Sequel: My Un-'Cool' Half-Brother ›
My 'Cool' Grandpa
Christmas with Grandpa
**1 year and 3 months later**
**Rosie's POV**
It was Boxing Day, 2052. Yesterday had been fantastic. It was the first time the twins had been big enough to open their own presents and they had so much fun. It was lovely to see them running around and shrieking with delight. Harry, Kate and Emma joined in with enthusiastically with the running around and shrieking, but we grown-ups sat around feeling old.
I was sitting on the couch in Grandpa's house, watching Jimmy and Frankie playing with building blocks. Grandpa was in the kitchen getting coffee.
Jimmy suddenly toddled over to Frankie and gave her a hug and a brotherly kiss on the cheek. It sounds like nothing, but seeing it is lovely. Jack and I were afraid that they would not get along, but they're inseparable.
Grandpa walked in. "OK, coffee time. I got some water for Frankie and Jimmy." He handed the twins their colourful plastic cups and gave Jimmy a high five.
Frankie, however, was staring at Grandpa.
"Frankie," Grandpa said. "What's wrong? Tell Grandpa."
I chuckled. Chance would be a fine thing. The twins had yet to utter a single word. No matter how much we prompted them, they obstinately refused to speak.
"They obviously get it from Billie," Grandpa had grinned when we talked about it yesterday. Billie smiled. He didn't care any more, he just liked seeing his grandchildren and great-grandchildren playing with each other.
Frankie was still gazing intently at her great grandpa. She opened her mouth. "Ganpa."
Grandpa looked stunned and I could hardly believe my ears.
"Frankie, what was that?" Grandpa asked, kneeling down at Frankie's level.
"Ganpa."
"Oh my God! She spoke!" Grandpa was crying with happiness.
"I know! This is amazing!" I said. I was crying as well. Grandpa picked Frankie up and cuddled her.
We heard a key in the lock. Jack walked in.
"Oh my God!" he said, seeing our tear-stained faces. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong! Frankie just said her first word!" I said, beaming.
"Oh my God!"
"Ganpa!"
Jimmy was looking confused and upset. He held out his arms towards Jack. Jack picked him up.
"Dada."
Jack held Jimmy out at arm's level. "Did he just say what I thought he did?"
"Yes!" I gasped. I couldn't believe Jimmy was talking too!
"He's never said that before, has he?"
"No!"
All five of us hugged each other.
**Tre's POV**
I hugged my family tight. I heard Frankie whisper in my ear, "Ganpa."
Tears slipped out of my eyes. I couldn't believe that her first word was Grandpa. I was so happy. We all were.
**Roxanne's POV**
I got up and grabbed the newspaper from the letterbox. I read the front page.
"The world has been plunged into a state of mourning as world renowned drummer, Tre Cool, dies aged 80 on 27th December, 2052.
Mr Cool was found dead in his Oakland mansion, by his granddaughter, Mrs Rosie Armstrong-Cool. He is believed to have died peacfully in his sleep.
Fans all over the world are already mourning for the loss of this amazing man.
He was born on December 9th, 1972 and began his career as a drummer when he was 12 years old, as drummer for The Lookouts! The Lookouts! broke up when Cool was 18. Shortly after that, Cool began drumming in a band named Green Day with his friends, Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Pritchard, aka Mike Dirnt. This was originally only temporarily, but they got on so well it became permanent."
The article went on to talk about his time in Green Day and his family. I stared at a picture of Jack, Rosie and their children. I remembered Tre, he was indeed a wonderful man. So mush larger than life. It was hard to believe he was... dead. I folded up the newspaper and left it on the table. I got a candle out from my drawer. I lit it and out it in the windowsill, in Tre's memory.
**March, 2053 Rosie's POV**
Sitting in the car with Jack, Frankie and Jimmy, we drove away from the church. Jack and I were crying and holding each other's hands. Grandpa had been cremated with his favourite drum kit, just as he wanted. We still had a memorial to him in the church yard, though.
