Ding Dong!

Cassia dusted herself off as she picked her bags back up and floated in front of the infamous purple door, that led to the one house she had always dreaded going to. Despite it's pink color and somewhat friendly (despite it's somewhat decaying appearance), if the term "haunted house" was even thrown around, Cassia's thought immediately landed towards the house of her Grandma and Grandpa Cosma, both of whom she wanted to "have a word with" before she left down.

As she began to gather her thoughts, she heard the door click, and the door opened, revealing her Grandpa Linnie, already dressed in a green sweater vest and tan pants, with a belt around his waist and his reading glasses cleaned throughly. A soft smile was on his face as he reached down for a hug, Cassia obliging.

"Hi darling, what a surprise! I-I thought you were headed to school!", he asked, "Aw, poor dear. You must be getting hot. Why don't you come in and I'll make you breakfast."

"Uh...that's ok. I had some apple slices before I left. It's no big deal.", Cassia laughed, as Linnie led her into their kitchen, the grease and beer stains still plaguing the walls.

"Sweetie, you need to eat more. It's ok really. We just got groceries and quite frankly dear...you look hungry.", he gathered up as many pots and pans as he could, before opening up the fridge, "Want some apple or orange juice?"

"Uh, maybe some coffee?"

"Well sweetie...well I'm not sure if that's good for you. I think some juice might do you better dear. Now, apple or orange, sweetie? We also have some milk if you'd prefer, o-or I can get you one of these water bottles?"

"Y-You don't have to do this, really. I just wanted to talk to you two for a bit."

"W-well you said you only had some apple slices, and I would really like it if you had a healthy meal. You know, apple slices alone won't give you enough fuel for the day. Now honey, what would you like to drink?"

"Uh, apple juice I guess then. Thanks."

"You don't need to thank me sweetheart. I'm just doing my job.", Linnie smiled as he pouring the juice into a plastic cup, giving it to Cassia as she settled onto the kitchen chair. He then turned back to the stove to finish scrambling the eggs and cooking the sausage he had planned for her, before putting both of them neatly on a plate and handing them to Cassia, sitting across from her. "Oh, I'm so glad you came to visit! I know how hard it is for you to come over here. I know we hadn't really made you're stay welcome, sweetheart."

"Yeah well...that's kinda what I wanted to talk about. You know, for closure? Where's Grandma?", Cassia asked, surveying the room.

"She's at work, dear. She got called into a meeting with Jorgen. But she'll be home early if you get finished moving in and would like to see her, o-or call her."

"Yeah probably..I've been meaning to ask her something personal," Cassia said, somewhat dejected, "Can I ask you something too?"

"Of course sweetheart. Anything you'd like."

"Uhm...w-why are you so...god what's the word? So...overbearing of me and Poof?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Well, I mean we appreciate you. We really do. It's just you can be a bit...touchy feely. Like too soft and caring if that makes sense."

"Oh well..I guess I just have that effect on people.", Linnie said, though the soft smile didn't leave his race. His eyes did start to droop a bit thought, "I'm sorry, dear. It's just well...after your father had left home, I had fallen into this depression because I was left alone with your grandmother and well...you know how she is. When I heard the news, I was so excited to find out that he was pregnant with you. I finally had someone to take care of again."

"Why did you want to take care of us so bad? I figured some one your age would be off planning their retirement home, or going on vacation or something. Enjoying life a little. Why waste it on us?", Cassia jeered slightly, her eggs now tasting bitter as she washes them down with juice.

"I'm not as old as you think I am, sweetie.", Linnie smirked. "I don't know though. I feel guilty if I just left. I had already made that mistake when I was a fly, and I promised I wouldn't make that mistake again. Besides, I really don't have the money right now to retirement and well..I like taking care of others. It's just what I do. I love caring for others, especially those that need it most."

"Yeah but did you have to be so overbearing about it? Like the coffee thing just now?"

"I-I just want what's best for you."

"Ah! I-I know you do...god you're too nice to stay mad at."

"I'm sorry Cassia. I really didn't know what I was doing had bothered you. I didn't mean that. I just wanted you to be healthy and safe because I love you."

"Yeah I know...just, a little personal space isn't hard to give. Plus, you know I'm an adult now. You don't have to keep treating me like a little kid."

"I know, I'm sorry sweetie. I-I guess I just miss all the times when you were little, and I'd hold you in my arms. You made me feel so safe in that moment and so loved. You know, it's pretty rare for me to get that nowadays."

"Speaking of, there's one more question I wanted to ask."

"Hmm, what's that, dear?"

"Might not be any of my business but...why hadn't you left her? It's obvious she doesn't treat you well, so why did you keep bothering to stay? Don't you think you deserve better?," Cassia asked, paying special attention to some of the bruises that were hinted on Linnie's neck as he sighed, and put down his knife and eggs.

"She's miserable, that's why I stay. I-I just thought if there was something that was making her his...awful, then maybe I could change her if someone was kind enough to her."

"But that doesn't give her an excuse to hit you like that."

"No, of course not, but what can I do?"

"Get the police involved?"

"I-I really don't want her to go to jail. She's miserable enough as is."

"Well, I mean I don't have the right to tell you what to do, but I'm just saying. She shouldn't be treating you like that.", Cassia said as she finished off her plate.

"Yes dear well...I-I'm just hopeful one day that she'll change, and tell me she loves me one more time.", Linnie said as he gathered the plates and took them to their sink, rinsing them as water fell near his brown, velvet shoes, hitting the stained tile floor, "Cassia, I know you said you didn't want be overbearing but...I was wondering well...did you want some help moving into your dorm? I-I know you wanted some space but I just thought I'd offer."

"Nah, I got this."

"Are you sure, sweetheart?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine. No need to worry about me. I-I'll come by later tonight to see you again before I'm off on my own."

"W-well, I just thought I asked. You know you're welcome to say with me on nights Nora's not around. I-I can get your sheets washed and your favorite teddy bears all nice and clean for you.

"Uhm thanks...I'll consider it."

"Oh and Cassia? Before you go..."

"Yeah?"

"Want some coffee?"