The Summer I Went Sailing {L.H}. ~ Book 3

Chapter Thirteen

"Mila, what else?" 

"It's not my fault." I defend down the phone to my mother as we drive to my Grandfathers house in Beverly Hills. This is the first time Luke has met him. "I didn't plan on any of this."

"I know, Mila. I know." She sighs. She's happy for me, I know she is. "You never do anything halfheartedly, do you? You can't just have one baby, or two. You've got to take the bull by the horns and have three."

"You know me so well." I laugh, and I can feel her smile over the phone. She's growing on the idea of a grandchild. "It's all or nothing." 

"When you find out a due date, we'll book flights over to America." She says. "We're with you all the way, you know that."

Well she's changed her fucking tune; dammit, Mila. Stop being so bitter, they're trying.

We pull up outside my Grandfathers house and Luke parks the car. 

"I've got to go now, mum. But I'll call you later." I tell her as we unbuckle our seat-belts and climb out the car. "I love you."

"I love you too." 

Hanging up, I put my phone back into my bag and together, Luke and I walk up to the front door and knock the golden lion. 

"Hola, buenas noches!" My Grandfather smiles as he opens the door with a wide smile. He's wearing a long sleeve shirt this time, but it's pale pink with a Ralph Lauren logo on the left breast, and a hankerchief folded in the pocket. 

"Hola." Luke and I both repeat as we step into the house. He hugs us both, introducing himself to Luke. Luke is really starting to brush up on his Spanish skills in the short three and a half months months we've been dating. Wow, it that all its been. It feels more like three and a half years. 

"Come, come." He ushers us towards the kitchen, Luke taking the same expression of amazement and wonder as he stares at the gorgeous interior. "I hope you like Colombian food, I'm making Bandeja Paisa." 

"Perfect. My mother used to make that all the time when I was a kid." I tell him. Bandeja Paisa is basically a mix of white rice, red beans, ground beef, and avocado among other things, with a fried egg.

The table is set with steel cutlery and patterned plate, an array of non-scented candles placed in the middle with cushioned chairs that felt like you where sitting on a cloud. Luke and I sit opposite each other and my Grandfather offers us drinks. We both decide on water; Luke because he's driving, and me because I'm three months pregnant. Oh god, in six months time there's going to be three more pairs of shoes at the door, and a more expensive dry cleaning bill. There's so much to do before the baby- the babies get here. We haven't even bought any clothes or thought of any names.

"Here we are," My Grandfather sets down a delicious looking meal, where the smell takes me straight back to my childhood when we lived in France, and my mouth waters. "Disfruta." 

We dig in, carrying conversation as we eat. 

"It's lovely to meet you, Luke. Mila told me all about you."
"Only good things I hope." Luke jokes and we all laugh. 

"All good, all good." He replies. He's honestly the cutest little old man I've ever met. 

After years of having a broken family, no real relatives except from my parents and my little brother, it's funny to think that suddenly I'm here with my boyfriend, our babies in my stomach, my long-lost Grandfather making us dinner and my mother actually agreeing to it all. Oh yes, Mariana is all for this 'family' thing now. The past is the past, she says. I asked her to come visit; she politely declined. She's just scared.

"Have you thought of any baby names yet?" My Grandfather asks and takes a sip of the red wine in his crystal glass. 

Luke and I glance at each other, then shake our heads in sync. Grandfather gives a hearty laugh.