CHAPTER NINETEEN

XAVIER

My grandpa wants to see me. I got his text this morning when I came back from Rain's house. I have a bounce in my step all through school. Grandpa is sick and he doesn't have a lot of good days so I don't see him often but he makes sure that whenever he's feeling good, he calls me and asks to see.

I give coach some bullshit excuse of why I have to skip practice so I can go see grandpa. He can call my dad and they can figure it out. I didn't even tell dad that I'm going to see grandpa. The hospice where grandpa stays is the only place that dad's power doesn't reach. The people working there don't answer to him and he hates it.

"Hey Janice," I say to the nurse at the front desk.

Janice looks up and smiles when she sees me.

"Baby X," she says.

Here, I'm baby X or little Xavier, the women here baby me. It used to annoy me when I was younger but now, I love it. I'm a nice person here that is genuinely happy. I'm not hiding a girl I’m having sex with because she's someone I shouldn't be messing with. Here, I’m not the type of person who enjoys seeing people I don't like suffer. I don't manipulate my friends into doing my dirty work because if my father gets a wind of me doing something he feels will taint his name, then I'm in big trouble.

"He couldn't wait to get you down here, could he?" She says.

"You know I'm his favorite person, he has to see me."

"He's in his room. He has a guest today."

A guest? That's surprising. Most of gramps friends are either dead or in places like this.

"Oh okay. I'll go see him then."

I place the fruit basket I brought with me on the desk. "I got this for you and the girls."

She smiles and takes it. "You're the best grandchild we have around here."

"You flatter me. I'll get going."

I make my way to grandpa's suite. I don't usually knock when I come here, I have my own key card but because he's with someone, I knock. I expect to hear my gramps voice telling me to come in but instead, the door is pulled open to reveal a man in uniform.

From his uniform, I can tell he is in the military. Now, it's starting to make sense, gramps was in the army before he retired and started the company.

"You must be Xavier," the man says.

"Yes sir."

He steps aside and allows me in, before closing the door.

Grandpa sees me and smiles. "Xavier, you came."

"Of course I came. You called." I say, giving him a hug.

I take a seat next to him.

"General Acker, this is my grandson, Xavier. Xavier, this is General Acker, he served under me."

"Nice to meet you General."

"Likewise, your grandfather has been telling a lot about you."

"Good things, I hope?" I say looking from grandpa to him.

"Depends on how this conversation will go." The General says.

"Don't look so worried, Xavier. I was showing the General some of your designs."

My grandfather loves aircrafts, especially war crafts. We used to love tinkering with a scrap he bought years ago. Three years ago, he heard of a camp that teaches kids about aircrafts and designing them and he put me in it.

"I looked at the designs and I loved it. What career path are you looking at?" General Acker asks.

"I don't know sir. I've not thought about it. But something in engineering for sure."

"Do you want to take over your father's company?"

I don't have to think about that. I don't want to remain under my dad's thumb. Anything that'll make it happen is great news in my books.

"Your grandfather here was a great mentor to.me and I would like to be that for you. There's a program in the US military for young people such as yourself to learn and grow in the field. You’ll have to go to college first then a two year stint with us and by the time you’re done, you'll have the skills necessary to build aircrafts for the US military."

Woah. I look at my grandfather who is smiling at me to General Acker.

"This is a real offer?"

"It is, if you want it."

"Of course I want it, thank you very much."

I shake the General and hug grandpa again. The hope I feel is strong and it feels like my heart is going to burst. We talk more about the offer before he leaves. When he leaves, I spend a little time with grandpa before he gets tired and I have to leave him.

As soon as I'm in my car, the only person I want to give this news to is Rain. Something about her makes me want to tell her everything I'm thinking. I shake my head and push the thought down. Telling her about this will bring more questions. Questions I'm not discussing with anybody. Most importantly, this is just a hook up.

Instead of going to her house tonight like I planned, I drive home. As usual my father is waiting in the living room when I get home.

"You skipped practice." He says.

He doesn't sound angry and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

"I did."

I stand in front of him with my hands behind my back. I'm not going to apologize for seeing grandpa.

"I tracked your car to the home where your grandfather lives. If you wanted to go see him, you should have told me."

"You never care. I didn't think this time would be any different."

He clenches his jaw and downs the remainder of his drink.

"How is he?" He asks.

"He's your father, ask him yourself."

He throws the glass at the wall behind me, narrowly missing my head.

"Go to your room, Xavier. Don't test me."

"If you're tired of taking care of him. Give me power of attorney over him. I can do it."

He laughs. "You and what money? You think he's such a saint, don't you? While I'm the demon."

"I think you’re the devil. I'll be eighteen next year. I'll take care of him then."

"You want him, you can have him. If he live till then, that is."

I ball my fists and walk away. If I stand there a while longer, we will come to blows. How dare he talk about grandpa like that? I slam my door and scream in anger when it doesn't rattle the building. Stupid gag door my father installed.