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Grandma

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Chapter 28: Grandma (Ronan's POV)

The next morning, I woke up to an empty bed. I was worried immediately. I sat up quickly, looking around and noticing that there was no noise coming from the bathroom. I got up and walked out, stopping at the staircase and looking down. Then the blender turned on. I sighed in relief, slumping against the railing before walking back inside. "She'll give me a heart attack one day," I mumbled to myself, going into the bathroom where I brushed my teeth and splashed some water on my face before meeting her downstairs in the kitchen. 

She was making pancakes and had no idea I was creeping up behind her. I snaked my arms around her waist and she didn't jump like I expected her to. She laughed softly. "I heard the door opening upstairs." She turned to look at me after I kissed her cheek. "Morning." 

"Morning," I mumbled, pecking her on the lips. 

"You like pancakes, don't you?" she questioned, turning back to the stove while I rested my chin on her shoulder. 

"Of course," I mumbled, lazily kissing her jaw. 

She finished making them and set two plates on the countertop. We waited for them to cool down a bit and she turned to face me, beaming. "Hi." 

"Hi," I laughed, resting my arms around her waist before kissing her again. She smiled against my lips before letting me deepen the kiss. I had just pulled her closer when... 

"Ronan!" 

Grace and I jumped apart, turning to the entrance where my grandmother stood. "Grandma!" I stared at her wide-eyed and Grace cleared her throat, looking down at the ground in embarrassment.

We all stood in dead silence. You could practically hear the non-existent crickets chirping. 

"Sorry! Oh, dear God, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have barged in but I thought you were back at work by now so I let myself in. Oh, dear," she rambled. There was a soft meow and I looked down at Lulu. The cat. God, she really does carry him where she goes. She set Lulu on the floor before waving a dismissive hand. "Let's try that again. Morning," she laughed awkwardly. 

"Morning," I mumbled, still dumbfounded. I felt Lulu at my feet but I stared at my grandmother. She glanced over at Grace pointedly and I took the hint. "Oh, right. Grandma, this is Grace. Grace, this is... my grandma." I turned to Grace, whispering, "Sorry. I didn't know she was coming." 

Grace looked at me in amusement before sending my grandma a small wave. "Hello." 

"Aren't you..." My grandmother's eyes narrowed. 

Oh, shit. I forgot. She doesn't know I'm working at the palace, which means she doesn't know Grace, the princess of Astella, is who I'm guarding. 

Grandma gasped, "Princess Grace? Of Astella?" 

Grace chuckled awkwardly, her cheeks growing crimson. "That's... me. I guess. Um, I'm really sorry we're meeting like... this. But it's a pleasure to meet you." 

"Oh, and you! And you," my grandma laughed, glancing at me. "So, you're the one he's hiding here for protection?" 

I looked down at Lulu who was still at my feet. I sent him a nod in greeting and blinked slowly, staring up at me. 

"Yes." Grace glanced at me. "I'm the one he's hiding here." 

"I didn't say it like that, I swear," I murmured. I cleared my throat, turning to our unexpected guest. "Grandma, what are you doing here?" 

"Oh well, I thought you'd be back at work by now. I felt a little lonely, it's my wedding anniversary today. I thought I'd stay here for a few days." 

My face softened. I forgot. It's her wedding anniversary today. 

"But seeing that you have a guest, don't you worry. I'll be on my way soon," she smiled softly. 

"That's okay," Grace said before I could. "You're more than welcome to stay, of course. I'm the guest here. This place is yours too," she offered her a smile in return. "Please stay." 

"Oh, I couldn't. You two seem to be quite busy," grandma teased in response, looking between us. 

I cleared my throat in embarrassment. "Pancakes?" Grace and I offered in sync, holding out our plates before looking at each other. 

"You two enjoy. I'll be right back," grandma chuckled, walking away to the room she generally stays in. 

