It's All Relative

by S. C. Stephens

  Kai sighed at the numerous opened and unopened boxes around the room, most not having any other place to go than a box, since he didn’t have much in the way of furniture, not even a bed frame for his mattress. Shaking his head as he stood at the counter and finished his meal, he decided to deal with the apartment later. First, he’d visit with the only person he knew in this city, his grandmother.

  Feeling that it was late enough to call her, he trudged through his mess to find, again, where he’d flung his phone. Seeing it wedged in-between two boxes near his TV, he couldn’t help but stare at the television screen for a second. He could see his bed reflected back to him and smiling, he shook his head. Jessie watching them have sex had been one of the hottest things he’d ever seen. Her smile when he’d started getting close… Kai was sure that the mental snapshot of her face was going to stay with him for awhile.

  Flicking open the phone, he sat on his mattress again and rubbed his temple. His head was feeling better, thanks to the miracle of modern medicine, but he still felt a bit rundown.

  The phone rang forever and on the sixth or seventh ring, Kai started to get worried. He’d called his grandma often when he’d started making plans to come out here, and she never let it go past three rings. His grandmother was a pretty tough woman. She’d had nine kids in half again as many years. She’d home schooled them all and gotten each one sent off to really good colleges. She was big on family bonds and had managed to stay in touch with every member of her dispersed, expanded family. She’d even visited Kai’s in Hawaii every year, right up until the time his parents had gotten divorced. After that, she’d stopped coming around, but she’d never stopped being a part of Kai’s life, calling him throughout the year, sending him cards and handmade gifts on holidays and his birthday, even baking him cookies at least three times a year. While it had been years since he’d actually seen the woman, Kai had never stopped feeling that bond with her.

  He hung up the phone and started pacing his small room. After ten minutes, he decided to call back. She could have been in the bathroom or maybe outside, tending to her greenhouse. Kai’s grandpa had died several years ago, and with most of her children spread throughout the globe, she’d been living alone at her house for a long time. Kai knew she was self sufficient, but she wasn’t getting any younger either. She was well in her eighties, and people that age could get hurt pretty easily. When she still hadn’t picked up, Kai felt a drop-in wouldn’t be uncalled for. Making sure he had his wallet, he grabbed his jacket from the floor of the kitchen and locked up his apartment.

  Making his way to the apartment’s underground parking, he found his street bike right in the spot he’d left it. He hadn’t had a whole lot when he’d moved here, but a finding a cheap motorcycle had been his first priority. Slipping on the helmet slung over the handlebar, he settled himself over the bike. He’d happened across an ad for a 2005 Honda CBR600F4i while combing for an apartment. He’d secured and paid for the bike while still in Hawaii, knowing that he could probably fix anything that happened to be wrong with it. He’d been around bikes his whole life, spending many summers fixing them up with his dad.

  As he kick-started it and the engine immediately roared to life, he thought he’d gotten pretty lucky – it ran like a dream. Sloshing through the wet streets, he almost second guessed his decision about a motorcycle in the freezing Mile High City, but he was bike guy, he’d had to have one. And he had to admit, this was a pretty nice one. It was shiny, chromed, bright red, and unbelievably fast. Maybe he’d save up and get a jeep too, so he could be a little more insulated from the ice and chill, but for right now, he could get by with just a sporty motorcycle.

  Flying down the wet streets, the bottom of his jeans getting soaked, he drove the fifteen minutes to where his grandmother had told him her house was. Well, it should have taken him fifteen minutes, but not knowing the city very well, it ended up taking over a half hour. Finally finding it, he shut the bike off, propped his helmet on the handlebar, and walked up to the modest, white, one-story dwelling.

  Empty flower boxes were in the windows and an empty bird feeder was perched right in front of a large bay window. Kai peeked through the window as he approached the place, but the house was dark, all the lights off. Kai’s dad had told him that his mom didn’t leave her house much anymore. He’d been thinking of putting her in a home, but Kai had convinced him that he would check in on her as often as he could while he was here. Kai understood holding onto your independence.

  Just as he brought his hand up to knock on the door, a voice startled him from over his shoulder. “Are you looking for Millie, son?”

  Kai turned and looked over at a wrinkled old lady peeking out of her front door in the house next to his grandmother’s. “Um, excuse me?” he said politely, his head still feeling a little slow.

  The old woman stepped out of her door, shuffling as she came out to her porch. Clutching a fuzzy blue robe around her body, she tilted her head at Kai. “Millie Harper. That’s her house, but she’s not there. Are you looking for her?”

  Kai turned to the nosey neighbor and dropped his hand from where he still had it raised to knock. “Uh, yeah. Do you know where she is?”

  The old woman smiled, her face beaming like she was excited to finally be able to tell someone everything she knew. “Oh, it s been a busy morning. Ambulances, fire trucks. Very exciting.”

  Kai’s eyes widened and he took a step towards the woman. If his grandmother had had a heart attack while he’d been sleeping off a hangover, he didn’t think he would ever forgive himself for not taking five minutes to come out and see her. “Is she okay?” he called out.

