Chapter 9

“So, my grandparents met right here in this bar. I’m not sure she ever told anyone else the story. But they hated each other at first, or at least, she hated him, and it was hilarious.”

“I know you never met him - hell, I barely remember him - but from what my parents say, they were head over heels for each other. So that does not track at all. I can’t wait to hear this.” He leaned on his elbow and rested his chin in his palm, all ears.

“So he was new to town, and was just getting his shop set up. He came here one night to blow off some steam after a particularly hot day. Sunburn plus a few too many beers equals…”

“Extra drunk,” Mitch finished with a laugh.

“Especially for someone not used to the summer sun out here,” Aiden said with a laugh of her own. “Nan was on a date with someone else. The way she tells it, she was trying to get over someone, though, come to think of it, she never mentioned who. But anyway. Grandad was a little too happy go lucky and when Nan’s date went to the restroom, he leaned over the railing just over there,” she pointed, “to flirt with her, right along with his beer. Which landed directly on her lap.”

She laughed again, the sound merry and tinted with just a hint of nostalgia. “So her date came back to find her soaked and fuming, with Grandad trying to help clean her up. He meant well, but I guess it looked pretty inappropriate. But her date thought he was getting too handsy and decked Grandad. Grandad swung back, Nan got another drink spilled on her. It was - ”

“A frickin disaster,” Jerry drawled as he brought their beers over. “Uncle Jack used to love telling that story,” he said with a grin. “By the end of the night, the cops had rolled in and separated everyone. Broken glass everywhere, a window and a couple tables and chairs busted. The date had a busted nose and your Grandad had a split lip and a black eye. But, Bill came back the next day, after he bailed out, and paid for the materials. Then he stuck around and helped repair all the damage done so we could still open that night. He made amends, made friends with Uncle Jack, and was welcomed here til the end of his days. But that date wasn’t! Goodie two shoes, hoity toity dude from the Ivy Leagues.”

Jerry cackled with laughter. “Thankfully your Nan eventually saw the light, even if he did ruin her favorite outfit. Oh, and she ended up in cuffs that night, too. That might have been what had her knickers mostly in a twist, come to think of it.”

“NO WAY. She left that part out!” Aiden exclaimed with a whoop of laughter. Mitch shook his head with a laugh of his own.

“Yep. I guess she tried to get in a couple swings of her own, at both of them, trying to break it up. Come to think of it, it might have been her that gave the date a busted nose… Huh.”

And with that, Jerry toddled off, back over to the bar.

“Who would have ever thought?” Mitch said. “I gotta ask my parents about this, I just can’t see it!”

“You and me both,” Aiden said, shaking her head. She held up her glass to Mitch. “I guess we really are toasting to dodged bullets tonight, huh?” She let out a giggle and clinked her glass to his.

“To dodging bullets, several generations over,” he agreed before taking a sip.

“Ah, I wish she was still around. I’d give almost anything to hear more of her stories. She lived such an interesting life.”

“She did?”

“Oh yeah, she marched for women’s rights, for civil rights, against the Vietnam War… She was a hippy who hitchhiked across the country from California to Seattle to New York. And I know for a fact she was arrested several times over those years for civil disobedience. She was one tough cookie. Of course, all of that happened after she met Grandad, so it fits. She was extremely straight-laced before him. He helped bring out the fierceness in her, I guess starting that night.”

He leaned in a little closer, sipping at his beer. “Is that where you got your bad-assery from?” He was half-joking, but Aiden was well known to have raised some hell of her own, especially back in college.

“Me?” she blinked, almost feigning innocence with a hand splayed against her chest. “Listen, I’ve mellowed out in my old age. Joined polite society. Became civilized. Yadda yadda.”

“Ha. Now I know you’re joking. That sort of mindset doesn’t just fade away.”

“Maybe, maybe not,” she replied, noncommittal, with a sly grin. “But I’ll never tell.”

“Ah, yes. Even Batman does no advertising.”

She had to smirk at that before giving him a playful shove from his spot beside her. “Oh my gosh, stop,” she laughed, before he caught her hand up within both of his own and pulled her closer. The feel of his hand on hers had the world come to a halt as his gaze locked to hers. Maybe it was helped along by the drinks they’d already had that evening, maybe it was just the playful atmosphere, but all at once, everything seemed calmer, slower… slipping into a softer focus as the moment fell into a delightful, far more serious tone.

And that was about the moment Jerry toddled on back, a few weathered frames in his hand.

“Ah, my bad. But I thought Aiden might like to see this.”

The spell broken, momentarily anyway, Aiden took a bracing swig of her beer as she accepted the photos. Jerry stood near, peering over her shoulder as she looked each one over, and he pointed out everyone in each.

“That’s Stacy, your Nan’s friend from high school. And that’s Addie. There she is again with Bill…”

But the last frame had him a bit befuddled. “And that one is from before she met Bill, but I don’t know who that is with her.” He scratched his head and peered at the picture again. Aiden tipped her head to one side and held the frame up to Mitch.

“Huh. I have no idea, either."

Mitch shook his head. “Me neither, but he’s in an Air Force dress uniform. And… hang on. He looks sort of familiar, actually,” he added, taking a closer look and clearly trying to place the face.

“Jerry, mind if I borrow this for a couple days?” Aiden asked.

“Oh shit, you’re stayin’ for a few?”

“Yeah, I’m parked for about a week, so I’ll make sure it gets back to you.”

“Then by all means,” he said with a grin. “I hope to see you two back here a few more times anyway!”

Aiden shot him a grin. “I’m sure we will be.”

With a nod, Jerry wandered off again.