Don't Make This Easy

After the wedding we all went back to my parents house for a less fancy dinner. Matt and Katie had asked if he would fire up the grill like old times. When we got back to the house I went upstairs with Max and took his little bow tie collar off, then changed into a sundress. I headed back downstairs and filled the cooler with ice and all the beer that Dad had bought for tonight, then dragged it outside.

“Heather if you scuff my floors or ruin that grass with that, so help me God.” Grams shrieked when she saw me.

“Grams, I'm not Heather.” I laughed.

“You want some help with that?” I turned around and saw Alex standing there. I just glared at him and shook my head.

“I'm fine, thanks.” I said bitterly.

“Oh come on, just let me help you.” He said, grabbing the other handle on the cooler. Max barked at him and stood protectively next to me. I sighed and told Max to go play and just let him help. I really didn't feel like causing a scene by slapping him or having my dog attack him at my sister's wedding after party.

“You know you've got some fucking nerve not only showing up here, but playing that song, of all songs.” I said, as we brought the cooler over to the table where all the food was.

“Honestly I only came here so I could apologize to you.” He said. We put the cooler down and I stared at him with my eyebrows raised and my arms crossed over my chest.

“Yeah, you're like three years too late on that one buddy. But nice try.” I said, flashing him a fake smile and flipping him off before I started walking away. He grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

“Jace, please, just let me apologize.” He begged. I could see my dad, Kate, Matt, and Vic all staring at us. My dad looked like he was about to come over here and deck Alex, and Max was growling and had his fur on end

“You have about thirty seconds to let go of me, and explain yourself before my dad loses his cool and punches you or my dog attacks you for touching me.” I warned him. “And believe me, you don't want that to happen. He's got three years of built up rage toward you. So talk fast.”

“Okay look, there's no good reason I did what I did. But I am sorry. Okay? I shouldn't have done that to you. You deserve way better than that. Better than me. So I'm sorry. I fucked up, I was a massive dick. And you have no reason to forgive me, but I do want you to know that I am so, so, sorry for what I did.” He said.

“Thanks. And you're right. I have no reason to forgive you, and I don't. Now go back to Baltimore and leave me alone.” I said harshly. I grabbed a beer from the cooler and went over to my dad.

“What me to punch him? Because I will.” He said, still glaring at Alex who waved awkwardly and then left, probably to go find the guys. I shook my head and opened my beer.

“No one is punching anyone.” Kate said sternly. “It's still my wedding day. Save that for another day.”

“Hun, did you know Alex is here?” My mom asked as she walked up to us.

“Yes. I just talked to him while Dad and Max were plotting his death.” I sighed. “Can we do something fun? And you know, not talk about my asshole ex?”

“Jace, language.” My mom whispered. I just rolled my eyes and sipped my beer.

“I'm an adult mom.” I reminded her.

“Yeah, well in your grandmother’s eyes you're still nine years old, and you know how she appears out of nowhere.” She said.

“Damn right I appear out of nowhere.” Grams said as if on cue. “I hear everything too.”

“Yes, we know Ma.” Dad laughed. “Jacie, why don't you go get the projector and the screen out of the basement so we can set it up on the side of the house now that it's getting dark. I have a surprise for your sister.” He said to me quietly.

“You need the ladder too?” I asked. He thought for a minute and nodded.

“Yeah, probably both of them. Hey Vic, can you and your friends help her with that?” He asked.

Vic nodded and we went over to get Jaime, Tony, and Mike. I led them all into the house and down to the basement. I grabbed the projector, Vic grabbed the screen and the extra table for the projector and all the cords, Jaime and Mike grabbed the ladders, and I sent Tony back upstairs to grab my dad's laptop out of the den. When we all came back upstairs we heard Grams screaming.

“Thief! Get out my my house you hooligan! Get out!” Grams screamed.

“Stop hitting me and I'll leave!” Tony said, holding his hands up in front of his face, protecting himself from my grandmother’s cane. I put the projector down on the table and ran over to them.

“Grams, stop hitting him.” I laughed. “He's not a thief. He's my friend.” She put her cane down and glared at him.

“I've never seen him before.” She said suspiciously.

“I know Grams, he's here for Katie's wedding.” I explained.

“Katelynn can't get married, she's only fourteen!” She shrieked. “I'm gonna give that girl a piece of my mind. Katelynn Jean!” She left and headed back outside.

“Your grandmother is insane.” Tony said. I laughed and nodded.

“I told Vic to warn you guys.” I said as I grabbed the projector again and we headed back outside.

“I love your grandmother.” Jaime laughed as he leaned the ladder against the side of the house.

“Yeah you love her until she gives you a concussion with her cane. Right Vic?” I laughed. Vic just shook his head and shuddered at the memory.

“We don't talk about that.” He said as he unfolded the table.

My dad came over and took the projector from me and got it set up. Then he took the screen from Vic and asked Mike if he would help him get it hung up since he was the tallest person there, second to himself.

“You need any help?” My mom asked, looking up at my dad on the ladder.

“No, I'm all set hun. Go have fun.” He said, smiling sweetly down at her.

“So how'd you end up so short while the rest of your family is so tall?” Jaime laughed.

“I drew the short stick.” I said as I took my dad's laptop from Tony and hooked it up to the projector. “Dad, what's the file called?” I asked.

“It just says Katelynn Jean.” He told me as he climbed down from the ladder. I found the file and opened it for him so it was ready to go once he turned the projector on.

“Alright everybody!” My dad said loudly, clapping his hands together to get their attention. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to him. “I have one last present for my daughter before I start cooking. Jacie, can you get it playing?” I nodded and turned the projector on and got the video playing.

My Little Girl by Tim McGraw started play softly behind a clip of my dad teaching Katelynn to walk when she was a year old. Next there was a video of him helping her ride a bike without training wheels for the first time when she was five. A couple pictures of him and my mom and Kate played, and then a picture of Kate holding me for the first time after I was born. There were pictures of her Zack and I when we were toddlers and Kate was around eight or so. More pictures went by of Kate and the family as she got older, and then a video of my mom and Kate coming downstairs before Kate's junior prom started. Mom took the camera and dad went over and hugged her, crying about how she was growing up. More pictures went by from when they first moved to San Diego. Pictures of her first day at SDSU, her, Matt and Vic hanging out in the back yard, some of her and Grams. Then more recent pictures of from when my mom and I moved back. Finally, the pictures that I got when Matt proposed played, and a video of my dad seeing Kate in her wedding dress for the first time. When the slide show ended, Kate ran over to my dad and hugged him tightly while she cried.

“Just wait, this will be you in a couple years.” My dad said, grinning at me. I rolled my eyes at him and laughed.

Notes

Alright, that's all of the back story finally. Next post will be the first official chapter. Thanks for putting up with this, I hope you guys are enjoying this. Let me know what you think :)