"Well, what are we going to do?", Chris asked with a frown. "Mom...I think we should tell grandpa the truth.", Alex said with a nod.
I sighed softly, "I have to say that you're right, Alex. It's your grandfather, he's family. He deserves to know the truth instead of lies from his own daughter...", and Hopper kissed me softly on the cheek, "It's okay, we're right behind ya.".
"We'll be by your side, Mom.", Ashley said with a wide smile. I smiled as I knelt down and hugged the twins close to me. "My life would have been so dull and boring without you two...", I smiled softly as I kissed them on the foreheads.
Alex grinned, "And we couldn't have known the best mother ever in you, Mom, if we never met ya!", and Hopper laughed softly, "That's about the best thing you could say for Angela.". Hopper joined in on the hug.
"Well, this is sweet..but I say we get ready for when your dad gets here.", Chris said. I nodded firmly, "Right, everyone else, go upstairs and stay there until I call you down. It's best to not overwhelm Dad all at once when he sees you all, so Chris, you go with them, talk about more human stuff or something to keep their minds off the conversation that I am gonna have with Dad. Hopper and the twins are staying down here with me.".
"Are you sure that it's a good idea for your dad to know you and Hopper are...?", Chris asked with a gesture. I raised a eyebrow, "I have been together with Hopper as a couple for almost 5 months back in the other world, and we've been around each other so much.. so it will be beyond obvious to Dad.".
"I just hope your dad accepts me.", Hopper said with a sigh. I cradled his cheek affectionately with a hand, smiling reassuringly at him, "How couldn't he? Once he hears about the moments you've saved me and the twins, he will see the wonderful soul inside you as I've been recognizing myself...". Hopper smiled. Well, let's get this over with...as Dad will be here any moment.
It was perhaps five minutes before I heard the doorbell, and Hopper blinked softly, "Convenient.", and I smiled lightly, patting his hand as I got up from the couch, and went to the door, opening it up to reveal Dad. He seems frozen, staring at me with awe, disbelief, and I whispered softly, "Hi, Daddy.".
He lifted up his hand, touching my shoulder, and he breathed shakily, "Angela?", and I nodded softly, "It's okay, Dad.", before he suddenly grabbed me into a hug, hearing a choked laugh and feeling his shoulders shake, and I wrapped my arms around him, breathing deeply in his deodorant, recognizing that I missed him so much.
"I missed you so much!", Dad cried loudly. I felt tears fall down my face. "I missed you too, Daddy!", I sobbed out loud as I hugged him even harder, and I hear the thumping of footsteps, barely glancing to see Alex and Ashley standing by with tears and smiles, "Mom, can we hug Grandpa too?", and I hear a laugh from Dad, "Come here, rascals!".
"Grandpa!", Alex and Ashley cried out happily as they ran towards him, and Dad fell to the ground as the twins tackled him into a big hug. Dad laughed as he hugged the twins close to him. I smiled with tears in my eyes at the sight.
I laughed softly as they held each other for a bit before I sternly replied, "Alright, you two, let your grandpa up, and get in here. It may be the end of summer here, but there's a chill.", and I smiled, walking back inside, looking at Hopper who's remarkably staying this long on his seat of the couch as he smiled back at me.
The twins then helped Dad get up. "We missed you, grandpa!", Alex said.
I glanced to see Dad ruffle Alex's hair, "I sure missed you too, kiddo!", and smiled at Ashley, "Look at you, darling, you are getting prettier than the last time I saw you...", as he entered into the house with the twins gently tugging his hands, and I sat next to Hopper, smiling lightly as I felt his hand gingerly brush upon my hand.
"Well, here goes.", I whispered lowly. Hopper held my hand in his. Dad then walked into the living room. "Who is this, Angela?", Dad asked curiously. I smiled softly, "Dad, this is Hopper.".
"Hopper? Huh? As in the same name as your favorite character from the movie. Why is he here? And why is he holding your hand like that?", Dad asked. I blushed brightly. "Well..because Hopper is my boyfriend.", I said with a sheepish smile.
Dad blinked in surprise, "Your boyfriend. For almost 9 weeks?". "Yeah.", I said with a small smile. Hopper then stood up, and held his hand out to shake Dad's hand. "Nice to meet you, sir...Angela's told me everything about you.", Hopper smiled warmly.
Dad then shook Hopper's hand. "Where did you meet him, Angela?", Dad asked thoughtfully. I chuckled softly, "Actually, I met him back in the world of a Bug's Life.".
"No, really..where did you meet him?", Dad asked sternly. "I just told you the truth, Dad.", I said with a frown.
"Angela, just stop joking...tell me how you really met Hopper.", Dad said sharply. "Mom is telling the truth, Grandpa.", Ashley said defensively.
Alex nodded, "Yeah, and we went along too! We made friends with Dot, Atta, Flik, everybody!", and Ashley giggled lightly, "Don't forget that we were younger, being kids too, Alex.".
