firmly glaring at them both as Rizzo got up to follow Rob.

"Rob." Rizzo said when she was in the kitchen. "Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Mom." Rob said as he turned from the hallway to face her. "It's not going to change anything, and they deserve to at least see them."

"Ok if, you're sure." Rizzo smiled softly at him.

Rob did not answer but turned to head back up the stairs to his brother's room. The door had already been left a jar so he peaked in and the took in the scene. Alex was sitting on the bottom of his bed with a video game controller in his hands while sitting on his shoulders was Dale.

"Crew chief do I throw my green shell at Kenny and Jackson?" Alex asked as his hands flew across the controller.

"Yeah but save the banana for later." Dale grinned from her position as crew chief.

Rob smiled at them as Alex hit a button and a noise came the TV that sounded like a crash.

"No!" Jackson shouted from the floor. "You hit me and made me fall into the lava!"

"Not our fault Kenny moved." Dale retorted back.

"Eat my dust bro." Kenny replied from the floor as well.

"Me and Kenny gonna win." Ryan giggled from sitting in his brother's lap.

"You wish!" Dale shouted back as Alex got nearer Kenny's player in the game.

Rob could see they were only in lap 1 out of 4 on the video game and he knew he'd have to prepare them for what was going to happen. Rob snuck in the room and went to the socket on the wall and turned off the TV.

"Daddy!" Dale said shocked

"Dad!" Kenny, Jackson, and Ryan shouted.

"Bro what you do that for, I was kicking your kids butts." Alex said knowing it had something to do with why his dad was mad earlier.

"Guys come here a sec." Rob sat down on the bed beside Alex.

Kenny, Jackson and Ryan put the controllers down and sat up to face their dad. Dale was quite happy perched on her thrown so didn't move but Alex moved round slightly so she could face her dad.

"Are we in trouble?" Jackson asked his usual go to response.

"No buddy." Rob smiled back. "No one is in trouble but dad does need your help. You guys wanna help me?"

All four nodded and so did Alex without noticing.

"Good." Rob said without laughing at Alex. "Well downstairs there's some people that want to see you, but I need you guys to be on your best behavior or no cars for a month. Can you guys do that?"

"Yeah." All the kids replied.

"Who's downstairs?" Alex asked.

"It's your other grandma and Papa." Rob said as he prepared for the fallout.

Kenny and Jackson shared a look between them, and you could tell that their heart rates had increased. Ryan was still to young to understand what that meant so he seemed oblivious.

"Daddy no!" Dale whimpered as she reached for him.

Alex lifted her off his shoulders and guided her onto her dad's arms where he held her closely.

"Guys look at me." Rob said as he adjusted Dale in his arms.

Once settled she looked at him as did her brothers from their spots on the floor.

"They just want to say hello to you because they love you and want to see you."

"They're not gonna try and take us away again are they?" Kenny asked the question on everyone's mind.

"No way." Rob smiled at him. "You're staying with us and I wouldn't let them take you away from me."

"Yeah and if they tried you know grandpa, grandma and your favorite uncle wouldn't let them take you either." Alex said trying to make them laugh.

It worked and they all smiled.

"Ok the sooner we head downstairs, the sooner we can go work on the car later. Let's go." Rob said as he placed Dale on the ground and stood up.

"Guys wait at the kitchen door, ill be down in sec." Rob said as he put a hand on Alex's shoulder.

They did as their dad said and Kenny led the way as they trudged downstairs, each dreading what was going to happen. Just as they reached the kitchen door, Rob had caught up with them.

"Remember best behavior but they're not trying to take you away from us." Rob smiled at them as he followed them out the patio doors.

Kenny being the oldest subconsciously led the way outside to the patio table. As he walked over to his grandparents, Kenickie gave him a wink telling him that everything was going to be ok.

"Your grandkids are here." Rob announced to get the attention of Violet and his mom who were having a staring competition. Just as he spoke, Alex appeared by his side.

Arthur and Violet turned round and smiled softly when they seen their grandchildren.

"Oh Kenneth look how tall you are." Violet said as she reached Kenny and gave him a small hug and kiss.

"My name's Kenny." Kenny said politely as he wiped the lipstick off his cheek.

"Oh is it?" Violet beamed at him. "I thought it was a nickname but Kenneth sounds more proper."

Before Kenny could reply, his papa was next to greet him.

"Kenneth." Arthur greeted him as he help out his hand to him.

"Papa." Kenny said as he took his hand to shake it.

"You look more and more like me every day. We brought you something." Arthur replied as he let go of his hand.

Kenny might have only been almost 11 years old but even he knew he looked nothing like his papa and was an almost clone of Rob and Kenickie.

He took a bag from Violet and handed it to Kenny. Kenny thanked them as he took it and opened it however when he opened it, it was pieces of paper and a suit.

"What is it?" Kenny asked confused.