  The woman frowned at seeing his concerned face. “Yeah, she’ll be alright, son, don’t fret. She fell, broke her hip.”

  Kai puffed out a quick breath, relief flooding him. Immediately, concern filled it. “Is she at the hospital then?” He looked around, barely remembering where his apartment was from here, let alone a hospital he’d never been to.

  The woman coughed loudly, her small body racking with the movement. Kai’s eyes widened, wondering if maybe he’d have to rush this curious little old lady to the hospital too. After a moment, her spasm passed. “Yeah, they drove her away. She’s probably already been patched up.”

  Kai closed his eyes, hoping everything had gone okay. Opening them, he looked around the streets again. “Um, I’m new here. Can you tell me where the hospital is?”

  The old lady smiled. “Sure. How do you know Millie, boy?”

  Kai walked across the lawns between the small houses. Coming up to the woman on her porch, he sighed. “She’s my grandmother,” he said softly.

  The old woman sighed as he approached and put a gnarled hand on his arm when he was finally in front of her. “I’m sure she’ll be fine, son.”

  Kai nodded and then started listening carefully as she went over the often confusing directions.

  Twenty minutes later, he was approaching St Anthony Central Hospital. The massive building loomed before him as he shut off his bike and pulled off his helmet. The woman’s directions had been nearly impossible to follow, relying more on landmarks than actual road signs, but he’d eventually deciphered where “the house with the purple door” and “the yard with the ‘beware of dogs’ sign” were, and made it here. Slinging his helmet over the handle bar, he walked through the front doors.

  After convincing the nurse at the front desk that he was family, he was finally given her room number and headed up to the second floor to find her. Walking through the antiseptic smelling halls, he considered if he should call his dad or not. He wouldn’t call his mom, since there was no love between those two, but his dad would definitely want to know. Deciding he’d call after he’d talked to her and found out how badly she’d been hurt, he knocked lightly on door number 210.

  A musical voice answered him. “Come in.”

  He smiled at hearing her perky voice and then peeked his head into the room. She brightened immediately upon se
eing him, her frail hands coming up to cover her mouth. “Kai, oh honey, you’re here.” Tears sprang into her warm brown eyes and Kai shook his head as he came over to sit on the edge of the bed.

  “Don’t cry, Gran.” He leaned down to give her a quick hug, careful to not jostle her around too much. “Are you alright? Are you in pain?”

  She shook her head on the pillow as he pulled away. “I’m fine, honey.” Then she lightly smacked his chest. “Why didn’t you call me the moment you got into town? I’d have picked you up from the airport, made you a big meal, and helped you put away all of the boxes that are probably littering some tiny little apartment that you’re trying to call a home.”

  He laughed as he looked at the tiny woman. “That’s why, Gran. I wanted to get settled in myself.” He smiled at the woman as he held her hand. She didn’t really look much like him, but that was to be expected. His mother was native Hawaiian, born and bred, and he’d inherited a lot of her exotic Polynesian looks. His skin was a deep golden brown, his features almost slightly Asian, with the exception that his eyes were a shade of bluish-green that he’d been told his entire life was remarkably beautiful. The eyes were the only things that really made him stand apart from his mother. The woman being engulfed on this massive bed, reminded Kai of his father – light skin, dark eyes, and before it had turned silver with age, warm brown hair.

  She smiled up at him and patted his hand. “Well, I’m glad you’re here now.”

  Kai nodded and started to reply, but the door to her room started to swing open. Kai automatically looked up, hoping a doctor was entering the room, so he could find out just how badly his grandma was hurt. Who it ended up being, could not have surprised him more. His mouth dropped wide open as he watched his one night stand walk into the room.

  Jessie.

  She looked more put together than he’d last seen her, early this morning. Her dark curly hair, loose around her shoulders before, was now pulled back into a cute ponytail. Her ample chest, emphasized earlier in a short, sexy dress, was now covered in a light gray sweater that clung to every curve. And low on her hips - hips that he’d been grasping in ecstasy just a handful of hours ago - were a pair of perfectly faded blue jeans. He held his breath as he took in the oddity of seeing her in the same room as his healing grandmother. Maybe she worked here? Although, she certainly wasn’t dressed like a nurse.

  She didn’t notice him at first, her gaze going right to the old woman on the bed. “They only had apple juice and orange juice, I couldn’t find any cranberry.” She stopped talking about the juices she was holding in either hand as her eyes suddenly spotted Kai sitting on the bed. Her mouth dropped just as far open as his had, her dark eyes widening. He wanted to talk to her, but found he couldn’t speak through his own shock.

  His grandmother ended up breaking the sudden silence. “Oh good, I’m glad your back, dear. Look who showed up.”

  Jessie’s face clouded over and Kai found himself pulling back instinctually. Her brow creased as she stepped up to the edge of the bed. “Are you following me?” she asked, a little heatedly.

  That reaction got his mouth moving again. “You? You’re the one following me. How did you know I would be here?”

