Chapter 2

Bonni & Grant

"We're going to have to move, Grant. We can't afford this place anymore." Bonni said. She and her husband had been living in the same house for over 30 years, almost as long as they'd been married. 

Bonni and Grant got married when they were both twenty-five, and five years later they had moved into the house they currently occupied. Both of them are now sixty-six years old, with kids and grandkids, who always came over to their massive house for parties, dinner, and other family events. Now, the old couple would have to move to a smaller place to live. Possibly even an apartment. Where would the family be able to get together?

"You're right." Grant agreed, holding a few hospital bills in his hands. A month ago, he had surgery done on his leg, and they had just recieved the bill for his treatment. It was too much for them to afford with house payments as well.

Grant pushed his glasses up the crook of his nose and continued looking through the bills. Bonni just stared down at her hand, fideling with her wedding ring. She still had vague memories of when she was younger, just graduating college with a master's degree in Sociology. She had met Grant in college, on her fourth year. How times have changed, Bonni thinks. Oh, how the years have gone by.

"Alright, you want to tell Andi and Lauren tonight at dinner?" Grant asked.

Bonni thought about his question for a while, pondering what their daughter's would think. Would they worry? Would they take it too seriously? No, they would try to help. Bonni and Grant might as well tell them.

"Yes, I think we should tell them tonight. Do you think it will be hard on the grandkids?" Bonni asked. Bonni felt a nudge in the back of mind, something she always felt when she was unsure of something. How much would this change? How big of an impact will it have on the family? 

"We've lived here since they've been born, Bonni. I think it should have some impact on them. Especially Ian. He's practically grown up here." Grant said with a gentle voice, still staring at the bills. "I just can't believe it's come to this." He put the papers down and took a look around the kitchen.

Bonni did the same, taking in every detail of the kitchen the old, worn down couple had been accustomed to for over 30 years. Bonni remembered cooking meals for birthday parties, reunions, and holdays in the old kitchen. Every dinner took place in that kitchen. 

She remembered baking multiple things with her grandchildren; cupcakes, bread, Christmas cookies. She had even shown Ian how to cook speghetti in that kitchen. 

And now, she sat there looking at the bills and payments that were pushing them out of their beloved home.  Sadness began to rage in the pit of Bonni's stomach. Why did the economy have to be so bad? Why couldn't the old couple keep their home? It meant more to them than anything else. It was their home, their property . . . 

But not for long anymore.

Bonni let her eyes travel to the picture frame that stood on the other end of their small kitchen table. In the picture frame held a photograph of Bonni and Grant and their three grandchildren in front of the house. Ian was only seven. Samuel was only forteen months old and Lily was three months old. In the photo, Grant was sitting on the steps up to their front door, and Samuel was sitting on his lap. Bonni was holding Lily in her arms, wrapped in her pink blanket and wear her fuzzy pink hat. Ian sat in between them, smiling the bright smile that could light up a room.

Suddenly, Bonni remembered the last time she cried. It was when her sister died five years ago, she cried at the funeral and at the hospital while her sister was being treated for cancer and the doctors announced the short amount of time Elaine had left to live.

Bonni wondered whether or not she would cry now. 

"Fifteen year old Ian. He'll be ok. It's the little ones I'm worried about. They're not as mature as Ian." Grant predicted.

"I hope you're right. I hope this won't effect too much." Bonni said, still looking around their kitchen at everything that had an significent memory. "We'll start looking for apartments tomorrow."

Grant nodded and started to clean up the clutter of bills and payments on their table. "Tomorrow." He sighed.

 

Bonni heard a knock at the door and peaked out the living room window to see which of their daughters had arrived first. It was Lauren, with her two kids Ian and Lily. Bonni rushed to the door to welcome them into their home, excited to see her grandchildren. She opened the door and smiled, "Well, hello!" As she hugged Lauren and Ian, Grant came out of the kitchen to say hello.

"Hey, kids!" He said. He hugged Lauren and Lily and put his arm around Ian. "How you been?"

"Pretty good." Lauren smiled. "Ian won the second place in his Mathletes Tournament."

Ian grinned and nodded. "And Lily just brought home her art portrait from school. Got one-hundred percent on it." Lauren added. She looked at Lily as the little eight-year-old girl nodded excitedly.

"My teacher said mine was very colorful." Lily squeked.

Grant smiled warmly, "Such a little artist, aren't you, kiddo?" Lucy giggled.

Bonni ushered them into family into the living room, watching them as Lauren took her usual spot on the right side of the couch and Lily sat next to her. Ian sat on the other side of the couch, leaving a space in between that would surely be taken by Samuel when he arrived.

Minutes later, another knock at the door sounded and Grant stood up from his chair to answer it. Andi and her husband Tom walked through the door, followed by Samuel. Samuel jumped into his grandfather's arms as Grant passed around greetings, hugging his daughter and shaking hands with his son in-law. 

The whole family was there, so Bonni began preparing herself for how she would announce their news. 

Samuel sat down on the couch and Grant sat back in his chair. Andi and Tom shared the large chair on the opposite side of the room and Bonni sat on the piano stool calmy, careful not to seem nervous and worried. She worried for her two youngest grandchildren, if they would cope with the change of Bonni and Grant moving to another home so suddenly.