"It's an application form to our country club's boy's under 15 division." Arthur replied. "I joined when I was your age and trust me the ladies are gonna love you."

"Thank you." Kenny said back not knowing what else to do.

Feeling awkward, he walked over to Rizzo and stood beside her to watch what the other's got.

"Oh Jackson. Look how tall you're getting as well." Violet greeted Jackson as he to got a hug and kiss.

"Hi Grandma." Jackson replied wiping lipstick off his cheek like his brother.

"You're gaining more muscle to. You'll make an amazing polo player one day." Arthur said as he held out his hand for Jackson.

"Thanks." Jackson replied not knowing what polo was.

"Here you are. We didn't forget about you just because Kenneth is the oldest." Violet gushed as she handed him a bag as well.

Jackson took it and opened it, hoping for something more exciting than what Kenny had got but he was disappointed to discover that he had gotten the same thing as his brother but his application was for polo lessons.

"Thank you." Jackson said. He wanted to say something funny but his dad had told him best behavior and this was one of the times that he was going to listen to him.

"You're welcome. You'll look dashing in your suit." Violet gushed again as Jackson walked off to stand beside Kenny.

Next it should have been Dale but even though Rob had promised her that she wasn't going to get taken away, she still hid behind Rob hoping that they wouldn't see her. Seeing an opportunity not to be last, Ryan took her place.

"Hi Grandma." Ryan bounced over to Violet.

"Hello darling." Violet smiled at him as she tried to pick him up but soon realised she wasn't strong enough so she put him down.

"Hi Grandpa." Ryan said as he made a beeline for Arthur.

"It's papa." Arthur replied as Ryan hugged his legs. Arthur wasn't a hugger so waited until Ryan was done.

"Sorry." Ryan smiled as he unwrapped himself. "I'm starting school after the summer."

"That you are." Violet smiled as she gave him his present. "We got you something to."

"Thank you." Ryan said. As he opened it a puzzle book fell out but as Ryan was younger he didn't quiet understood so he happily toddled back over to Rizzo to her show what he got.

"Now where is my granddaughter?" Violet asked looking around for Dale as she saved hers for last.

Dale slowly peaked around from behind Rob still unsure of what was going on.

"Come on. Grandma has something special for you." Violet gushed when she seen her.

Rob knelt down to Dale's height and whispered in her ear. "Go on sweetie. It's ok I'm right here."

It was the push that she needed and she walked over to her grandma.

"Hi Grandma." Dale said when she reached her.

"Hi." Violet beamed as she hugged and kissed her before pushing her back to face her. "You're becoming such a beautiful little lady."

"Thank you." Dale replied not letting her guard down.

"A beauty like you deserves you been shown off, so Grandma has something very special for you." Violet gushed as she turned to another bag on the ground.

She fumbled around before bending back up with a bright pink, puffy and ruffled dress.

"This was my first dress when I entered my first beauty pageant." Violet said as she held the dress against her. Alex and Kenickie tried to stifle their smirks while Rizzo and Rob were hiding their glares.

"Grandma has entered you into the junior league pageant and I'd like you to wear this." Violet cooed to Dale.

"No thank you." Dale said as she turned her nose up at the dress and the idea of wearing it.

"Excuse me?" Violet asked shocked.

"I don't want to wear the dress." Dale replied in a polite way. "I don't like wearing dresses and I don't want to be in a pageant."

"Aww honey don't you want everyone to see you in this and win a trophy?" Violet asked trying to reassure her.

"I already have soccer and dancing trophies." Dale whimpered suddenly scared again. "No thank you."

"Dale listen to Grandma." Violet said sternly as her tone was raised. "Grandma has told all of her friends that you're coming in this dress. Don't you want to make Grandma happy?"

"No. I don't want to wear it." Dale whimpered.

Dale didn't like to see people upset but Violet was overwhelming her and she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Before they could fall down her face, she turned to go to back to Rob but it was the worst thing she could have done.

"Come back here young lady." Violet screeched.

She reached out to grab Dale's t shirt but as Dale moved quicker than Violet thought, she grabbed her arm, where her nails dug into Dale's skin.

"Ow." Dale shouted as Violet yanked her back to her.

"Don't walk away while we're talking to you." Arthur interrupted her.

"Let her go!" Rob shouted as he was by Dale's side at lightning speed.

"Daddy!" Dale sobbed as Violet let her go and Rob lifted her up into his arms.

"Mom." Rob called to Rizzo as he felt Dale's tears fall on his t shirt. "Take the kids inside."

"Come here sweetheart." Rizzo cooed to Dale as she took her out of Rob's arms and took her and the boys inside the house.

"Oh don't make a fuss, she's fine but just ungrateful like her mother was." Violet said calming down.

"No!" Rob replied now trying to keep his anger in check. "You were forcing something on her that she didn't want then you grabbed her and hurt her."

