Cal headed into the day care, having flashbacks of going to pick his sons up. The day care wasn't the exact same place his boys had gone to, but the call and laughter of children's voices in the air and the smell of play dough, paint and disinfectant in the room was certainly familiar. Cal's boys were teenagers now and he was there today to pick up little Gracie. She was three and a half, looking so much like her mother at the same age as well, dark curly hair and dark wide eyes.
"Poppa!" She found him first and rushed forward from the throng smaller bodies.
"Hi Gracie darlin'," Cal crouched to her level.
"You come get me today."
"Yep. Cos Mum's not feelin' well rememba?"
The little girl nodded solemnly. And Dad was at work. Ethan was in school. Gillian was also working and so that pretty much left Cal. Which was totally fine by him. He was officially retired now anyway.
"Mum was chucking," Grace told him.
Cal pulled a face of disgust. "You go get your bag ok and then we'll go."
Grace nodded quickly before running off again. Cal was approached for polite conversation. He proudly pointed out he was Grace's grandfather. He also had a thirteen year old as well, and an almost eighteen year old, but he wasn't going to mention that, when he was also a granddad. When Grace returned she wanted him to meet her friends so he said hello to them too, little boys with dimpled grins and girls with ribbons in their hair. Cal had forgotten how adorable little people could be; and Grace was particularly adorable. She was wearing striped white and black leggings with a ruffled purple skirt, pink t-shirt over an aqua and purpled striped long-sleeved undershirt and red sandals; she had presumably picked out her own clothes that morning. Her hair was pulled back into a rough ponytail, probably by her father that morning before she was dropped off at day care; there were bumps and a tuft of hair sticking up through the hair band. The thing was, the entire look totally suited the little girl.
"Ready to go Gracie?" Cal asked her once her friend's parents had all come to take them home.
"Yup," Grace nodded and skipped towards the door, the pack on her back bouncing as she jumped and hopped. Cal followed her and took her hand as they went out into the parking lot. He let her into the back of his car and strapped her in himself. He didn't have her car seat so he tucked the over-shoulder strap under her arm instead. "Poppa do we go home now?"
"No you're gonna come home with me to my house and hang out for a bit. Reckon that'd be cool?"
"Yup," Grace nodded again. "I like your house."
Cal gave her a smile. "Me too. We'll make somethin' for aftanoon tea."
"Oooh I like them cookies."
"Ok we can make cookies," Cal closed her door gently and went around to the driver's side.
"With the choco chips."
"Sure, chocolate chips," Cal agreed easily.
Once they were inside Grace rushed through to the kitchen and then called back for Cal to hurry up. Cal gave himself a slight eye roll. When he was in the kitchen as well he could see Grace had already pulled a stool closer so she could stand up and reach the bench. Well, she was reaching for the tap to wash her hands but it was just slightly out of reach, even on her tip toes. The stool was only about a foot tall, the one the boys used to utilise to be able to reach the sink in the bathroom to do their teeth. It was now for little grandchildren to assist with baking.
Cal lifted Grace a little and turned the tap on, holding her up with his thigh and hip, gently pressing her against the edge of the bench. They washed their hands together. When Grace was finished and Cal put her down again to grab something to dry their hands with, she wiped her hands down the front of her pink shirt. "Oi," Cal admonished. "Use a towel." He tossed one to her.
Grace gave him a grin, baring neat white teeth, her brown eyes mischievous like her mother's. "We make the cookies with the chips?"
"Yes," Cal agreed. "What are we gonna need?"
"Butter and flowers."
"Yep," Cal confirmed. "You grab the flour from the pantry." While Grace disappeared Cal grabbed the recipe book from the cupboard above the fridge. He also grabbed the butter while he was over there. They read through the recipe again, grabbing the ingredients one at a time. Cal lifted the little girl so she could get the chocolate from the higher shelf; he retrieved the sugar. From the fridge they got eggs, one for each hand.
"Do you rememba how to measure the flour?" Cal asked, getting a bowl and the scales.
"You make the numbers say the same," Grace informed him.
