It's been a full month into winter and it's been pretty easy, Amy has been happy even with nothing to do but work at that Depo she managed when she wasn't farming. I made a couple of new drinks and this wonderful warm honey cake that people could take on the go. It was like a homemade honey bun but made fresh every morning and it was really good with my drinks tea and Coffee. Everything was going as I said pretty well till I began to hear people talking about me and how I received the Cafe.
"That kid was the only one to get anything worth anything, seems like he stole that place." Someone said when I was at the market in town, and then I heard the person who was talking about me, she turned to me, she didn't recognize me since she never came into the store. "You know miss that he's doing well for getting that place and he received that from his grandparent's will," I said to her, the friend she was talking to realized who I was and tried to tap on her shoulder but it was too late. "Well from what his family said, he got special treatment since he was their favorite."
I just smiled for a moment then I left the store after paying for my stuff, the woman's friend told her who she just was arguing with. The face she had on her was just hilarious, "I had no idea that was him, he's more rugged than I thought I wonder if he's actually." She was going to say more but then I couldn't hear her anymore. I drove home but I didn't go into the house just yet, "Someone is talking crap about how I got the Cafe and I know who it might be." I said to myself then I texted someone I trusted like no other and they went to find out for me who it was.
It was my oldest cousin Jared and his little brother Dom who went to find out who it was personally. Those two and my brother and I grew up together as if we were all brothers, I could trust them with anything. They went into town and walked around for a bit, they heard people talking and gossiping about me. So in a fit of anger, they pulled a man aside and asked him, "Who's been telling you guys our cousin stole the Cafe from our family?" They asked him and they said an older woman that works at the bank has been telling everyone that he was the only one who got anything big from Pa and Ma's will." The guy stumbled and then ran off like he just got shook down by a couple of gangsters.
They headed to the bank to see if the guy was right and got a surprise when they got there. The person who was working at the desk was our Aunt Lacy, she was talking to people about me and how I stole the Cafe from her and her kids. The two brothers looked at each other and then went away from the bank to talk about what they have just seen. "Well what should we do here, I never would have thought it was going to be her since she got yelled at by everyone at the funeral," Dom said to Jared, and Jared's face palmed a little bit shaking his head.
"Well, it's not that surprising since she can be very spoiled and hates Jacob's family, though I never understood why." The two walked through town to hear the negative things being said about me and you could see Jared and Dom were getting upset by it. Jared was about to text me about who it was, the person disrupting my decent life with negativity. Dom took his phone and told him, "We should wait for that and instead do something that she'll never bother him again." They headed to Dom's car and they sat there coming up with an idea.
Jared was confused about what to do but then Dom brought out a camera he had in his car. "We could record her when she's at work and follow her around town exposing her to the wrong she's doing." Dom said to Jared and they both smiled a bit, "Brother that might be the best option, then we can show everyone at the Christmas party and stop her."
Later that day and for a few couple days after that the two brothers followed Aunt Lacy around recording her in secret whenever she started to talk crap about me. They had to keep out of sight and how they did it was so secret agent like it wasn't even funny. They even dressed up in customs and Lacy never suspected it once. Then the day came when they told me about what they were doing and I just laughed because I was right to suspect Lacy. She's always hated me since all I did was follow my heart and I set out to make my dreams a reality.
"So let me guess cousin, you knew who it was but you weren't sure, why did you ask us to help when you knew?" Jared asked me and I told him, "It was because she likes to hide her true nature and if I asked you guys she would not hide if you two were the ones to find out. I never expected you to go that far with exposing her, that video will be more than helpful." I hugged them both and they told me when they plan on showing the video.
A month later was the Christmas party and everyone from my parents to cousins I had never speak came to this year's party. The whole family talked and joked around and dinner came around, I was in the kitchen with my favorite Aunt helping her out with the food. We were all having a fun time even though in the back of my mind I knew what was going to go down in just an hour. Amy was even with me and she was joking around with everyone as she did when she was little.