When she left, Grace turned to me, smacking my arm. "You couldn't tell me she'd be coming? I would have made pancakes for her too and I wouldn't be in a nightgown, Ronan," she hissed. 

"I didn't know she was coming! I'm sorry," I whisper-yelled. She clicked her tongue and began heading upstairs. "Where are you going?" I pulled her back and she crashed into me. 

"To change, what else?" She lifted a brow at me. 

"She won't care, you know," I mumbled, glancing at her lips. 

"No, but I would," she whispered. My eyes met hers and she pecked my lips quickly before running upstairs. 

My grandma came back, sitting on the barstool while Lulu walked around the house. 

I stared at her suspiciously. She's smiling for no reason, of course, it seems suspicious. "You knew we were still here, didn't you?" I asked knowingly. 

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I wanted to meet her. And I knew you weren't going to let me. So I thought I'd do it myself. She's very pretty. Good choice." She gave me a thumbs up while I made my way over to her. I gave her a quick hug and she kissed my cheek before wiping her lipstick off of it. "How long are you here for now?" she questioned while I gave her my pancakes. 

"We'll leave tomorrow." 

She frowned, "That's too bad. I wanted a few days with your girlfriend." 

I glanced at her. "She's not my girlfriend, grandma." 

"No?" 

I shook my head. "She'll get married to someone else soon." 

My grandma thought for a minute and then shrugged.

"So?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"You look like you love her." 

"What?" I chuckled. 

"Why not just run?" 

Why does that seem to be the only solution we get to hear? Should we really just run? Like that? Just like that? Would it really be easier and safer? 

"It seems like she loves you too if that helps. And if everything you told me is true." 

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't tell you anything. I only called yesterday to get a few phone numbers." That's so not true. That's what I really called for but then we got distracted and I ended up telling her all about Grace. How I'm keeping her safe here and how I thought I've fallen in love with her. 

My grandma laughed a bit at first but she understood. She seemed genuinely happy for me. And even last night, just like everyone else, she said I should run away with her. 

I'm not such a huge idiot. When all things point in the same direction, you follow. But you don't follow blindly. You shouldn't anyway. So I've thought out a plan. Between all the phone calls I made last night and the time I waited for someone to call me back, I thought out a plan. And that phone call we got in the middle of the night just made me believe that my plan would work. I still don't know if running is what's best for Grace. Leaving Atlas and Nina behind. I have a plan, but I'm still looking for that loophole. 

"Are you thinking of running, Ronan?" She looked at me knowingly, lifting her brows. 

"I might be," I mumbled. 

She sighed, staring at me. "Honey..." She paused and thought for a minute. "I know you've never run from a situation after what happened with your parents—" 

"Grandma." 

"What? We both know it. And how would you move past something if you avoid it, hmm? I know how you felt growing up. But you were just a kid, sweetie. Thinking that you ran from your parents when you should have stayed and helped is not the right thing. You were a child, okay? And sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes, running is okay. You're not running from a problem, you're running towards your happiness. And you've been through enough, and she's a princess, so I'm sure she has too. It's time. Do what you want." She patted my shoulder supportively. "But yes, you shouldn't run if you're leaving a problem behind. Solve the problem, then leave so you're not constantly looking over your shoulder out of fear, hmm?" 

Well, that's the part I can't rely on. Because that could only happen if her family accepts us. Which they should as long as she steps down but I don't want her to step down, damn it! This is such a complicated mess. 

"What are you about to do, Ronan?" 

I blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?" 

"I mean you have that look on your face. You have a plan, don't 'cha?" She smiled. 

"I do," I mumbled, "I just hope it works." 

"Who are you going to talk to?" 

"Her father." 

"What are you gonna do?" 

I glanced at the staircase, making sure Grace wasn't anywhere near us and wouldn't hear what I was about to say. "I'm going to crash her wedding."

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Chapter 28

There are only a few chapters left guyssss, what do you think's going to happen?

next chapter: rush