"Very good." Well she should know, they made this recipe often enough. Cal put the scales together and rested the bowl on top of them. He put the container of flour on the bench next to where Grace was now sitting. He showed her whereabouts on the scales the line should go to and left her to spoon the flour from the large container into the bowl. Cal turned the oven on and prepared the tray for their cookies. He cut the butter and set it on the stove in a pot on a very low heat to melt slowly.
"I finished," Grace informed him.
Cal went over to check. She was pretty accurate but he did suggest taking some of the flour out to make the needle swing back half an inch the other way. Grace measured out the sugar and cracked the eggs into the mix one by one, digging her fingers into the shell to let the white and yolk run out. "All the baby chickies," Grace mused as she worked.
Cal went to get the butter. The recipe was incredibly straightforward. Dump everything in together. Mix. Shape. Put in oven. Eat. Yummy. He held Grace again while she washed off the little chickies from her little fingers and sat her on the bench again. He did the initial mixing while Grace tossed in chocolate buttons, one by one until she felt there were enough. "I'll have a turn," Cal told her, taking the bag. He grabbed a big handful and threw it into the mix as well. He let Grace try to fold them in, but the mix was a dough now and too tough for her smaller muscles.
"All right darlin'," Cal halted her. "Time to make them into cookies I think." He brought the oven tray over.
"Make a doggie Pop Pop."
"All right. And what are you gonna make?"
"Um I make a flower."
"Lovely," Cal noted. He rolled Grace's sleeves up and they both dived in, grabbing handfuls of the mix. Cal made a rough shape of an animal's body, with four legs and a tail, then poked a little hole in for its eyes. By the time the dough cooked and spread, it would look more like a blob. Same for Grace's flower. Why did they not have animal shaped cookie cutters? Cal was going to lay a complaint with Gramma.
Grace ate some of the raw dough and they made stars, triangles, circles and squares, then a fairy/angel, washed their hands off and put the cookies into the oven. Cal set the timer while Grace danced around beside him, peering into the oven to see the dough already starting to heat up. "How long Pop?"
"Twenty minutes," Cal answered.
"What we do now?" Grace looked up at him.
"Hm," Cal pretended to think. "What shall we do?"
Grace gave him a smile and approached with her arms raised to be picked up. Cal lifted her easily; she was like a little bird. "We watch the movie?"
"Only until the cookies are ready," Cal warned. "And then it will be home time." He carried her to the couch and put her down on a cushion.
"Do you save the movie?"
"Yes I didn't watch it without you," Cal answered. Guess which movie? The Wizard of Oz. Yeah, it was some sort of family tradition now. Cal blamed Lewis. He told the girl it was his favourite movie as a kid and had started watching it with her. She was hooked. Every time she came over now she wanted to watch it. She liked the munchkins, and the songs, and the ruby red slippers. She wanted some red shoes of her own. So, so much.
The move was paused on the hard drive where they had been up to last time Cal was on babysitting duties. Ethan wasn't quite the fan that Grace was, so he had been playing with Owen upstairs. They were up to the bit where Dorothy had smacked the Cowardly Lion on his nose and Cal felt a song coming on. Grace crawled into his lap and used him like an arm chair. Cal even raised his arms for her to rest on and she giggled her appreciation for a second, before being completely absorbed in the movie again.
"I don't like this," Grace suddenly announced, bringing a hand up to her hair to tug at the hair band. "It's hurting me."
"I'll get it," Cal told her. Grace retracted her hand and Cal gently pulled the lime green tie from her hair. He placed it on the cushion beside them and Grace immediately leaned back against his chest, her warm body quickly relaxing into him. Cal wrapped his arms around her like a rollercoaster ride restraint.
On the screen, Dorothy, Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow all decided to travel together, and skipped off down the yellow brick road into the scary forest. They popped out the other end of the darkness into a field bright with poppies; the shiny Emerald City was in the far background. Grace let out a little 'ooooh' of appreciation. Her head came back sharply to look up at him. "Look at the petty flowers Pop Pop."