The moment came after dinner when Dom and Jared brought out a giant projector and a screen. "Everyone, Jared and I made this little movie for everyone here for the year that started not so happy. I hope all of you enjoy this one, I think everyone needs this since we lost two people we all cared so deeply for." Dom said to everyone as he pressed the play button and the little movie began to play. To my surprise Dom had been recording the last year away, he had moments from the previous New year's party and moments from the beginning of spring, and moments from during the funeral.
As the moments played on all I saw was all about me getting to the Cafe and helping others and throwing that Halloween party. Then I cut to me when I was first dating Amy looking over at the fire and cuddling with each other. Then Dom stopped the video for a moment and said to the family, "This year has been something many of us will never forget but I have something even more special for you all." Then he continued the video and it was the footage of when they were spying on Lacy. The whole time all you could hear and see is Lacy talking about what I had stolen from the Cafe from the Family and that I was ruining the Cafe for her kids and her.
This went on for about five minutes till Lacy stood up to leave but Jared locked the door for a moment. "We have had enough of your mouth and said he stole that Cafe, none of the Cousins or parents wanted that place. Even though it's a place we all hold dear to our hearts Jacob was the best person to give that place to. He's turned that place into his own while still keeping it what it was for everyone in this town. The fact you kept trying to ruin his life and chance at keeping that Cafe running is just evil." Lacy tried to backtrack what was said on that video but her husband stood up.
"Lacy, you've always been mean and nasty to that boy and his family for no real reason, stop acting like a spoiled child and leave him alone. This is going to be the final straw, if you don't stop you are going to lose the people you care for." He said to her and I sat back in the chair for a moment then she tried to leave again, "If you don't apologize to him right now and if you leave without saying anything to him we will disown you." Lacy gave me the evil eye and then she left without saying anything, that is when everyone hugged me and told me. "We are so sorry she's been doing that to you, we should have known when we started to hear the rumors and gossip going around."
The party picked back up and then we started to give presents out to everyone, my mother got something for Amy. She handed the present to her and everyone finally saw the ring in her hand, my Aunt June grabbed her hand and looked at it. "Is this the Ring from Grandma?" She asked me and I shook my head yes, "I found it in the desk at the Cafe and I had it revamped for Amy when I asked her to marry me." June looked at me then she looked at Amy, then June grabbed her and hugged her so hard I could hear Amy's back crack. "Welcome to the Family officially kiddo," June said to her and everyone smiled and slapped my back when they got up to congratulate me.
Then my mom asked me with everyone in the room, "When do you guys plan on getting married if may I ask, is it soon or a couple of years from now?" She asked us and I shrugged my shoulders then Amy said, "I want to get married in the Spring right after Jacob's birthday, I think that would be very special Mrs. Hall." My mom cracked a smile and told Amy that would also make it easier for me to remember the anniversary. We talked about the wedding plans and that we only wanted to have a small one but Mom didn't want that for us.
We argued for a long time till I remembered this moment for Amy was going to be hard for her since she doesn't really have anyone to walk her down the aisle. I took my Dad aside right before we as in Amy and I were about to head home. "Dad, could you be the one to walk Amy down the aisle since you know, her Grandpa isn't with us to it himself?" My father looked past me and he smiled with a tear in his eye, "Son I would be honored to do that only if she wants that but I'll ask her when the time comes. For now, go home and enjoy the wonderful night with her, she would really like that with it being the first Christmas without him."
Later after we got home I lay in the bed waiting for Amy, she was taking a shower after we came home and I just got into my pajamas. She came out of the bathroom still steaming from the hot water then she crawled up next to me and laid her head on my chest. I wrapped my that was under her and hugged her close as she fell asleep. I covered us a bit then I too went to sleep, who would have thought after having those dreams of having a family would be closer to becoming true than I thought?