Oh Brothers

Chapter 33

As soon as I step into Williams' Manor, I know something is different. I smell the one thing that only one person I know makes perfectly.

"GRANDMA!" I run into the kitchen like a mad woman and see my Grandma happily whisking away.

"My sweet, Ara," Grandma walks over and hugs me tightly.

"Grandma!" I hear Thomas behind me and I let go of her so everyone can get a turn. I walk over to the already done cookies and inhale the heavenly sent. Grandma's secret recipe that nobody will ever know. Her cookies literally are the best thing I've ever tasted.

"Who are these beautiful young people?" Grandma asks, "you must be Lucy. Your darling sister, Emily, told me so much about you."

Grandma hugs Lucy tightly and Lucy closes her eyes and returns the hug.

"It's an honor to meet you, Lucy," Grandma smiles at her. Lucy has slight tears in her eyes as she thanks Grandma and steps back.

"Now, I assume the two boys I don't know are William and Colton, yes? Grandma asks.

Will laughs, "hi, yes I'm Will and that's Cole and we're very happy to have you here."

Grandma hugs Will tightly, "I want to thank you for everything you have done for my children, you may have saved them."

Grandma hugs Cole too and he looks surprised but returns the hug quickly, "you are very welcome."

Cole's eyes lock onto mine and I feel my temperature rising. I whirl around and face the cookies.

"Can I have one Grandma?" I beg with my no fail puppy dog eyes. Grandma sighs.

"Alright, each of you may have one now, the rest will be for after dinner," Grandma steps back as we all rush to the gooey goodness.

I moan in delight as I take the first bite. I watch my friends take their first bites of Grandma's cookies. You never forget your first bite.

"I smell cookies," Grandpa announces as he steps into the kitchen and kisses Grandma on the cheek.

"You always appear after the work is done," Grandma teases him.

"It's a gift, my dear," Grandpa smiles as he takes a hefty bite of one of her cookies, "there, that's the good stuff."

"I'm sure you lot have homework, shoo, I have more to bake and your lovely Chef has welcomed me kindly into the kitchen," Grandma smiles at him.

"The more the merrier, I always say," Chef smiles.

I grab my backpack and make my way to my room. Lucy and Will have disappeared to their room, as have everyone else.

I finish my homework quickly and stare up at the ceiling. An idea hits me for Jason's birthday present.

I make my way to Cole's studio to see if he's in there. Much to my satisfaction, he is.

Cole looks up when I enter and then he returns to what he's doing.

I quietly walk over to see him painting scenery.

"Can I commission you to make something?" I ask, cautiously.

Cole looks nervous but recovers quickly as always. He sucks in his breath and says, "it's gonna cost ya. When do you want it by?"

"Friday?" I ask. Cole deliberates and nods his head.

"I might be able to make it work. What do you want, exactly?" Cole asks.

I describe my idea to him and he says he has a clear vision of what he's going to paint. Glancing around his other paintings, I know whatever he imagines will be better than anything I could.