"Lovely," Cal agreed with a nod. Grace turned back to watch the movie. Cal reached up a hand to comb his fingers through the girl's thick curly hair. No, he didn't think so, no brushing this morning. He felt like tsking the shoddy work. Then he remembered morning's brushing Emily's hair for school and just not being able to make it look like how she wanted. She had teared up on occasion but, she had never accused him of not being her mother, though she must have thought it. Cal had only one to deal with, whereas Ajay had to organise Ethan and Grace. And girls were so much more demanding.
The buzzer on the oven went off and Grace sat up abruptly. "Oh! The cookies! Pause it!"
"I'm pausin'," Cal already had a finger on the button. He froze the screen and Grace scrambled to the floor. She rushed around to the kitchen, Cal following quickly after her. He turned the timer off while Grace peered through the window to see their creations. "Do they look good?" Cal asked her.
"They're all big and fluffly," Grace informed him.
Fluffly?
Cal got her to move away a little bit while he opened the oven door and observed close up himself. He probably needed his glasses on for closer detail, but he figured they were ready. Twenty minutes was usually just the right amount. "All right let's grab them out," Cal told Grace and reached for an oven mitt. He pushed Grace back further and opened the door with his left hand, reaching for the tray with his right. He carefully extracted it, expertly keeping an eye on all cookies and his granddaughter at the same time. But she was pretty good and knew to wait because it was hot. Cal put the tray on top of the oven. And studied the cookies, giving the angel a little prod. She seemed pretty solid and he deemed them cooked. He turned off the oven.
"I get a plate!" Grace announced going for the pantry. She came back with the plastic composite bunny that had been Lewis's once upon a time. Unbeknownst to Cal, many things had gone into storage for the use of grandchildren. Gillian thought ahead. And Cal was glad she did, because he liked the idea of tradition.
"They're gonna be hot," Cal warned Grace, keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't touch the oven or attempt to reach the tray, while he went to get a spatula.
"But we have them now?" Grace asked. "Cos the choco is runny."
"We can have one now," Cal agreed. "We could save one for Dad and Ethan?" They had made enough.
"And one for Gramma," Grace agreed with an excited little grin. "Gramma has the angel."
"Ok. Which one do you want?"
"I have the star."
Cal told her to hold her plate up and scooped up the cookie to place on it. He warned her to keep the plate flat otherwise the cookie would end up on the floor. "Which one should I have?"
"Um you have the circle."
"All right," Cal scooped that one up too and put it on Grace's plate.
"Daddy has the doggie and Thegn has the triangle."
"Then there'll be one left ova," Cal noted.
"You has it."
"Have it," Cal corrected. He scooped it up and also put it on their plate. The others he put onto a rack to cool and Grace waited patiently for him to finish. She carried their afternoon snack back to the couch, putting the plate on the cushion before climbing up and pulling it back into her lap. Cal sat next to her this time. "Are they yummy?"
"Ahmph," Grace agreed, her mouth full. Cal took his circle and bit into it. It was good. And Grace was right, they were better with the chocolate warm and still runny. They watched more of the movie, splitting the square in half to share. Cal gave her the bigger half, had a fleeting thought he might be ruining her dinner a little, decided that was his duty as a grandparent.
Half an hour later Cal paused the movie at the end of a scene. Grace looked over at him aghast. "It's nearly home time," Cal warned her.
"Aw but I won't know what happened," Grace pouted.
"You've seen this before!" Cal reached out a hand to tickle her. Grace laughed and squirmed away, kicking her feet.
"No no no!" She cried out and Cal let her go. She clicked her heels together three times. "No place like home. No place like home."
Cal grinned, surprised, entertained.
Grace looked up at him suddenly. "But Gramma's cookie."
"I'll make sure she gets it."
"I give it her."
Cal checked the time again. Gillian might have finished with her patients for the day. Ethan had gone to a friend's after school, but soon Ajay would be home from work, and that was when Cal was meant to drop Grace back home. There would be time to go and see Gillian before that. "We can go and see if Gramma is not busy. But she might be," Cal warned.
"Let's go see," Grace decided, sliding forward down the couch. Her skirt rode up as she dropped to the floor.
