"Why should we hang out with him over the weekend? I want to stay at home." Zach complained and crossed his arms.
"For the hundredth time. I'm on a refresher course with some colleagues." Jay said, looking through the rearview mirror and was met with the angry face of his son.
"We are old enough to stay home alone." Zach said.
"Yeah? That's not how I see it." Jay replied annoyed, "Hank is looking forward to seeing you and has some great trips planned. You will surely spend a nice weekend with him." Jay tried to convince his son.
"You're pushing us off to your boss, as if that can be fun."
"Hey! Calm down. He is your grandfather."
"Not biologically."
"Family is more than just DNA. Hank meant a lot to your mom." Jay explained.
"Hey! There are my favorite grandchildren." Hank rejoiced. Zach almost ran past him annoyed. No hello, no handshake, no eye contact. He always just fled inside the house.
"Grandpa!" Zoey rejoiced and ran to him for a hug.
"At least you're glad to see me." Hank said and gently stroked his only granddaughter's hair.
"Zoey. Are you going to Zach?" Jay said and she nodded.
"Is Zach in a particularly bad mood today?" Voight asked curiously.
"It's almost a permanent condition with him now. He shuts down right away if I want to talk." Jay told him.
"Maybe I have more luck." Voight growled and Jay nodded.
"So what do we want to do?" Hank asked when he saw his grandchildren squatting on the couch.
"Go to the zoo!" Zoey rejoiced, "And to the Children's Museum!"
"Okay. Zach what about you?" he asked curiously.
"Sorry, but the zoo really is not on my favorites list." Zach mumbled and dedicated himself to his Nintendo DS.
"Fine. Then suggest something else."
"Just leave me alone." Zach said.
"Then we will go to the zoo." Hank said and Zoey cheered enthusiastically.
Reluctantly, Zach stomped behind them. He really didn't like zoo.
"Trip with Grandpa, huh?" asked the cashier at the ticket booth.
"No. Trip with Daddy's boss." Zach answered sarcastically.
"Oh!" The cashier replied slightly irritated.
"You're really good at talking today." Hank noted.
"If I'm forced to spend the weekend with Jay's boss, then yes."
"This should be fun." Voight murmured softly. Despite Jay's warning, he didn't think this boy could be so exhausting.
Zoey was completely fascinated by all of the animals and pressed her nose against the different types of enclosures to see as much as she could. She kept saying how cute all the animals were, whether they were monkeys, zebras, elephants, polar bears or lions. Zoey would most likely take the whole zoo home. Of course, Hank donated a portion of fries with ketchup to his almost grandchildren.
At home in Hank's garden, Zoey sank into her dreamy game world. Hank knelt beside her and played along. She had an enormous imagination. In her imagination, flowers and trees become living things to talk to. Her eyes saw friendly dwarfs and giants, angels and ghosts. She developed her fantasy world from flowers and leaves, stones and pine cones. The stones became mountains in a small landscape. Branches and moss created a small forest for her toys. Zoey sank more and more often in such game worlds since her mom could no longer play with her. She fled into her own world. A world where everything was perfect.
"Shall we go inside in a bit? Maybe play in the living room? It's getting dark, huh?" He asked. Zoey nodded slightly and followed her Grandpa into the house. She insisted on playing a tea party with her stuffed animal Pebble, her invisible friend Cosima and, of course, Grandpa Hank.
"And because Grandpa Hank is our guest of honor today, he has to wear the crown." Zoey explained and put a crown on Hank's head, which was tomato red. Luckily, no one was around to see him like that. With Justin he never got the opportunity to play princess, for which he was utterly relieved. But for his only granddaughter he made an exception of course.
"Would you like another cup of tea?" Zoey asked.
"Yeah, of course." Hank answered and Zoey poured him half a cup.
"Pebble, would you like some more tea, too?" Zoey asked her stuffed animal.
"Oh man. Are we in kindergarten now?" Zach complained, laying down on the sofa and turning on the TV.
"Would you like to play with us?" Zoey asked.
"Certainly not." Zach said.
"Can you turn off the TV?", Zoey asked. "Pebble and Cosima feel disturbed."
" Bad luck." Zach mumbled.
