Della and Gertie were at the office one night, late. They were waiting on Perry and Paul Jr. to return. "Did you see Maureen's ring?" Della asked.
"It's so beautiful," Gertie said, "I'm glad they're finally engaged."
"So am I. Listen, I, um, I have a question for you."
"I have a feeling what it is."
"Why did you not tell me about the girls?"
"It wasn't for me to tell," Gertie said. "Della, I nagged my son for four years to get Maureen to tell you, and if she wouldn't that he should tell you two. I had already lost Paul. I didn't want to lose my son and granddaughters. It was really hard to keep it from you. There were so many times I wanted to tell you, but it would have hurt you more to know they were out there when you couldn't see them. Maureen wasn't ready to face the two of you. Until she was, I knew that you wouldn't see the girls and I knew it would be more painful to know about them and not be able to see them."
"I suppose you're right. I hadn't thought about that. If I had been in your position, I would have done the same."
"Do you forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive. You did the right thing."
"Thank you," Gertie said.
The phone rang and Della answered it, "Perry Mason's office."
"Grandma?"
"Natalie? What's wrong? It's awfully late."
"I went to a party and I think they spiked the punch."
"Where are you?"
"Are you going to tell my parents?"
"Yes, but I need to know where you are so that I can pick you up." Natalie gave Della the address. "Gertie, can you call Nicky and tell him that I'm going to pick up Natalie? I don't want her waiting for me too long."
"Should I mention the booze?"
"Just tell him what she told me. When Perry comes back, tell him too." Della quickly left and drove towards the house Natalie was at. She pulled up to the house and saw her granddaughter on the steps. Della quickly got out and rushed to the fifteen-year-old. "Are you alright?"
"I don't feel good."
"Let's get you home." Della took Natalie's hands and pulled her up. The girl swayed and Della pulled her closer to her. They got in the car and Della drove off to Nicky's. His family lived a few houses away from Della and Perry. Della used her key to enter Nicky's house and took Natalie to the kitchen.
"Grandma, I just want to go to bed," the girl whined.
"I'm making you some coffee."
"I'm not allowed to drink coffee."
"You're also not allowed to drink alcohol."
"I swear I didn't know."
Della started the coffee pot and turned to face her granddaughter, "you expect me to believe that you didn't taste the alcohol? Natalie, you're a smart girl."
"There was so much fruit in the punch that you couldn't taste it. I swear," the girl said. "Don't you believe me?"
It was at that moment that Della flashed back to when Nicky was just a fourteen-year-old, trying to help his grandfather. He had once asked Della the same question. "Alright, I believe you."
"No you don't," Natalie's response was the same as her father's had been back then.
Della walked over and sat by her granddaughter, "yes, I do."
Nicky and Nancy walked into the kitchen, "rough night?" he asked.
Della could tell that Natalie was afraid. "I'll get the coffee," she said.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Nicky asked in anger.
"I didn't know."
"How could you not know?"
"Daddy, I swear I didn't know."
"You're lying," Nicky said.
Natalie looked at her mother, "mom, have I ever lied to you about anything serious? Look, I could have stayed at the house and slept this off, but instead, I decided to come home."
"After calling your grandmother to pick you up," Nicky pointed out. "Did you think she'd cover for you?"
"Look, they put so much fruit and stuff in the punch that I couldn't even taste the alcohol."
"Nicky, I believe her," Nancy said.
"Daddy, didn't you ever tell someone the truth, and then they didn't believe you?"
Nicky looked at his mother, "yes."
Della gave Natalie the coffee, "yuck, this is awful."
"It's black," Della said. "Just what you need right now."
"Natalie, finish drinking that, then go to bed," Nicky said. "We'll figure this all out tomorrow."
"Yes, daddy," she said. Nicky and Nancy said good-night before going back to bed. Natalie turned towards her grandmother, "thank you."
"Of course," Della said. She sat with Natalie until the girl finished the coffee. Della cleaned up and left after.
After the punch incident, Nicky told Natalie that he and Nancy weren't going to ground her since she didn't know. However, if she slipped up during the next two months, she'd be grounded from going to parties or going out after dark for one month. Her two months were almost up. One day, she decided to go to her grandparents after school. Natalie walked into the house and found her grandmother in the living room. "What are you doing here?" Della stood and hugged the girl.
"Just thought I'd hang out here for a bit. I told my parents."
Della stared at her granddaughter for a bit, "what's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said.
"No, something is wrong. I can see it in your eyes and all over your face."
"Well, you know how my two months of probation are almost up?"
"Yeah," Della said cautiously.
"How daddy said that if I slipped up that I'd be grounded for a month?"
"Yes," Della answered.
"Well, I was wondering if that included..."
"Included what?"
"Getting pregnant?"