"Plate!" Cal called before she could walk away. Grace turned back with that little smile of hers and took it with both hands. They tided the kitchen away, returning the ingredients, stacking the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, and placing the extra cookies into two containers, one for Ajay and Ethan, the angel into another one for Gillian.
Cal put Grace back in his car and headed through the city to Gillian's office building. They went past the Lightman Group, now headed jointly by Eli and Ria, who shared Cal's office. Cal was supposed to use Gillian's now if he bothered to call in, and Gillian still used it on occasion when she went in to not really do much more than just check that everything was going fine. There had been a slight dip in business when it was known the Lightman had left the building, but it seemed to be righting itself again and Cal supposed that meant Eli and Ria were holding up to expectations. As for what would happen to the business once he and Gillian actually left the earth; it was a conversation he was avoiding having. Things had changed, plans needed to be remade.
"There's Pop's work!" Grace called out from the back seat as they drove around it, heading further up the street to Gillian's building. Cal supposed, technically, his three children would inherit the business but he wondered if Eli and Ria would keep it running, or if the kids would want to keep it going. He wasn't even sure how involved they would want to be. He wondered if it would be easier all around to dissolve it. He wasn't working there anymore but it was his pride and joy. Hence the avoidance.
Cal pulled into a park on the street and told Grace to be very careful getting out. He went around to her side quickly; to make sure she didn't run out into traffic and had to remind her to grab her cookie. They walked inside; Grace had two hands carefully on the angel. She reached up to push the button for the lift and rocked back on her feet while they waited. Cal pulled her to stand aside to let the two men off the car before they got on it and lifted her to push the button for Gillian's floor. The hallway was empty when they stepped out again.
Grace, in her excitement, rushed to the right doorway but she waited for Cal to get there and open the door. She walked in confidently, then stood in the middle of the room waiting for her grandfather to catch her up. There was no one else in there but the receptionist. "Hi," she greeted with a smile but it seemed Grace had suddenly gotten shy.
"Hi," Cal echoed. "Is Gill still about?"
"Yes she's still here."
"She with someone?" Cal gave Grace a nudge forward and guided her to the desk.
"No her last appointment finished half an hour ago."
"Oh great," Cal enthused and turned Grace to head for Gillian's office. "Thank you."
Gillian's office was on the far right, down a little bit of corridor. At the end was a second exit, so their patient's could leave with some privacy. Cal stopped Grace in front of the correct closed door. "I knock?" She asked looking up at him.
"Yeah you go ahead munchkin."
"I the good fairy no the munchkin," Grace told him seriously.
"Sorry," Cal quickly apologised.
Grace knocked, her little hand tapping lightly against the door. It opened a second later and Gillian was standing there smiling. "I thought I heard voices," she said in greeting. "Hi Grace."
"Gramma I bought you a angel." Grace held up the container proudly.
Gillian stepped aside to let them in. "Did you do baking with Pop this afternoon?"
"We made cookies," Grace nodded, standing right in front of her grandmother. Cal had to nudge her aside from the doorway to get by her. He leaned over the girl to give his wife a quick kiss as she took the container with her cookie in it from the three year old, the diamond ring on her finger still drawing Cal's eye.
"Thank you," Gillian responded warmly, her eyes dancing as they glanced at Cal, smiling, and he wondered if she meant him for the kiss or the kid for the cookie. Cal crossed the room and took a seat on the couch. Gillian closed the door while Grace rattled on about how Emily was sick and she'd gone to day care that day and then Pop, who she pointed at, in case Gillian didn't know who he was, came to get her and they watched the Wizard movie and made cookies. Cal raised a hand to wiggle his fingers in greeting. "Wow," Gillian enthused, heading over to the armchair while the girl talked. "Sounds like a very good day. I like what you're wearing."
Grace curled her hands in front of her, turning them over on themselves and locking her elbows and gave a pleased grin and a little bob, like she was curtseying. "I got mine ruby slippers on."
Gillian looked down at her red sandals. "They're very pretty."
"My Mom got me them."