I looked into the backseat, Jimmy was asleep and Frankie was looking at me.
"Mommy, where Ganpa?"
**Rosie's POV**
It was Boxing Day, 2052. Yesterday had been fantastic. It was the first time the twins had been big enough to open their own presents and they had so much fun. It was lovely to see them running around and shrieking with delight. Harry, Kate and Emma joined in with enthusiastically with the running around and shrieking, but we grown-ups sat around feeling old.
I was sitting on the couch in Grandpa's house, watching Jimmy and Frankie playing with building blocks. Grandpa was in the kitchen getting coffee.
Jimmy suddenly toddled over to Frankie and gave her a hug and a brotherly kiss on the cheek. It sounds like nothing, but seeing it is lovely. Jack and I were afraid that they would not get along, but they're inseparable.
Grandpa walked in. "OK, coffee time. I got some water for Frankie and Jimmy." He handed the twins their colourful plastic cups and gave Jimmy a high five.
Frankie, however, was staring at Grandpa.
"Frankie," Grandpa said. "What's wrong? Tell Grandpa."
I chuckled. Chance would be a fine thing. The twins had yet to utter a single word. No matter how much we prompted them, they obstinately refused to speak.
"They obviously get it from Billie," Grandpa had grinned when we talked about it yesterday. Billie smiled. He didn't care any more, he just liked seeing his grandchildren and great-grandchildren playing with each other.
Frankie was still gazing intently at her great grandpa. She opened her mouth. "Ganpa."
Grandpa looked stunned and I could hardly believe my ears.
"Frankie, what was that?" Grandpa asked, kneeling down at Frankie's level.
"Ganpa."
"Oh my God! She spoke!" Grandpa was crying with happiness.
"I know! This is amazing!" I said. I was crying as well. Grandpa picked Frankie up and cuddled her.
We heard a key in the lock. Jack walked in.
"Oh my God!" he said, seeing our tear-stained faces. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong! Frankie just said her first word!" I said, beaming.
"Oh my God!"
"Ganpa!"
Jimmy was looking confused and upset. He held out his arms towards Jack. Jack picked him up.
"Dada."
Jack held Jimmy out at arm's level. "Did he just say what I thought he did?"
"Yes!" I gasped. I couldn't believe Jimmy was talking too!
"He's never said that before, has he?"
"No!"
All five of us hugged each other.
**Tre's POV**
I hugged my family tight. I heard Frankie whisper in my ear, "Ganpa."
Tears slipped out of my eyes. I couldn't believe that her first word was Grandpa. I was so happy. We all were.
**Roxanne's POV**
I got up and grabbed the newspaper from the letterbox. I read the front page.
"The world has been plunged into a state of mourning as world renowned drummer, Tre Cool, dies aged 80 on 27th December, 2052.
Mr Cool was found dead in his Oakland mansion, by his granddaughter, Mrs Rosie Armstrong-Cool. He is believed to have died peacfully in his sleep.
Fans all over the world are already mourning for the loss of this amazing man.
He was born on December 9th, 1972 and began his career as a drummer when he was 12 years old, as drummer for The Lookouts! The Lookouts! broke up when Cool was 18. Shortly after that, Cool began drumming in a band named Green Day with his friends, Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Pritchard, aka Mike Dirnt. This was originally only temporarily, but they got on so well it became permanent."
The article went on to talk about his time in Green Day and his family. I stared at a picture of Jack, Rosie and their children. I remembered Tre, he was indeed a wonderful man. So mush larger than life. It was hard to believe he was... dead. I folded up the newspaper and left it on the table. I got a candle out from my drawer. I lit it and out it in the windowsill, in Tre's memory.
**March, 2053 Rosie's POV**
Sitting in the car with Jack, Frankie and Jimmy, we drove away from the church. Jack and I were crying and holding each other's hands. Grandpa had been cremated with his favourite drum kit, just as he wanted. We still had a memorial to him in the church yard, though.
I looked into the backseat, Jimmy was asleep and Frankie was looking at me.
"Mommy, where Ganpa?"