Rose unlocked the door and walked into the large room. Teddy lingered near the door as she lay her purse down on the couch and called to her grandparents. They emerged from the side room where the soft sounds of a TV Soap Opera trickled out.
"Rose, darling, we were beginning to worry!" Granny Morris greeted her beloved granddaughter with a warm hug and pleasant smile. "What happened to the groceries I sent you out for? Did you not bring enough money with you?"
"Oh dear, I forgot to go back and get them! I left them at the store. You see, I...ran into someone there." Rose smiled and looked back over at Teddy, who had become quite silent since they had reached the hotel.
"My, my, who do we have here? A male escort for my beautiful granddaughter?" Granny Morris chuckled. Grandpa Morris kept a straight face, looking over the stranger his granddaughter had brought home with her and moved in for a closer look. He adjusted the bifocals that lay across his wrinkled nose. Teddy shifted his weight nervously.
"Pop-pop, please! Let me introduce him at least before you give him the first degree!"
"My dear Rose, I may be old but I am not blind, as of yet. I know very well who this young man is. Pat, come over here and say hello to our grandson." Teddy braced himself for the onrush of hugs and kisses, an experience he hadn't felt in a very long time.
"I suppose we owe you two a bit of an explanation, don't we?" Granny Morris nodded in agreement with her husband. They all moved to the living area where the old couple settled into the couch. Teddy and Rose each took a seat opposite them and awaited their explanation.
"After your mother died we all became involved in a legal struggle of sorts. Your father proved himself less than capable of raising the two of you alone and we stepped in to help. We wanted to adopt the two of you so you would have a chance at a decent life. Tom changed for the worst after he lost Dezra and we didn't want you growing up in that kind of environment."
"Then why am I still here? And why did you lie?" Teddy seemed to have regained the power of speech.
"Oh my darling, we tried our best but the courts would only allow us custody of one of you. We fought for years to get you too, but it just couldn't be done. Tom put up too much of a fight. We thought if we told each of you the other had died it would just be easier on you. We meant no harm, please forgive us." Tears began to fill Granny Morris' eyes.
"What do you mean Daddy changed? He was a wonderful father! Why did you have to take me away?"
"Nevermind dear, it was for the best, believe me." Grandpa Morris turned to look at his long lost grandson, "I can't imagine how the past twelve years have been for you Teddy. But I can see it in your eyes, he's changed you. Do you still live with your father?"
"Hell no! I moved into an apartment a couple years ago, all my other attempts at leaving failed."
Rose tried to hide her confusion, but she just didn't have a clue as to what they were all talking about. She loved her father, he was the kindest, sweetest daddy a girl could ask for. She couldn't imagine him being anything else.
Teddy looked over at her, "You really didn't notice, did you Rose?"
Rose shook her head as her eyes shifted from her grandparents to her brother. "Please, take me to see him. And tell me what he did that was so wrong."
"No, it doesn't matter now, and I'm never going back."
"That's not good enough, I don't believe you! I'll go alone if I have to!" Rose stormed out the door to the hotel. Teddy got up to run after her. As much as he feared going back, he just couldn't let her go alone.