"It was an accident. I was reaching for her t shirt." Violet said dismissing Rob.

"You still tried to grab her." Kenickie said. "Get out off my property."

Arthur and Violet hadn't meant for this to happen but were smart enough to know it wasn't the time to argue.

"We were just going". Violet said as she headed for the gate.

"Think about our offer Robert." Arthur said as he closed and locked the gate behind him and Violet.

"You ok?" Kenickie asked Rob once they heard a car leave the drive away.

Rob didn't answer but headed back into the house to check on Dale. He knew how much Violet had wanted Laura and Dale to follow in her footsteps but to grab an 8-year-old child just so you wouldn't be embarrassed in front of your friends was taking it to far.

When Rob walked into the dining room where Dale was sat on Rizzo's lap as Rizzo finished dabbing iodine on her arm and put a band aid where the scratches were. Once she heard the footsteps coming back into the room, Dale looked up and seen the one person she wanted.

"Daddy." Dale whimpered as her lip trembled and fresh tears appeared

"Hold still one second sweetie." Rizzo replied as she finished popping on the band aid. "Ok you're done."

Dale hoped off her grandma's lap and almost ran around the table where Rob's arms were waiting to lift her up into his arms. As he lifted her up, she happily snuggled into his chest as Rob held her close while her tears well on his t shirt.

"You ok princess?" Rob asked as he rubbed her back.

"My arm hurts." Dale whimpered as she looked up at him.

"Can you move it." Rob asked.

Dale wiggled her arm around with no pain on her face and it looked ok.

"It's not broken so that's good." Rizzo replied putting away the first aid kit. "You'll be fine."

"Still hurts." Dale whimpered as she leaned back into her dad.

"Aww that means you'll need to stay here with grandma then." Rob said knowing it would cheer her up.

Dale's head snapped up to fast, but she nearly headed butted Rob. "What?"

"Yeah, you can't work on cars if your arm is sore." Rizzo smiled as she walked past her. "You'll need to stay here with Grandma.

"No it's not sore anymore." Dale beamed as she waved her arm about in different positions.

"I don't know." Rob smiled at her. "You might be faking it."

"No Daddy. I promise." Dale beamed still waving her arm around to prove her point.

"Ok I guess you can come to the garage then." Rob replied at her eagerness.

"Thank you, Daddy." Dale beamed as she leaned him to hug him again.

"That's my girl." Rob smiled as he hugged her back.

"I love you." Dale said as she pulled away from him.

"I love you more." Rob replied as he kissed her cheek and placed her back on the ground. "Go find your brothers and see what they're doing."

Dale happily did what he said and ran up the stairs to see what her brothers were doing.

"Thanks mom." Rob said as he turned to face the others at the table.

"That's what Grandma's are for." Rizzo replied. "For fixing Boo Boo's, not pulling and scratching little girls arms."

"Mom." Rob sighed as he sat down. "I know. Dale's fine."

"What's the plan now?" Kenickie asked not wanting his granddaughter to be traumatised.

"Depends." Rob smirked as he turned to Alex. "How much of that did you get?"

Alex matched his smirk. "All of it."

Alex placed his arm under his hoodie and fumbled about before pulling a small video recorder out from under it.

"Perfect." Rob smiled at him. "Now they won't get within 100ft of the kids."

"What?" Rizzo asked. "You knew they were gonna grab Dale?"

"No, that part we got lucky on." Rob replied. "I knew they would try and force the kids into stuff or say something to incriminate themselves, but I didn't have a subtle way of getting proof."

"That's when he remembered the Anderson trick we used before, so we used it again." Alex grinned as if it was him that had come up with the plan.

"Nice work boys." Kenickie said once again proud of his sons.

When the boys had become full time mechanics, a mechanic at one of the shops had been stealing parts to re seal to other garages. Kenickie was sure it had been a certain mechanic, but Alex and Rob knew it was Michael Anderson, but the problem was that they didn't have any proof. They managed to hide a camera in their jackets as they confronted Michael who, thinking they had no proof, admitted to the crime. Once they had proof, Kenickie fired him on the spot and apologised to the boys for not believing them. Whenever anyone was spying in the Murdoch family, they called it the Anderson trick.

"Thanks pops." Alex grinned before turning back to Rob. "What's the plan now?"

"I have a few ideas but right now I just wanna go work on a car with my kids." Rob sighed wanting to move on it.

"Ill grab the minions and we can go!" Kenickie declared as he headed upstairs to round up his grandkids.

"Ma is that offer of dinner still available to?" Rob asked knowing what the answer would be.

"Of course it is." Rizzo replied as she turned to Alex. "I take it you'll be coming back for dinner as well.

"It's like you don't even know me, Ma." Alex said as he held his hand over his heart.

Rizzo rolled her eyes at him knowing that she knew him to well.

TO BE CONTINUED

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