  She blinked, her bow scrunching even more. “What the hell are you talking about? What are you doing here?”

  Kai’s grandma took offense to Jessie’s language. “Little Miss, you watch your tongue. That is no way to talk to people.” Her gray brows bunched as she looked between Kai and Jessie. “Have you two already met?” she asked curiously.

  Jessie straightened, her face flushing, as she set the juices on the nightstand. “No, not really.”

  Kai scoffed at that, but didn’t say anything at the scathing glare he got from the girl. Not really? What they’d done had kind of been a little more than the average getting to know you. However she knew his grandmother though, she obviously didn’t want to share their night with her, anymore than he’d wanted to share it with his mom earlier. He could understand that. He wasn’t exactly going to tell his grandmother about it either.

  Millie grinned as she patted both his arm and Jessie’s hand. “Well, you should officially meet. You two should get along pretty well, since you’re about the same age.”

  Kai scrunched his brow farther and nodded his head at his grandmother. “How do you know her?” he asked Jessie, his eyes locked on hers, gauging her reaction carefully.

  Jessie paused, staring at his eyes for a moment, like she’d gotten lost in them. He blinked and moved his head to get her attention back to his question. Looking a little embarrassed, she shook her head and ran a hand back through her ponytail; the movement subtly highlighted her chest to him and he found himself a little lost too. He couldn’t help but remember his lips on that chest.

  Her words, and the slightly acerbic tone to her voice, brought his attention back to her face though. “Me? I’m sure I’ve know her a lot longer than you. How do you know her?”

  Kai scoffed at that and laughed a little. “You’ve known her longer? I highly doubt that.”

  Millie laughed in her bed, patting them each again. Smiling at Jessie, her eyes warm and loving, she said, “Well, technically, Kai is right, dear.”

  They both looked at her, curiosity nearly killing Kai at this point. Was she a family friend? Maybe that nosey neighbor’s granddaughter? Maybe she’d found his grandmother and had called the ambulance? His chest warmed at that thought and he had a slight smile on his lips while he watched Jessie’s confused face listen to his grandmother. Her next sentence made him listen too. Shifting her eyes back to Kai, she nodded her head at Jessie and warmly said, “Jessica Marie was born two months after you, Kai.”

  Kai’s face paled as he stared back at the girl. Jessica Marie. He knew that name. That name could not seriously be the woman he was staring at. That name could not belong to the person he’d just had incredible sex with last night. No, she had to be someone, anyone, other than that name. His stomach rose as he gaped at her. She looked back at him, frowning. She hadn’t made the connection yet, or she wouldn’t look so confused still. He put a hand on his stomach, fearing he has going to heave whatever alcohol was still in there.

  “Oh god,” he muttered. “Oh…god…”

  He watched Jessie twist her face into clear irritation. She didn’t appear to like that he knew something she didn’t. With what he knew, he was positive she would prefer ignorance. As his throat tightened and his stomach twisted, he knew he’d prefer to go back to ten minutes ago, when his one night stand had been a pleasant memory.

  His grandmother stroked his back, not having heard his low mutters. She smiled brightly at Jessie. “Jessica, dear, this is the boy I told you was coming up, to live here with us in Denver.” She smiled brightly at him. “All the way from Hawaii.”

  Jessie looked confused and started shaking her head at the old woman. She wasn’t going to stay confused for very long. Feeling ill and still about to upchuck, Kai lifted his eyes to hers, right as his grandmother finished with her introductions.

  “This is Kai Harper, dear…your cousin.”

  ************

  Millie Harper had seen a lot of things in her long life. She’d lived as full of a life as one person could be blessed to have. She’d found her true love at a young age and they had filled their modest home with an exuberant, loving family. Millie had enjoyed every aspect of raising and caring for her family. Her beloved had provided her the opportunity to stay home with her brood, teaching them, molding their young minds. She’d taught them all to seek out what they wanted in life, to live each of theirs to the fullest.

  As a result, she’d ended up losing them all. All nine of the beautiful children she’d birthed and raised, had left her nest to carve out their own lives. Her youngest son had remained in Denver the longest, sticking close to her side, but eventually a prestigious career in D.C. had called him away from her too. His youngest child, Jessica Marie, was the only family member that had remained in t
he State, and she looked after Millie, as if Millie was the grandchild, and not vice-versa.

  Millie’s oldest son was Kai’s father. He’d traveled the farthest away from the pack, and Millie had done her best when she was younger, to visit with him often. At first, she’d enjoyed the visits with her son’s family on the tropical paradise they called home. She had found room in her heart to welcome and love Kai’s mother, and when Kai was born, it had been a cause for celebration. He’d been difficult for them to conceive, the only one of her children that had had difficulty in that area, the rest having four or five each. Her oldest daughter had even topped her with ten.

  But Kai had been a miracle to her son and his young wife. The trio had made Hawaii a warm, loving home, but things had soured, and that marriage had ended. Millie had stopped visiting not long after. But she’d always remained as close to Kai as she could.