Dad had this look on his face telling me that it was still hard for him to believe it. "Alex and Ashley, go get the others.", I said sternly. "Yes, Mom.", Alex and Ashley said at the same time, nodding.
Alex and Ashley bounced off the couch, heading to the stairs, calling out, "Uncle Chris, bring them down!", with wide smiles. I hear Chris calling back, "Okay, we're coming!".
"Who else is here, Angela?", Dad asked curiously. "Dad...this is going to take a few hours for you to understand.", I said with a patient nod.
Time skip-
Everybody is now crowding up the living room, taking some chairs from the dining table to compensate for more seats, and Dad exhaled, holding a steaming cup of tea, "Wow...That is quite the story...And you're all human...Angela, I think it's best for me to be the only person in the family to keep this a secret...I have a feeling that your mother will just find a excuse to insult Hopper and the others somehow...".
"Trust me, I don't plan on telling anyone else...and I know mother will just be her usual self.", I said roughly with a roll of my eyes. "What about your siblings?", Dad asked quietly.
I sighed lightly as I remembered my other siblings. There's Katie, my older sister, through she is two years younger than Josh as he was 17, hence Katie being one year older than me. She got Mother's black hair, Grandpa's tan skin, and Dad's brown eyes. And then there's Blake, my younger brother by two years, having Grandma's dark green eyes, Dad's dark brown hair, and Mother's pale skin. And my baby sister, Sasha, 4 years younger than me. She has Dad's warm tan skin, light brown hair, and sky blue eyes.
I shrugged softly, "I don't know...I mean, Katie lives in the countryside, being a bossy girl...Blake, he's...ah, is he still on rehab? Sasha, sweet girl, she's a bit bubbly at times...".
"You are right on that...So I guess only I will be the one to know the truth?", Dad said with a chuckle. "Looks like it.", I said with a smile.
"Angela..where are the rest of our friends going to live? I mean, your house doesn't have any more rooms.", Chris said with a sigh. "Oh, I almost forgot...Here, Angela.", Dad said as he handed me a letter. I read it out loud.
"Dear Angela,
I always wished for a better life for you and the wonderful children you have, and this mansion might be the answer for that. I had pleasant memories growing up in this place, and I hope your kids will have meaningful moments here. Yes, it's a tad big for the three of you, but I know how you are with family and friends, caring for them with love in your heart, through I admit to say that your mother is forbidden to come to the mansion. I don't know if your father has noticed, but she is a gold digger, and I despite those kind of people! Anyhow, this mansion should be enough for family gatherings, for your father, your siblings, God bless Joshua, and any friends you have, and of course, perhaps a boyfriend or husband if you seek for one someday.
If your children want to name the mansion, they are welcome to do it so. I always called it 'Wild Castle' in my private thoughts when I was young, due to the fact that the place is surrounded by a glorious, peaceful forest. And oh, your father often asked me if the place is going to get updated in case if I was to sell it, but I have decided to give it to you. Oh, it was to be Joshua's birthday gift when he turned 18, but as you know, he was taken from us too soon, and I believe he would've wanted you to have it.
Visit me at my retirement vacation place if you have questions, and I'll be glad to tell you what you need. You truly deserve to be happy, my granddaughter.
Love, Grandpa Daniel. P.S. Please get your father to consider a divorce from that gold digger. That's right, Samuel, do you hear me?!", I finished reading it out loud, and I looked up to see various expressions of surprise, amusement, happiness, awe, wonder, and excitement upon everybody's faces. Dad whose name is Samuel, he huffed lightly, "Pops, always putting in the last word...".
"Well, first of all...I will visit Grandpa to give him my thanks...and also, you should divorce Mother...Dad.", I said with a somber look. "You are right...we no longer live together...and it looks like she has no intention of changing...I'm going to divorce her.", Dad said with a perceptive sigh.
"Anyway, what do you all think...about moving into the mansion?", I asked with a smile on my face.
Hopper glances at the picture of the mansion besides the letter, and I knew from visitations when I was young as I remember that the mansion has 7 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a wonderful moderately-sized library/office, but I knew the kitchen might need to be updated, along with the fireplace in the living room, and of course, I have to figure out about the basement as it's practically dark down there, no use for anything besides the furnace for hot water to use.
"It looks wonderful, my love.", Hopper said with a delighted smile. "A perfect place for all of us...since there will be more rooms for us to sleep in.", Francis said with a smirk at Chris who blushed lightly.
"Well, kids..what do you want to call the mansion?", I asked the twins curiously. Alex and Ashley whispered lowly in tones I couldn't hear, and I waited a moment before they broke up with smiles, with Alex speaking first, "We've decided to call it,", glancing at Ashley, "Horseshoe Residence! You often said that Uncle Josh loved Toy Story 1 and 2, Mom, and that he favored Woody and then Bullseye.".