A strange thing happened to me the week. At the time I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I guess it stroked my ego a little, not that it needed stroking. I've never had a problem attracting girls. But what occurred that evening was so out of character for me and I let it happen. I'm still not sure why I did, but happen it did. Before I relate what happened, I think that I should tell you a little about myself and history.
My name is Wilson. That's Wilson Crane, named after my grandfather on my mother's side. My grandparents on my mother's side were quite wealthy, having had very good jobs and made some very shrewd investments. They'd had my mother at a relatively early age and had managed to raise her and still keep working. Something that my grandfather had never let her forget. He was a very stern man, a lot stricter than my grandma and kept my mother on a tight rein, at least until she went to college. She went to college to study biology with dreams of doing something in the medical field. It was here she was to meet my father. He's a man from Jamaica and he was here studying also with aims of going into medical. Long story short, they met and fell in love. My grandfather was furious. I don't believe he was racist in any way, he just didn't approve of mixed relationships or marriages. My mother was unwilling to bend and eventually, reaching eighteen she moved out and into a place of her own with her mother's help.
By twenty, my mother was married, had me and two years later my sister Yvette was brought into the world. Over the years as I grew up, we didn't see too much of mothers grandparents. When we did it was timed to go when grandfather was at his business. I must admit, when we did cross paths he was always cordial. Never outright rude or anything, but he was never fully a grandfather. He never played with us or participated in any activities with us. Grandma on the other hand was full on; she couldn't get enough of us kids. And so over the years, me and her grew very close. I had always known I was her favourite. She never said it, but I could always sense that extra spark when she held me on her knee, the sunshine smile she gave me as soon as we looked at each other. She'd smile at Yvette too, but I knew mine was different.
By the time I was fourteen, mother had obviously left college to raise us kids, but my father stayed on and went on to all he needed to do to become a doctor. They'd had to have my Nan's help, but other than that they managed. Sadly (I guess), around this time my grandfather passed away one night with heart failure. My Nan became a rich woman and after she had grieved, settled into her new role and joined various women's guilds and committees. We became much more frequent visitors, which suited me just fine.
When I was sixteen, they dropped the bomb. We were to immigrate to Jamaica. Apparently it had always been the plan. My father's skills were much more needed there than here. I was furious. About as much furious as a boy of sixteen could be. I rebelled in a big way. Playing truant from school, getting into fights. Getting in late, very late. Being obnoxious to both parents, but especially my father. I considered this his entire fault. In time, after everything they'd tried, they sent me to grandmas hoping that she could talk some sense into me. Even at that young age, I knew that was a non-starter. My Nan wasn't going to let me go without a fight. We sat together one night, cuddled on the sofa and talked about what we were going to do. I remember that night well. She held me so tight, like she didn't want to let me go. My Nan carried on as if nothing was out of the ordinary. It was this night we decided that she would invite my parents over for dinner and she'd give them a piece of her mind and offer to let me stay with her.
As you can imagine, Nan got her way and three months after that my parents and sister did the deed. I was sad to see them go and even had the maturity to apologise for my recent behaviour and tell them I loved them. Lots of tears were shed by all and the next day they were gone.
My Nan and I went on with our lives. Interacting as if we'd been doing it all our lives. To say she spoiled me would be an understatement. I didn't want for anything. She took care of me better than mother ever did. And my mother was a good mother. If I did do something wrong, she made sure I knew it was wrong and that she was unhappy with me. That had to be the worst punishment that she could have handed me. I hated to see her unhappy, and knowing that I'd caused it bruised me no end.
At seventeen I was six foot two inches tall. A bit loose round the middle and incredibly unfit for a boy my age. Nan sat me down one night. The one thing I did do was, when Nan spoke, I listened. We discussed this and she asked why I never went out and played sports with my friends. I told her I'd never been one for those sorts of activities, they just didn't interest me. I had a job. My grandfather had owned a chain of stores around the county. When he was alive, it had been his intention to go national. When he died the stores were passed to Nan. She found out that she was a natural. The first thing she had done was to veto the national prospect and keep it as it was. It was her intention to pass it on to me, sooner rather than later so that she'd be there to guide me and still be young enough to enjoy her life. My job was to go around the stores and train with the different managers. I'd work all departments and be very hands on. All the managers and staff loved Nan. She showed them respect and was always there for them. Not to mention how she paid them very well. Still, it wasn't as if I was working on a building site and I wasn't getting the exercise I needed as far as Nan was concerned. She intended to change that.