"Okay. Zoey, you should get ready for bed" Hank intervened.
"Now?" she asked disappointed.
"Yes. It's pretty late."
"Alright." Zoey said and ran up the stairs to put on her pajamas and brush her teeth.
"What's wrong with you?" Hank asked softly.
"Nothing." Zach mumbled.
"Something is depressing you."
"Everything's fine."
"Would you like to tell me what's going on?" Hank asked anxiously and sat down on the coffee table in front of his grandson.
"Why can't all of you just leave me alone?"
"We worry about you." Hank told him.
"I'm fine."
"I don't think so. You really should talk to someone. Whether it's with me, your dad or maybe one of your uncles or aunts." Hank suggested.
"I don't want to talk to anyone!" he hissed.
"Why are you so bad-tempered?" Hank asked gently.
"Because I have to hang out here?" Zach explained sarcastically.
"Jay said it's your standard behaviour now," Hank said.
"Jay has no idea." Zach hissed.
"Zachary, let's just talk about it. I just want to help you." Hank whispered in his husky voice.
"I'm supposed to be helped by an old man with a pink princess crown on his head?" Zach laughed and disappeared up the stairs. Hank took a deep breath. There was definitely something wrong with this boy.
"Good night Zach. Good night Zoey." Hank said. He stood by the bed where his grandchildren lay. Zoey insisted on sleeping with Zach.
"Grandpa, is that mommy?" Zoey asked pointing to a picture hanging on the wall.
Voight nodded, "Yes, she was 15 years old."
"Do you miss mommy too?" she asked.
"Yes. A lot."
"Me too." Zoey whispered, "Did mommy play tea party as well?"
"When your mom came to live with me, she was already a teenager. She didn't play with stuffed animals anymore, but we had other nice moments."
"Which ones?" Zoey asked curiously.
Voight chuckled and reveled in the memories...
Flashback
Hank gently knocked on Erin's door. Earlier Justin had told him that there would be a father-daughter dance at the school that night. Everyone would go, but not Erin since she didn't have a father.
"Hey kid. Would you do me the honor to be your companion to the Father Daughter Dance. I know I'm not your dad, but I thought, since you never went to one of these events, that you would like to go with me?"
"R-really?" Erin asked shakenly. A slight smile formed on her face, but it disappeared just as quickly, "But I have no dress and well..."
"Oh, don't worry about that! I have been shopping for you today and now I'll help you to get your hair done." Camilla smiled, as she stood next to Hank, "You know, we thought you really deserve to go to one of those dances, and since you're one of our family, I was thinking ... Hank should go with you."
Erin smiled joyfully. Hank was kind of a father figure to her, if she thought about it. He took care of her as well as Justin, even though she had only lived there for half a year.
"I would love it," Erin said, still smiling. Camilla shooed Hank out and helped Erin tie her hair together and finally showed her the beautiful red dress.
"Wow, you're beautiful." Hank beamed as she came down the stairs holding his arm out to her. "Let's not think about anything other than dancing and the terrible food of the school buffet tonight."
"Yeah," Erin laughed as she hooked her arm through his, "Thank you guys."
On Sunday afternoon, Jay rang the front door of his sergeant's house to pick up his kids.
"Hello Jay." Hank greeted him. In the living room, the two adults waited for the kids to get their bags.
"Did Zach behave?" Jay asked curiously.
"Yes, but I think it's more than just a bad mood. He really doesn't want to talk to anyone. I think he inherited this stubbornness from you and Erin."
"Probably. I was hoping a little distance might be good for him." Jay mumbled.
"He needs time. Erin has been dead for 4 months. He still has to learn to handle it. This phase will disappear soon." Voight said and Jay nodded.
"Daa-Jay. We're ready to go! ." Zoey yelled.
Confused, Voight looked at Jay. Zoey didn't seriously call him Jay , did she?
"Long story. Bottom line, since Bunny showed up, I'm only Jay for both of them." he explained disappointed.
"This morning Zoey also stopped calling me Grandpa," Hank told him.
"Yeah. She does everything her brother does." Jay said.
"Then make sure Zach doesn't slip away from you at some point." Hank stated.
Hi! Thanks for your review. What do you think so far? Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Bye lelema