Christmas at Kelly's (The Time Giver Short Story)

Chapter 2- The Grandparents

Zach was stroking Popcorn's velvet nose when he heard the crunch of tires in the driveway. Piper trotted out of the barn, her tail wagging as she barked happily. Kelly stepped out of the tack room, and Zach watched her jog toward the door as a small, burgundy car rolled past the opening. "Well," he sighed to the palomino pony, "Guess it's time to meet my new 'grandparents.'" He scratched the copper forehead one last time before heading out.

He rounded the corner of the barn as Kelly was hugging a woman with silver-gold hair. "It's so good to see you guys!" She gushed as she held the woman away to look into her eyes. Zach watched an older man climb out of the driver's seat, a derby sitting on his cropped, white hair. He made his way around the car, and Kelly captured him in her arms. "How was your trip?" She continued.

The woman spoke. "Oh, it was fine, dear. The roads weren't that bad." She pulled her long coat around herself before turning to open the trunk. As she pulled out a suitcase, she locked eyes with Zach. "Kelly, dear, who is this?"

Kelly paused in her conversation with whom Zach could only assume was her father, and met his eyes with a smile. She waved him over, then wrapped an arm around him as she faced her parents. "Mom, Dad," she said, drawing their attention away from their bags. "This is my son, Zach."

Instantly, Zach wanted to hide. The woman's lips pursed into a thin pucker, like she'd just tasted a lemon. The man scowled, and eyed his daughter skeptically. "Son? Kelly, you better explain yourself."

As Kelly told them about the previous summer, everyone headed into the house. Mooney was perched on the window sill, and watched lazily as everyone entered, giving a small purr as Zach rubbed his head.

"So," the man turned to Zach when Kelly finished. "Am I to assume that you won't steal anything while we're here?"

Zach locked eyes with Kelly. While she'd left out the part about his attempts at stealing, it was evident that her father had his suspicions about the boy. Still, Zach straightened to his full height, meeting the man's steely gaze with his own quiet one, a small smile on his lips. "Don't worry," He cooly replied. "Your belongings are perfectly safe, Mr. Chaparral."

He glowered, then stiffly extended a hand. "Just call me Ronnie," he clipped as Zach took it firmly. He retracted his arm quickly, then headed up the stairs to the office, where Kelly had set up a bed for them.

Kelly's mother shook Zach's hand like Ronnie, and while she smiled, the happiness didn't reach her eyes. "Crystal," she stated before following her husband up the steps.

The phone rang, and Kelly went to answer. "Hello? Yes, this is she...oh hi, Rylie...really?...Oh, you didn't have to do that." The smile on her face distracted Zach from his musings about Ronnie and Crystal's behavior, and he turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Of course you're welcome here! I insist," she continued. "No, no, no, everything's fine!

As Kelly finalized the plans on the phone, Zach smiled. Kelly had been quieter about her parents coming; whoever she was talking with must be very close to her. As she hung up the phone, her father came halfway down the steps. "Who was that, Kelly?"

"Rylie," she answered, a smile on her face as she moved around the kitchen, pulling things out here and there. "She and her husband will be joining us tonight for dinner."

Ronnie puckered his lips. "Your friend from school?" When Kelly nodded, he muttered under his breath. "Well," he said after a moment, "Your mother is going to take a short nap. I can help you out in here until she wakes up. You know how she is. When she comes, she wants to do the work." As he spoke, he moved down to join her in the kitchen.

Zach stood awkwardly in the doorway. "Do you want me to do anything?"

Both of them turned, Kelly with a smile while Ronnie grimaced. "Clarence should be here any minute with the pony," she said. "If you want, you can work with Cadillac while you wait. Of all the horses, he's the one we can't give a holiday."

Zach nodded and walked out the door. Before it shut behind him, he could hear Ronnie. "You mean you let him work with the horses? Kelly..."

Zach shook his head, biting back a growl. He wanted to have fun this Christmas, but with a Scrooge in the house, he was starting to doubt how much fun it would be. 

^^^

I went ahead and posted this a little early so that if things get busy tomorrow, I'll still deliver (; What do you think so far?

My C&N Fans! What do you think? I swear, I have nothing against people named Ronnie. In fact, growing up there were a lot of adults in town named Ronnie that I looked up to. It was just the name that struck me when I started writing C&N EONS ago hahaha. Any ideas as to who Crystal is, then???