Chapter 3

Well, soon 3 days passed, and still no sign of the parents. Grandpa wasn't having it. "Now this is too much even for them!" His grandkids were in school, his wife was taking a nap, and Dorothy was cooking. "I raised him better than this! He should've at least called 3 days ago!" He went to the kitchen and got the phone. "Last thing he needs is a pissed-off Austrian on his ass!"

Dorothy couldn't wait to hear all this. "Put it on speaker, please. Got a few hours before Edward Scissorhands is on."

Grandpa got his phone out and put it on speaker. It ranged a few times before it answered. "Yeah, dad?"

His father yelled, "What in the name of Sweet Fanny Adams is going over there?! You and your wife haven't been home in 3 days without a call if an explanation why!"

His son said, "Sorry dad but me and Sarah have to do something for work and we have to leave town to get it done."

His father said, "Now that's bullshit and you know it! I have already talked to your companies and I found out that you 2 are taking a week's leave to go on vacation. Now if you want to do that, no problem. But you STILL should've told us ahead of time given it's so close to the 4th and flights won't clear until the week after!"

His son said, "Come on dad you love your grandkids and they love you."

His father replied, "Yes cause that's in the job description when we became grandparents, but there's nothing in that contract that states that we raise our grandkids one's kid becomes an ass and pulls a stupid stunt like this." Dorothy turned her head and was about to speak but he stopped her. "Don't even eat it, Dorothy." He turned to his phone. "Look all I ask to more communication next time so I won't find this out the hard way. Even your kids' own teachers think I'm their parents than grandparents."

His son sighs. "Alright, dad. We'll be more prepared for next time. At least you didn't tell my boss about the after a week off." Then he paused. "Didn't you?"

His dad smiled. "Whoopsie." He heard his son groan loudly as his dad and Dorothy smiled and high five each other. "Maybe this should teach you to talk more often, especially when one signs your pay-check. Bye." He hung up the phone. "Boy did that feel good." He laughs as he put his phone away.

Dorothy smiled as she went back to her work. "Out of everyone in this family, you and Mary are my favorite."

Grandpa said as he opened the fridge for a drink. "He may be my son, but he's never too old for a whooping, verbal or physical."

Dorothy finished and joined him at the table. "Does your wife approve of the way you yelled at your kid at times?"

He replied, "Hey she knew what she was getting into when she married a farm boy. He should be lucky that my old man isn't alive to see this nonsense. He's worst than me."

Dorothy chuckled. "I can imagine. What happened to him anyway?"

Grandpa tensed up. "He um…" He sat down playing with his drink a bit. "He died…a very long time ago." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Along with my mother, and Omi's parents." Dorothy looked at him heartbroken. "We were…kids then. How we got to the states is the same as Godfather 2…just without smallpox and they shorten our last names. Wouldn't fit in those boxes on the cards." He rubbed his chin a bit. "The spoils of war if you want to put it that way."

Dorothy said, "I'm so sorry. How did you survive here?"

He replied as he sat back. "I'm a craftsman by trade. I can make almost anything. From books to music boxes, from bookshelves to beds. And during the aftermath of WW1 and 2, I worked like crazy while going to school. Soon enough I nearly became a millionaire by the 1980s. Have chain stories nearly all over the world since I invested in the right business in the correct way." He shook his head. "I don't want my kids nor grandkids going through the same hardships that me and Omi went through." He played with his wedding ring. "We made a pledge when we were kids to always be there for each other and protect each other and or family no matter what until the very end or when God calls us home." He looked at Dorothy and smiled. "We may have been married for nearly 30 years but we've been childhood sweethearts since we were 5, and we're in our 50s. So we already passed out Silver Anniversary."

Dorothy asked, "How did you survive the Korean and Vietnam war?"

He picked up his foot and placed it on his lap. "Flatfeet plus I'm deft in one ear. That is why I have all my calls on the speaker. Lost my hearing in my left ear when I was a kid around the time we lost our parents." He muttered as he stroked his chin. "Damn demons." He finished his drink and checked his clock. "Well, it's almost time to pick up the kids. You want to help me pick them up or do you want to stay?"

Dorothy stood up. "I'll pick up the older one. I don't think the daycare recognizes me yet and I don't want to make a fuss with the twins."

Grandpa stood up. "Very well. Let me just tell Omi that we're going." He walked upstairs to his and his wife's bedroom and he found her asleep on the bed. He quietly walked to her and kissed his wife on the cheek. Omi slowly woke up and saw her husband. "Me and Dorothy are going to pick up the kids. Thought you like to know."

Omi smiled as she turned over to look at him. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

He smiled. "Have to, you're my girl." He kissed her forehead. "And I wouldn't have it any other way." He put the blanket over her. "I'll be back soon. Go back to sleep." Omi smiled and closed her eyes.

Soon enough grandpa made it to the day-care center. He walked inside, showed his ID, got a pass, and once he went through the correct doors and press the correct codes, he made it to this grandkids' classroom. Snack time just finished and the room was a half-hour away from the kids going outside to play. He stopped at the half-door and saw his grandkids pushing the chairs to the small table. Mary and Max saw him and smiled at him. Soon their teacher saw him and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Engel. Snack time just finished. You here to pick up Max and Mary?"

He nodded. "Yes ma'am. Their parents will be gone for at least 2 weeks so I'll be here every day."

Their teacher looked at him confused. "2 weeks? They never said anything about that."

He replied, "Then you and I are in the same boat since that happened to me. Not even their bosses knew." He sighs. "Guess we'll just play by ear then huh?"

Their teacher wasn't too happy and had to comply. "I guess so." She turned to the twins. "Max, Mary, head for the door while I get your stuff." The twins wasted no time in running to their grandfather who happily opened the door so they can walk out. Soon he received their things. "Let me know when they come back please."

Grandpa nodded. "Sure thing." He turned to his grandkids. "Now, who's ready to go home? I already got your car seats." The 2 squeal. "That's my grandkids. Let's go." The twins waved bye to their teacher as they left with their grandfather. Once they were in the parking lot and grandpa put them in their seats, he said, "Now I have to make a quick errand. Mind coming with me? It won't take long." The twins nodded and that made their grandfather smile. "Great. We're just going to the crafts store. Going to get a few things for a few projects. Let's see if we can find the double shopping cart."

Soon enough they made it to the crafts store and found the shopping cart they were looking for. It was double-wide and it can fit 2 kids instead of 1 and the seats were facing the store so they won't have to look backward like the regular carts. Once inside, grandpa started to do his shopping. Max was too busy playing with the straps to notice but Mary was in awe of the story. As they were going through the aisles, Mary spotted a book. She reached for it making a noise. Grandpa saw the book she was looking at and it was a book on how to make music boxes. "Don't worry I can make a better one than that." Mary smiled at him as they continued.