"I'm gonna do something for you Wilson, see that huge garage out there, we don't need all that space for cars considering there's just the two of us. I'm going to sell both of them and buy a smaller on for me. I don't need that big Mercedes and I'll get contractors in and create a small home gym. Just for us."
"What!.. Your gonna use it too Nan?" I laughed.
"Of course.. Why wouldn't I. I'm not getting any younger you know. I could use a little exercise. Anyway it's you we're talking about. You're so handsome sweetheart and I want you to be the best that you can be."
"Ok Nan." I said. Even to me it sounded weak and non-committal.
"I'll tell you what Wilson. I'll make you a deal. If you do this, and keep it up, I'll take us somewhere nice for Christmas. Anywhere you want to go. Deal?"
"Ok deal Nan, as long as we discuss it together where we're going to go. Deal?"
"Done." She smiled.
The very next day Nan put the wheels in motion. Made several phone calls and had several chats with contractors who visited, took measurements and made drawings and within days we had quotes for the structural works. It was in the thousands. She gave the nod to one firm and work started the following week. Six weeks later it was complete. She then called one of her lady friends and got a number of a company who had fitted her gym equipment. He came one day whilst I was at work. He asked Nan what she wanted. She explained about me and that she wanted me to be as developed as I could be. After two hours of taking pictures and measurements he was just about to leave when Nan asked him if he had a brochure or a web site so that she could see some of his work. He readily gave her a brochure and his web site address.
That night we sat down in front of our laptops and looked at his completed works. It was all very impressive. Nan was pleased. She had chosen well. Then she came to the Jacuzzi's. She directed me to the page and I looked at her.
"What.. you want one of these Nan?"
"I've always wanted one honey, but your grandfather was having none of it. Said it was a waste of time and money. Well, we have enough time and plenty of money. So why not?"
"And why not." I pondered. I could see no good reason. "Where would you put it?"
"Right there." She said as she pointed to the sun-room. "We never use it. It gets too darn hot, what better place is there. It's ideal. We'll get rid of that old Rattan furniture, I've always hated it, get some nice up to date loungers, put up blinds and we'll be able to use it all through the year."
I looked at Nan. I loved seeing her like this. You could see the passion in her eyes as she talked about something that she really wanted. So it was decided. We'd wait for Mr Bishop to call with his quote for the gym equipment and take it from there.
It turned out to be a massive job. Mainly because of the Jacuzzi Nan had picked out. The sun-room is on the back of the house, so drainage had to be laid, electric cables and water. Also, it was a sunken model that Nan had chosen, so it had to be excavated. The dust was unbelievable, but Nan never complained. Just swept and hoovered through every night and waited for the next day to do it all again.
Finally it was all complete. We were able to have our home back. The first time I walk into the gym I was amazed. It had everything I would need. Even some stuff I didn't even know what it was for. There was even a built-in sound system so I could play my RnB whilst I worked out. So much equipment was packed in there. I went back into the house and explained to Nan that I didn't even know how to use a lot of the equipment and she told me not to worry, she'd already arranged a personal trainer to come and point me in the right direction.
And so our routine changed. Every night I'd come home from work, change and spend two hours working out. From there I'd go in and eat and then we'd spend time in the Jacuzzi talking about business. I had to agree, it was much nicer doing it there than sat at the kitchen table. The only time I didn't work-out was when it was her night to host card night. It didn't take long before I realised I was actually enjoying the working out. Many a time I'd get up from a machine to find my Nan watching me from the door way and reminding me of how long I'd been in there. I noticed over time that my meals were getting bigger, as was I. I was filling out and becoming more developed. I also noticed Nan was getting a lot slimmer. She wasn't fat to start with. I always thought she was just right. But she came out to the Jacuzzi one night in a bikini and she looked incredible. It was the first time I'd looked at her as a woman and not just as my Nan. Let's say I'm glad I was already in the water or it could have been really embarrassing.
Six months later I arrived home from work to find Nan sat at the kitchen table with a lot of brochure's of holiday destinations.
