CADEN

Grandma Nance opens the door, asking herself, “Who shut this? We always keep it open for BBQs.” She looks up, warm brown eyes crinkling with joy. “Caden! There you are! And back for good. Don’t you look handsome in this sweater!”

I hug and whisper to the woman who inspired me to go into medicine, “Hi Grandma, man, it’s great to see you!” Stepping back I introduce them, pride in my voice, “This is my girlfriend, Elizabeth Myers. She’s a trauma surgeon at Atlanta Hope.”

Grandma’s eyes widen. “Now that’s a profession! In my day few women were doctors. Thank goodness that’s changed. I’ve always thought they’d be better with empathy.” She opens her arms.

Elizabeth walks into them for a quick hug, laughing, “That’s what I always say Caden is so good at!”

“Really?” Grandma grabs my arm. “Are you a sweetheart? I have a hard time believing that!”

I crack up, taking Elizabeth’s hand as we follow Grandma Nance in.

My grandparents are two of the most accepting people I’ve ever met. They come from old money, but they never act ‘above’ anyone. Except maybe during the years where one of their sons was a black sheep, but those are behind us now. He’s still him, but the rift has been repaired. That was a memorable day for everyone.

Outside of what happened with Jett, my entire life I’ve only witnessed them treat people of all classes with respect. That’s probably why we want to earn theirs.

Grandpa Michael was a Congressman until another of his son’s, my Uncle Justin, changed the term limits for Congress and Senate when Justin served as Senator. Pretty funny that in stopping what he felt was an unhealthy policy, Justin put his father out of a job. But Michael was proud of him, and ready to retire by that time anyway so he could spend more time with Nancy Cocker—or as us grandkids call her, Grandma Nance—his wife of over sixty years.

“Well, come on in. It’s too cold to be outside today. What am I saying? Our BBQ’s outside! But we’ve got loads of heat lamps in the back, don’t you worry.” She walks us through the home my dad and his five brothers grew up in. “This is our living room. Have had that couch for almost forty-five years, can you believe that? And my favorite part of the whole house is right here.”

Grandma pauses at the foot of the stairs to their enormous but comfortable home, pointing to photographs framed as far as the eye can see.

“My boys! These pictures chronicle the days of our youth. Every day I relive those wonderful memories.” Smiling with a glint of humor she informs Elizabeth, “Lucky nobody photographs the bad moments! Caden, do you know why I don’t have pictures of you grandkids up?”

“Too many of us?” I smirk.

She touches my shoulder, “That’s right!” chuckling as she continues guiding us toward the party where overlapping conversations grow louder. “This is my kitchen, where you’ll find me most days. See that nook by the window, that’s where I perch to do my crossword puzzles and read. As for this counter, excuse the mess!”

Charmed, Elizabeth argues, “It’s pretty tidy, Mrs. Cocker, considering all the people I see through that window. What a gorgeous backyard!”

“Oh, thank you. Call me Nancy! Yes, well, if you clean as you go there’s less mess later! Caden, will you carry this chili for me?” After touching my arm with a grateful smile, she turns to whisper to Elizabeth, “I always get the boys to carry the heavy stuff. Makes them feel strong.”

I laugh, “You’re not supposed to give away your secrets!”

“I’d better give them away while I still have breath to do so,” she smiles, quickly crossing to open the screen door for me.

Grunting, I heave a crock pot the size of Rhode Island, and tell her, “Grandma, don’t talk like that!”

Elizabeth follows me out to the backyard that’s filled with more memories than I can count, and damn it’s good to be here.

The BBQ is dressed in its winter finest, heat lamps strategically placed, white canopies with hundreds of twinkle lights hanging over long fold-out tables decorated with flowers that my cousin Zoe insists we have as centerpieces now. There’s another canopy in case of rain over the mountains of food served buffet-style on a reaching side table, and the small mesh tents that keep bugs off each dish aren’t necessary this time of year.

