Converting the Bad Boy ✔

Chapter 40

I have an announcement to make - I GOT MY BRACES OFF TODAY!!! That may or may not be related to the fact that this update took longer than usual, but oh well, here's the chapter. Enjoy 😉

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Damian's POV

"Damian, is that you? My, you've grown into a handsome young man, hasn't he, Jimmy?"

I forced a smile as Nan stroked my cheek, inspecting me with her denim blue eyes surrounded by wrinkles. Grandpa grumbled in agreement, nodding at me. He was a man of few words, and when he did say something, he was usually complaining or ordering Nan around. Yet they still managed to stay married for forty nine years.

"Where's my big kiss? I remember you always loved giving me big sloppy kisses when you were a little boy, just like a puppy!"

I rolled my eyes and pecked her cheek, but Nan wasn't satisfied. She grabbed my face in her hands and began planting grandma kisses on my cheeks until Grandpa saved me.

"Pamela, darling, I think he's had enough."

I shot a grateful look to my grandpa, who shot me a wink, and I grinned, walking over to him and sticking my hand out. He was never a big fan of hugging, and he was the one who taught me how to shake hands like a man. But as soon as we clasped hands, grandpa muttered, "Oh, what the heck, let's hug. It's been a year."

My grandpa always smelled like freshly cut wood. Perhaps because his trade was carpentry, however he retired a couple years back, and only carved wood for fun now.

"Hey, you're taller than me now," Grandpa remarked as he slapped my back. "I guess it's about time I step down from my post of tallest man in the family."

"It must be all the food Karen is feeding him," my dad contributed, grinning at his father-in-law as he shook hands with him.

"Oh, I doubt it. Karen's cooking is preposterous!" Nan tutted, not realizing that Mum had just left her room and come to join us at the front door.

"Thanks, mother, I always appreciate your compliments," Mum retorted sarcastically, and us men laughed while Nan widened her eyes before fixing a smile on her wrinkled face.

"Oh, honey, I was only joking! Come here," Nan enveloped Mum into an embrace, rubbing her daughter's back and murmuring in her ear as tears glistened in her eyes.

Grandpa looked uncomfortable at the sight of tears, however when Mum hugged him, his eyes shone with them, and I had to look away, not wanting to imagine how heartbreaking it was for my grandparents to visit their sick daughter.

"Happy Birthday, dear," Nan handed Mum a red box, and inside was a pair of pearl earrings.

"They're beautiful," Mum breathed, a hand over her mouth.

"Just like you, dear, and don't you forget that," Nan placed a palm on Mum's cheek and gazed at her daughter with unconditional love.

We had lunch in the backyard, which Dad and I had decorated with balloons and streamers we found in the shed. Tracey and Aunt Kate arrived half an hour after Nan and Pop, delivering the birthday cake.

"Are you trying to fatten me up?" Mum joked.

"Maybe..." Aunt Kate replied cheekily as she kissed Mum's cheek.

Tracey gave me a quick hug before sitting in the seat I had saved for her beside me. We were the youngest people here, so we had to stick together. Especially when Dad and Pop started talking about taxes, and the women spoke about healthy recipes, Tracey and I were on our own.