Ben Ten Grandpa Max Novels & Stories

"I love you, and I'll always be here for you, no matter what your grandfather does." Malia nodded, her eyes still moist. "I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just can't bear the thought of losing you, especially after all we've been through." Uncle Romnick cleared his throat, bringing our attention to him. "Well," he said, a smile spreading across his face, "I think I'll leave you two lovebirds to it. I have some business to attend to, but I'll be back in time for dinner, okay?"

I burst into a hysterical laugh, then covered my face with my palms trying to calm myself down, "I genuinely can't believe that all these while you were in the hospital, you were possibly losing gigs and here you are telling me you're a Nepo baby." I scoffed hard, he looked at me with his soft blue eyes, I hated the fact that I could never get mad at him then I faced Caleb, "then I guess you're his personal butler or wait, his best friend with generational wealth as well." Caleb chuckled awkwardly, "it's actually the latter but I'm also kinda his personal butler so—"

I had never had such a grand feast. "The braised ribs are delicious, Mom! Serve some to your grandmother, Ash." "Eat more, Grandma. The crabs arrived this morning. They're very fresh!" Grandma, who was supposed to be suffering from dementia, sat steadily at the head of the dining table. She was holding a juicy crab leg, and her lips were covered in grease. Uncle Daniel peeled crab for her while my aunt, Molly Franklin, piled the crab meat on her plate. Meanwhile, Ashton was scrolling through his phone while chewing on a braised rib.

He said shifting a little and I sat down "So grandpa" I started with a wide smile "I'm going to ask you a couple of questions" I added and he looked uneasy, really uneasy. His fingers twitched, he was looking downwards, his foot kept tapping the floor repeatedly and I frowned "Grandad are you okay?" I asked "I don't know anything!" He shouted "don't ask me" Okay? "I'm confused" I muttered "I'm just going to ask you a couple of questions about our family, nothing much, I just want us to have fun" I added, hoping it would ease the situation

•••••••• SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO. The apartment smelled like heaven, fried stew bubbling away in the pot, spiced the way I loved it. My feet slapped against the cracked tiles as I twirled around the room, blowing pink bubbles into Mum’s curls and Dad’s beard. They laughed, eyes soft and shining like I was the only star in their sky. Dad strummed the old guitar, humming our song. He always rewrote the names in songs, made them mine because I’m his special princess, he would say. His voice rumbled low, playful.

It's Grandpa's birthday banquet, and yet my fiancee is working late again, missing her one chance to meet the family. My brother and his wife, still bitter about me taking the project from them, don't waste the opening. "What good is all his money when his fiancee can't even show up on a day this important? She clearly doesn't take him seriously." "That's why Archer's the smart one. He landed himself Claire Donovan, of all people. Even her throwaway gifts start at seven figures." I'm about to fire back when the familiar name stops me cold. My eyes lock onto the bracelet of dark wooden beads the butler carries in. It's identical to the one my fiancee just spent a fortune on a few days ago.

He had been a bit bitter with Grandma since two days ago when Marvel declared that she was his favorite between the two of them. “I am just stopping by to let you know the truck will be here soon. I was going to call a few warriors over to help unload. Since you’ve been out here ogling them again, are there any that caught your eye?” Max lifts an eyebrow at Grandma. I almost choked on my last gulp of lemonade. Grandma is narrowing her eyes at him, looking ready to pounce. “Maxwell, I don’t appreciate your tone.” “Name’s not f*****g Maxwell,” he huffs.

Cayden asked with round eyes. “If you want to see Grandpa again, then you have to be a good boy. When you grow up, be a great person! Make Grandpa proud so that when you meet him again, he will have a big smile on his face,” Max said while stroking his son's chubby cheek. Unexpectedly, the tiny baby pursed his lips and furrowed his brows. "Empa cacaca ..." he said in a disappointed tone. A second later, tears began to well up.

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR After Max has left Knox house, Grandfather called Tiana, to talk to her. "Why is Max on this wedding, he is seriously on it, and I am uncertain if the wedding is his aim” Grandpa said. “I am also worried about it, all of a sudden, he just wanted to get married to me” Tiana said. "We should better calm down, and watch out" Grandpa said. "I was thinking of the same" Tiana said.

"Abuelo calls that man 'papi'." "That man is not your papi, do you understand, Juan? Never call that man 'papi' again, do you hear me, Juan?" I speak firmly to my son. "Your papi is only Carlitos." "Okay, mama," Juan responds, looking close to tears. "I'm sorry." "It's okay, I'm sorry too," I finish, returning my attention to the road. ***