As soon as I’m spotted, it’s an uproar of family shouting my name. They make way for the chili and Gabriel rushes over to help, but Grandma says, “Where’s the ginger ale? Is it gone already? Oh no you don’t! You’ll eat it all! I didn’t ask you to carry it for a reason, Gabriel!”

He laughs, whipping his long hair back by swinging his head in mock-shock. “You think I’m going to shove my hand into your chili?”

I set the crock pot down in its place as she tells him, “You might!” Amusement sparkles as she add with a shrug, “It’s that good.”

The family laughs with surprise. She’s normally very humble about her specialty. We’re the ones always reassuring her and complimenting the dish.

As she searches for the ginger-ale, Uncle Jake calls through cupped hands, “Cocky Grandma!”

There’s some approval from the family until, from her trademark perch of two cushions, centenarian May Cocker, AKA Grams, raises her southern drawl to be heard. “That’s my fucking title!”

Everyone gasps then shouts, “Language, Grams, Language!!” cracking up so hard.

She mutters, “Well, it should be mine,” irate for literally the first time I’ve ever witnessed.

Jake kisses her cheek and rises to announce, “Guys, screw Caden’s return! We just got f-bombed by Grams. Now it’s a party!”

The hollering and applause is ridiculous. Emma calls out, “Grandma Nance, we have an empty pitcher here. We drank it already!”

“I had two, but I should have made more! It’s so cold out I opted for Cider.”

Ethan yells, “Did you spike it? Because I just gave some to Kaya!”

“No, I didn’t spike it!”

“Bummer!”

“Ethan!” Grandpa Michael laughs from where he’s talking with Uncle Justin.

I place my hand on the small of Elizabeth’s back, loving the warm feel of her silk dress as I whisper, “Didn’t I tell you?”

She turns her head and kisses me, smiling up into my eyes since she wore flats to avoid sinking into the grass. “I want to meet your Grams.”

“First you have to meet me!” Lexi says, red hair straightened and sleek. She and Samantha have walked up, and of course Lexi is the one talking. “Max told us he and Natalie had drinks with you guys and I feel insulted.”

Sam smiles, “I’m Caden’s sister, Samantha.”

“Elizabeth. Nice to meet you.” They hug as Lex watches with her mouth scrunched up, waiting her turn.

Hunter walks up, eyes narrowing. “I get it now!” He points between us. “I thought you went to Digby’s to impress her for work. You were nailing her the whole time!”

Lexi shoves him in the chest. “Hunter! And I thought I was rude!” Whipping around, she finds Elizabeth stifling a smile. “I’m Lexi, and yes, I can be a bitch. Sorry. It’s just…” Her green eyes flick from the ground to me because vulnerability is difficult for her. “I just missed you, Caden.”

I pull her to me and squeeze. “You’re not a bitch, Lex. You’ve got big feelings is all.”

“And she doesn’t know where to put them, so they come out in the wrong places,” Samantha quietly adds.

Hunter, Lexi, and I blink at her. It might just be the sole instance where she’s ever acknowledged one of her big sister’s failings.

Our parents join us. I’ve spent time with them since returning, but they haven’t had a chance to meet Elizabeth yet, since she was working the times I had free.

The drinks with Max and Natalie we didn’t want parents around for. It was just me, my best friend, and our girls—a big deal for he and I, considering our slutty pasts. And we had lots to celebrate.

“Mom, Dad, this is Elizabeth. You’ve heard me talking about her for a couple years. She was my attending before I switched to Cardiology. Looks like I fell for my boss.”

Myers covers her face a second, and when she drops her hand to shake Dad’s, she’s blushing. Feeling pretty proud of myself, I watch Mom hug her as they exchange introductions and small-talk, my mother glowing with happiness now that I’m back home.

My smile travels across the crowd of Cockers and the people they’ve chosen to spend their lives with. Some of their closest friends are here, too. Like Silvia—Aunt Rachel’s best friend—and her husband. My cousin Nicholas’s best friend, Matt, is with him and Madison, drinking hot cider. Samantha’s best guy friend, Logan is chatting with Ryder, Tanner’s nephew who Zoe is gazing at like he sliced the first bread. And Ryder has no clue she’s staring. Tobias’s manager Andy is with him and Hannah, and I know whatever they’re drinking, it’s got Woodford Reserve splashed in. Pregnant Paige would be talking with her friend Shelby if she and Ben had made it, but from the looks of things, they’re not here.

