"Is that the 1905 Elgin?" Grandpa asked, looking down at the pocket watch in his hand. "My goodness, Stephen, how did you get this fixed so fast?""I had a little help," grinned Stephen, gesturing to Grace.
"Grace, you helped too?
Grace beamed with a smile, before giving a subtle nod.
"How incredible," Grandpa mentioned, turning his attention back to the watch. "You know this watch belonged to my grandfather, right? It hasn"t ticked on its own in close to fifty years."
"That"s why I was so excited to show you," chuckled Stephen.
Grandpa Ted spent a few more minutes looking over the watch, and even opening the back panel to look at the inner workings, all the while telling the history behind the watch and how his own grandfather had come to possess it. Finally, he closed the watch, and looked back up at Stephen.
"She"s a keeper, Stephen. You marry that girl, you hear?" Grandpa grinned, gesturing to Grace.
"Don"t worry, Grandpa," laughed Stephen. "I"m pretty fond of her myself."
Grace could only blush in the face of her praise.
"Dinner"s ready everyone!" Mom announced, setting the plate of chicken in the middle of the table.
"Finally, we"re starved," the twins replied, before rus.h.i.+ng to take their usual seats at the table.
Theresa spent one last minute making sure everyone had something to drink before sitting down at the last open seat at the table.
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"Should we say grace?" asked Grandma.
"Grace. Let"s eat," quipped Grandpa, who quickly pointed at new addition at the table, while picking up his fork.
"Not so fast, Dad," said mom, while putting her hand on his forearm. "For real, please."
"Oh fine," he chuckled, putting his fork back down. Around the table, everyone put their hands together while Grandpa led them off in a non-traditional prayer.
"Thank you, O holy one, for this bountiful harvest you have placed in front of us. Thank you for our health and the presence of our loved ones. Thank you for bringing Grace to our table, both literally and figuratively, and into Stephen"s life. We give thanks for this meal in your name. Amen."
"Amen," replied the rest of the table in unison.
Dinner was a lively affair, as was typical whenever Grandpa Ted was around. While the entire family dined, he would tease, joke, and tell stories, while Grandma largely tried to keep him reined in with her own devastating form of wit as well. The twins were largely quiet, although Stephen caught them several times sneaking stares at Grace as if confirming she wasn"t just a figment of their imagination.
Yet, Stephen couldn"t remember a family get together where he laughed more. Truthfully, he wasn"t sure if it was because his grandparents were just in rare form today, or from having Grace by his side, but a smile never left his face during the entire meal.