"Grandma! Your grandson is crazy! A certified lunatic!" Serena exclaid as she threw herself into the older woman’s welcoming arms. Mabel, seated comfortably in her favorite armchair, greeted Serena with a warm, knowing smile. She hugged Serena tightly, patted her back comfortingly and then watched as the girl sat on the cross legged on the floor opposite her.
"What’s he done this ti, my dear?" Mabel asked, her voice laced with amusent. It had been so long since she’d seen Serena! Of course she was missing her favourite granddaughter in law. So, what if Serena was her only granddaughter in law for now. That point was moot.
Serena huffed dramatically, crossed her arms and fixed Mabel with a pointed look. "He almost dragged off to the civil affairs bureau to get married!"
Mabel’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. "He did, did he? So, are you married again now?"
"Of course not!" Serena exclaid, shaking her head emphatically. "I told him not to rush. I said we should do it properly this ti. Not like last ti..."
Mabel leaned back, her lips twitching as if she were holding back a smile. She nodded sagely before letting out a long, exaggerated sigh. "You’re absolutely right. He is a fool. I’ll have to give him a good scolding when I see him! Just wait till he cos here—I’ll teach him a lesson!"
Hearing this, Serena couldn’t help but grin. "Good! That’s exactly what he deserves for trying to ’kidnap’ again," she said, feeling triumphant.
But just as Serena was basking in Mabel’s support, the older woman’s expression shifted. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and she continued with a straight face, "Though I must say, how could he almost carry you off and then not finish the job? I didn’t raise him to do things halfway. He should’ve married you right then and there and brought you straight to —like last ti!"
Serena’s grin faltered, and she blinked in disbelief at the sudden turn of events. "Grandma!" she gasped, staring at Mabel, who now wore an utterly innocent expression as if she hadn’t just betrayed Serena to side with her grandson.
"Well, what can I say?" Mabel said, shrugging lightly. "I admire decisiveness in a man. And what if soone snatches you? You’re a catch, you know. He needs to claim you at the soonest."
Serena groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I can’t believe this. You’re both hopeless!"
Mabel chuckled, reaching out to pat Serena’s head. "Oh, my dear, you wouldn’t have it any other way."
Serena groaned and quickly placed her head in the older woman’s lap," You’re right about that! I missed you, grandma!"
The older woman smiled and stroked her head,"And I missed you, my child."
This was the sight that Aiden ca to. His grandmother and lover together.
A soft smile tugged at his lips as he crossed the threshold. "Having a cozy little chat about , are we?" he accused.
Before Serena could respond, Mabel’s eyes narrowed, and she grabbed her trusty walking stick, pointing it directly at him with precision. "You! Co here this instant!"
Aiden froze mid-step, startled by the sudden shift in her tone. Hey? What did he do now? She’d been haranguing him to bring Serena ho and now that he had, she was ready to beath him up again? "What—"
"No excuses, boy!" Mabel snapped, her stick wagging accusingly in the air. "How dare you only almost marry this girl? I raised you better than this! You either commit fully or not at all. What were you thinking? If you’d taken her, you should have done the deed."
Serena, watching from her spot on the floor, smirked and propped her chin on her hand. She wasn’t going to intervene—not when Aiden was clearly about to be on the receiving end of Mabel’s wrath. It was going to be fun. Of course, the point that she had been the one to insist on not marrying now, was moot. Aiden was going to get a scolding! If only she’d grabbed so popcorn, it would have been so fun!
Aiden threw his hands up in mock surrender, his voice dripping with exasperation. "Oh, co on, Grandma! You think I’m the one who’s holding back?" He pointed a finger directly at Serena, who widened her eyes in mock surprise. "It’s her fault! Your dear Serena is the one who is refusing the re-tie the knot with ."
"Well then, Aiden," Mabel began, as she tapped her stick lightly on the floor for emphasis. "What are you even doing with yourself? What is the point of all those good looks that you inherited from and your cooking abilities if you can’t court and properly woo a girl? Isn’t that right, Serena?"
Serena, nodded absentmindedly, completely agreeing with the assessnt of Aiden’s skills. "True, true," she murmured, a little too smugly.
Mabel wasn’t finished, however. She gestured toward Aiden again, "He’s a handso boy, an amazing cook, and he knows how to take care of you. What more could a girl want? Honestly, Serena, if you’re not already married to him, sothing must be lacking. So, co on, my dear, tell him what it is! That way, he can work on it and win you over properly."
Aiden crossed his arms, leaning against the doorfra, clearly enjoying the turn in exchange. His lips twitched with barely restrained amusent. anwhile, Serena, who had been nodding along enthusiastically, suddenly froze.
Her eyes widened. "Huh?" she squeaked, sitting up straight. How did the conversation suddenly turn toward her? Why was she being interrogated about what Aiden was supposedly lacking? As far as she was concerned, he was perfect. And the only reason she was not already married to him was because she wanted to have a more traditional ceremony.
Mabel leaned forward; her grin mischievous. "Yes, Serena, tell us. What is he missing? What does he need to improve on? Speak freely—I’m sure he’ll take your feedback like a gentleman."
Aiden, never one to miss an such an opportunity, took a step closer, a mock-serious expression on his face. "Yes, do enlighten , Serena," he said, his voice a low drawl. "What am I lacking? I’d be happy to fix it for you, of course. Anything to earn your approval."
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