Max walks up with his new fiancé, completing my immediate family. Lexi sees the engagement ring winking at her and grabs Natalie’s hand. “I can’t get over this! So beautiful, you guys!”

Elizabeth bumps her hip into mine. I glance over and remember, “Oh! You want to meet Grams. Excuse me, everyone. We must get the approval of our favorite judge and jury.”

Elizabeth laughs, “I changed my mind!”

“Too late. You didn’t know she would be the deciding factor for our future, but here goes!”

Hunter whispers like a horror movie, “Turn back now!” and the others laugh and make room for us.

Tugging my hand, Elizabeth says, “Okay, there’s something you don’t know about me, Caden.”

“What?” She sounds so serious I stop walking and frown.

“I’m a big sports fan. Kinda star-struck by your quarterback cousin.”

Snorting with relief I continue on our path. “Good! Because I love football. Better if you don’t hate it.”

“I’ll be shouting at the screen.”

“You’ll be shouting in the stadium.”

Her beautiful eyes widen and she bounces, “Are you serious?”

“Calm down, you’re a fucking surgeon. Get it together.”

She forces a straight face, and we turn to see Grams watching us with sharp blue eyes in nearly translucent skin that glows because of her huge heart.

Myers quiets, her fingers softening in my grip. We complete the walk with me presenting her like a trophy. “Well, Grams, what do you think of Elizabeth?”

With a southern drawl she never lost from being raised in rural Georgia, Grams announces, “She’s too good for you.”

I balk, eyebrows shooting up. “You haven’t even talked to her!”

“I don’t have to.” Twilight eyes glitter as she points at me. “I know you, Caden. A challenge is what you need. You’ve always been that way since you were born second, and looked up to your older brother so much. Never forget that she’s your biggest one. It takes much to have a happy life with someone. It’s not easy. If you succeed at this game, you’ve won the real prize of life.”

I could tell her that we’ve just become exclusive. I could say that those three magic words haven’t even slipped from our tongues yet, it’s so new. But I know how I feel about Elizabeth, so I’m listening. “Thank you, Grams.”

“Don’t forget,” she smiles, “I married a man who loved a challenge, so I know what I’m talking about.”

I bend to kiss her cheek, and Elizabeth asks, “You mind if I hug you?”

Grams holds open her arms. “Mind? I demand it!”

“Dinner time! Help yourself to the food, everyone. You know what to do!”

Dad hushes the crowd by saying, “Hang on, Mom, I want to say something!” His long legs hurry up the steps to the porch so he can see everyone’s faces, using a voice we all can hear, “We’re here to celebrate my son Caden’s return home when we thought we’d lost him for good.” Much applause, which he nods thank you for as if it was all his doing. As it subsides, Dad motions to my brother. “Also, all of you know Max and Natalie are engaged. Make sure they tell you how he proposed. But what you don’t know—because he’s too humble to boast—is that he got a deal with Amazon and you’ll be able to see this movie he’s been working on!” They clap like crazy, Eric whistling louder than anyone.

Hunter shouts, “Hey Caden, he’s stealing your thunder.”

I yell back, “This time I’ll let it slide! Because I helped!”

Max makes a face. “You did not!”

“Your success is because of me!”

“You were at one casting!”

“More than one…I think! And it was of your lead character—our father! You’re welcome!”

Everyone laughs, and Dad rolls his eyes, “Just thinking of me being the subject of a movie…” walking behind the potted plant tucked decoratively in the deck’s corner, he lifts a frosty pitcher, filled to the brim. “I need a drink!” He tips the missing ginger-ale back directly into his mouth, claiming it with his germs, as everyone cracks up.

Grandma Nance screams through laughter, “Jason Cocker!”

He wipes his lips, looking innocent. “I do something wrong?”