The Lease Up

17. Family Meet-ups

Song for the chapter: Reflecting Light~Sam Phillips

GABRIEL

My parents' death influenced a lot of my perception of living in the moment, not knowing when your last day would come. Living each day on a whim has its advantages and until recently I have enjoyed the unknown aspect of what's to come.

But things feel different now.

Now, thoughts of what could be or possibilities of what I want plague my mind. Excitement buzzes through me and the smile on my face seems to be permanent nowadays.

"Read 'em and weep suckers!" Gramps pulls out his cigar after tossing his cards on the table. Two Aces.

The sneaky bastard finally won.

"Hollywood, it's official; you are dethroned, my boy." Gramps winks at me leaning back in his chair, blowing out a perfect 'O' with his cigar. "And I believe Nessa is everyone's good luck charm now." He winks at Vanessa, who hides her grin behind her stack of cards.

"Why do you call Gabe Hollywood?" She asks, keeping her cards close to her chest as Jaycee walks behind her to grab a second helping of the brunch that is set out at the backyard table. She's a quick learner.

Gramps chortles. But before he answers, my cousin Isaac beats him to it. "Isn't it obvious? Gabriel walks around like he's the shit."

"Jealous?" I toss a pair of cards down, glaring at my annoying cousin behind my shades.

"What's there to be jealous about?" He challenges with a smirk. "Besides having this gorgeous woman by your side; you ain't got nothing I don't already have." He sets down four nines; leaving him with three cards and then winks at Vanessa.

Dammit. If he beats me, too, he's never going to let me hear the end of it. But as luck would have it, Vanessa slaps down four Jacks next with a happy squeal and does a little victory dance in her chair.

I smack the back of Isaac's head catching him with his mouth open, ogling the way Vanessa's chest bounces with her dancing.

"Have some respect, asshole."

My family erupts in laughter around us. But Gramps seems to be the one enjoying himself the most.

"Well, I'll be damned. I didn't think I'd live long enough to see the day our Gabriel would grow up." His weathered hand slaps the table as he continues laughing.

"I'm grown up," I say with a scowl on my face. But that only makes everyone burst out into more laughter.

Gramps sighs after his chortling dies down and holds onto Vanessa's hand, patting it. "I tease Gabriel by calling him Hollywood or Hot Shot because he set out to make a name for himself. He knows I'm damn proud of him and don't mean anything bad by it. Broke my Millie's heart though when he left home after high school graduation and got himself a college degree out in Southern California."

"Too good to go to school here like the rest of us." Jaycee chimes in with a grin and I roll my eyes.

"Unlike us, Gabriel comes from money." My cousin John-John feels the need to share. " 'Course it's from his father's side, but still. Gabe didn't want to be known as a trust fund baby in the family and went off to make his own name."

"Made some smart choices with some investments early on and doubled what his father left in his inheritance." Uncle Tommy joins the conversation, sitting down at the other end of the table. "Started a non-profit organization in honor of Millie and continues to find ways to make the family proud."