"You're very lucky," Gillian told her. She popped open the lid of her container and Cal had to try incredibly hard not to laugh at her expression as she saw her angel. The angel, to be fair, had blobbed like the doggie had and now it was more like a misshapen overweight Blair Witch Doll with a pillar in its back. Gillian looked at Cal.
"Luckily, it still tastes good," he noted, amused.
"Did you make this for me?" Gillian asked Grace, who nodded, smiling, pleased and proud, swinging her body around from left to right, like she was a piece of string winding up. "It's very cool." She made the sign deliberately for Grace to see.
"You eat it," Grace told her, grouping her fingers and bringing them to her mouth. Gillian always made a point to sign to their grandkids, Cal, to be honest, was a bit slack.
"Now?"
"Now," Cal agreed with a nod. "And then we have to take Gracie home."
Grace stood in front of Gillian who raised the malformed angel to her mouth and took a delicate bite. "Mmm, it's so good. Thank you Grace," Gillian moved straight fingers from her mouth forward towards the little girl.
"I had a star," Grace informed her.
"Was it good?"
Grace nodded again. Cal watched the intense way the little girl focussed on his wife; it was like he didn't exist now, completely forgotten. Like he had a natural bond with Lewis, Gillian had one with Grace. It was so nice she finally had a little girl to dote all over. Gillian finished her cookie and thanked Grace again. Grace climbed into her grandmother's lap for a cuddle. Gillian combed her fingers through the girl's hair, working out the tangles, asking her what she had done at day care that day. Cal watched them from the couch, silently enjoying seeing his wife as a grandmother. Gillian plaited Grace's hair gently, forming a far better bind than the girls' father had that morning. Cal realised they'd left Grace's hair tie at home and got up and went to Gillian's desk, finding one in the first draw and bringing it over. Gillian gave him a smile in thanks. Cal hovered while she bound the end of the plait and Gillian seamlessly reminded Grace that it was time to go home.
Grace slid to the floor and put a hand back to feel her hair. "Is it pretty?"
"Very," Cal answered.
"I'll miss you Gramma," Grace threw herself at Gillian.
Gillian stood, pulling the girl up with her. "I'll see you soon," she reassured. She headed for the door, holding Grace tightly. Cal followed. "Thank you for coming to see me. It was nice to see you."
"You're nice," Grace told her.
"Thank you," Gillian gave a slight laugh. "I think you're nice too." They swapped kisses, had another squeeze, then Gillian put the girl down again and opened the door. Cal got closer to exit but Gillian stopped him with a hand on his wrist. Cal turned to her and she planted a kiss on his lips. "I think you're also nice," she told him.
"Thanks very much. I think you're nice and all."
"See you at home?"
"You shall," Cal agreed.
"Is Owen home?"
"He should be by now."
"Bye Pop Pop."
"Bye Gramma," Cal echoed.
They headed across the city again, Grace chattering away in the background about what Cal wasn't entirely sure. It was harder to hear the girl when she was murmuring and he only caught the occasional word. They pulled up at Grace's home and she excitedly unclipped her belt and let herself out. Cal went around to close her door and grab the container of cookies for Ajay and Ethan. Emily was at the door when Cal approached, Grace bombarding her with words. She was still in her pyjamas and bathrobe. "Hey Dad," Emily greet warily.
"You look awful," Cal told her.
"Thanks."
"Not feelin' betta?"
Emily gave a slight shake of her head. "I think it's that bug Ethan had earlier this week."
"Right," Cal nodded.
"I talking!" Grace informed them hotly.
"Sorry," Emily told her. "You go in and I'll come in, in a minute to listen," she stood aside to let her daughter past. "Want to come in?" She asked her father.
"I gotta get home for Owen," Cal apologised. He handed over the cookies. "For those who are eatin' in this household."
Emily gave a resigned nod.
"I'd give you a kiss goodbye but I don't wanna catch wateva you've got."
Emily gave him a chagrined smile. "Thanks for having her."
"My pleasure," Cal gave a genuine smile as he stepped down from the stoop. "Feel betta." He turned, with a slight wave, and headed back for his car.