Ian and Lily had dealt with such sudden changes before. Their mother and father got divorced a few years ago and then suddenly their mother had another boyfriend, who is now her husband. They're a wonderful, happy family now. But before the joys of inviting Lauren's new husband, Nick, to the family, Ian and Lily had to go through much change in a short amount of time. They moved to different houses four times in three years, their parents got divorced, and they had to welcome Nick to their home with as much of a smile as they could manage. 

After everything the children had been through, it was a wonder they were still cheery and happy kids. 

"What are we having for dinner?" Samuel asked. The crazy kid was always asking about food, but Bonni couldn't help but be amused.

"We're having speghetti." Bonni responded cheerfully. "With my secret recipe sauce and meatballs." Samuel grinned approvingly.

"So, how's Nick? Is he still out of town for work?" Grant asked Lauren, who was braiding Lily's hair. Lauren was always a great mother for both her kids.

Lauren nodded. "He won't be back for another two days."

"Where did he go again?" Bonni asked.

"Down to North Carolina. He had to present his company's new installment at a very important meeting." Lauren explained. 

A beep from the kitchen alerted that dinner was ready, and the whole family stood up and made their way to the dining room. The kids took their place at the smaller table always dedicated to them, while Andi, Tom, and Lauren sat at the larger table. Bonni quickly drained the noodles of their water and put it into two bowls and placed one at the kids table and another at the adult table. Grant brought out the sauce and meatballs and garlic bread, and the family began to eat.

Halfway through dinner, Grant cleared his throat and said, "Bonni and I have a little announcement." He looked and Bonni and nodded. 

Bonni made sure to keep her voice at a tone that wouldn't alert the kids from their small chitchat. "After Grant's hospital bills came, and our house payments, we've come to a problem," Bonni started. She saw Lauren tense and knew she already predicted what Bonni was about to announce. She was always good at doing that. "We can't afford this house anymore. We have to move to an apartment."

"An apartment?" Andi inserted. "Couldn't you just find a smalller, less expensive house?"

"Where will we have our family get-togethers? For Christmas, and Thanksgiving." Lauren asked.

"We're not sure just yet." Grant said calmly. "But we know that we can not stay here much longer. We have to sell the house or will be kicked out on the streets after our electricity and water is cut off. We simply don't have the money anymore."

"Andi and I were talking a while ago," Tom spoke up. "We knew this was coming. Ever since you two moved here, I've wondered how you can afford such a home."

Bonni said, "We knew, too. We should have moved a while ago before we got over our heads. We should have known Grant's hospital bills would, well, do the trick." 

"We're going to look for apartments tomorrow. We're thinking about moving over by that High School, in those apartments." Grant said.

"Yeah, but we'll have to see the prices. But I'm sure we could afford it." 

"We could help you move some of the bigger stuff once you find a place." Tom said. 

Grant nodded, swallowing a bite of speghetti. "Well, we'll definitely need all the help we can get. We'll probably have to sell some stuff though because, you know, it just won't fit." 

Bonni caught Ian looking over at them, listening in abou their plans to move. Bonni saw a look of sadness cross his face as he took a look around the house just as Bonni and Grant had done that morning. Bonni felt bad that she was robbing the children of the house they all spent such a large amount of time in. But she had to do what had to be done, even if it meant leaving their home behind.

Tom and Grant continued talking about neighborhoods, prices, and how they'd transport all the stuff to the new home. But Bonni spent the rest of dinner imagining what the new home would look like, how much they would have to let go. Such as a few bookshelves, the play set in the backyard, and the piano Bonni had had for such a long time. She rarely ever played anymore, but the absence of the beautiful instrument in their new home would be hard. 

Bonni remembered all the heart-warming memories she'd made in that house. All the things she'd done with the grandchildren, the birthday parties and such. Bonni knew it would be hardest on them as anyone else.

She remembered the dog they'd had for nearly fifteen years. The children loved that dog, especially Ian. The family still looked at the pictures of Ian and the dog, Wendy, sitting on the floor playing with a chew toy. The dog was put to sleep last year, and it was still hard for Bonni to let go. Bonni and Wendy had such a close bond, and Bonni never knew if she could handle having another dog. The family never talked about it, it was too hard because Wendy was the family dog. It was hard to see her go. 

Bonni had a feeling that leaving the house would make it easier for her to move on from Wendy. At least she hoped it would have that affect. 

Moving to a new house would do many things to the family, but maybe it could have a good effect as well as a bad one. Who knew, only time could tell. 

But after the family went home and Bonni and Grant cleaned up the kitchen and went to bed, Bonni knew she would dream of nothing but the possible nightmare their new home could be.

Author's Note

This chapter might a little boring but it's definitely important for later on in the book.

Reviews

[Jacques]

Aww, i love this chapter. It's so refreshing from the previous chapter and so different. So beautiful. I love it, i just love it. ;) I really loved how you wrote Bonni and Grant, they're great. I thought Lily could have more involvement in the chapter though since she's the main character.

Also : I noticed in some parts, you made some typos. Like you put Spaghetti - Speghtetti and other things. I can't remember where they are to list them . Sorry.

I'm really looking forward to the next chapter. :)