Love of Autism Ch. 09

I know everyone has been waiting a long time for this chapter, but it is finally here. This chapter I put a lot into and really enjoyed the final product. As always I appreciate any constructive criticism and feedback. As always thank you TIgersman for editing my work to make it look better and not such a mess.

*****

Scott sat anxiously on the couch at his grandpa's house. He was sitting next to his grandpa as he, his uncle Jayce, and dad watched the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day game. He didn't care much for sports at all, but he would rather watch football with his family to somewhat distract himself.

"My god!" Scott's grandpa exclaimed. "Can't they stop the fucking run!"

"Typical SOL," uncle Jayce said shaking his head. Scott learned a long time ago SOL stood for same old Lions as they always seemed to find a way to suck and lose games in ways one couldn't imagine. All the frustration shown by his uncle and grandpa made him glad he didn't watch.

Scott didn't know how much longer he could handle watching the game when the doorbell rang. He immediately jumped up and said that he would get it. A few seconds later he was at the front door and opened with Katie and her mom standing there, each with a food dish in their hands.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Scott greeted.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Katie and Jillian greeted back in unison.

Scott guided them into his grandpa's house and into the kitchen where Jackie, Sarah, Andrea, and Scott's older cousin Shannon greeted them, although Andrea and Shannon gave them a less friendly greeting. When the rest of the family had heard that Scott and Katie were dating they were very skeptical of Katie's motives. Even after Jackie and Keith had told everyone that they had forgiven her and she was no longer the young woman who loved to bully Scott, they didn't want to believe it. They didn't think she would change so easily.

Katie was nervous meeting the rest of Scott's family. She had a feeling she would not receive a very welcome reception. Still she decided to go through with it because the other option was Thanksgiving back at her house with only her and her mom, something they had done the past few years.

"Where would you like us to put the pies?" Jillian asked raising the bowl.

"We have room in fridge," Jackie said. "I'll open it for you so you can put it on the bottom shelf." Jackie opened the refrigerator for Jillian and she and Katie placed the pies in it. "I'm really glad you two could come."

"Thank you," Jillian replied, "although I get the feeling only you, Keith, and Scott are actually happy we could join," she said loud enough so that only Jackie could hear.

"Hopefully after today they will come around to you and Katie. Bringing some pies definitely helped."

Meanwhile Scott and Katie went into the basement to be alone and also let Scott inform Katie of the situation. Once they sat on the couch, he began to tell her everything.

"So pretty much it is what I thought it would be and warned you about. Everyone is still questioning your intentions with me and my cousin even pulled me aside asking me if I knew what I was getting myself into."

Katie sighed understanding the situation, but smiled at her boyfriend. "I had a feeling this would happen, but I'm willing to suffer and try to change their minds."

"That might take a miracle."

"Well some would say us actually being in a relationship is a miracle," Katie said with a smile. That made Scott chuckle.

"Yeah, some would say that," Scott agreed, "but think the rest of my family giving you a chance might be more like an act of god."

Now it was Katie's turn to chuckle. "Well, we can either hide down here until dinner or we can go back upstairs and you can help me face your family."

"Let's go upstairs," Scott said without even really thinking about it. "We might as well face all the questions sooner than later."

Katie nodded in agreement and together they went back upstairs. They decided to hang out in the family room and watch the football game with Scott's dad, uncle, and grandpa. Scott's uncle Jayce left the couch and sat in another chair so that Scott and Katie could sit next to each other with his grandpa. The Detroit Lions looked like they could actually beat the Green Bay Packers, but the quarterback threw an interception and the Packers player ran the ball back to the other side of the field for a touchdown.

"Unbelievable," Jayce said throwing his hands up in disgust.

"Be glad you haven't been watching them for as long as I have," said Scott's grandpa.

Jayce shook his head and smiled. "Yeah, you've seen catch rule screw you against the Bears and watched the refs pick up the flag on the most obvious pass interference against the Cowboys to name a few."

"That and watching the disaster known as Matt Patricia as our head coach and before that Matt Milan as the general manager," Scott's grandpa added.

"Thank god I was a child during the Milan era," Jayce said. "That is something I don't want to remember."

Everyone continued to watch the game hoping that the Lions would pull something off, but it just seemed like they were trying to lose. Katie was getting bored watching and was thankful when Jackie asked her if she wanted to help set up the table. She more than happily accepted, and Scott didn't blame her. In fact, he wished he could have helped, but knew he would stay with his grandpa. With the recent passing of his grandma, it made him realize that he might not have a lot of time left with his grandpa so it might be better to spent as much time with him as he could.

During a TV timeout his grandpa poked him. When Scott looked at him he motioned for him to sit closer to him. When Scott did his grandpa started talking to him. "You didn't tell me your girlfriend was so beautiful."

Scott wasn't sure exactly how to respond to that. "Well, I didn't know what you would think of her actually."

"You mean because she used to pick on you?" his grandpa asked with a smile. Scott nodded his head. "You're a smart kid Scott. I know you wouldn't have started dating her unless you two were able to make peace and you actually forgave her."

"I'm trying to forgive her," Scott admitted, "and in a lot of ways I have. I mean...there are some days I worry that this is all an act by her."

His grandpa shook head. "Even knowing who her mother is and what she put your dad through, I can tell you nothing about what she is doing is an act. She has chosen to come to the lion's den. If anything, I think she truly cares for you."

"You really think so?"

His grandpa nodded his head. "I really think so."

**********************************************

"So do we need to even ask who won?" Jackie mockingly asked the guys as they sat down at the table.

"The team not from Detroit," Keith answered just getting it out of the way.

"Maybe they'll win next year for you guys," Scott's aunt Andrea commented.

"Only if the team can actually get their act together," Scott's grandpa said, "which I don't see happening in my lifetime."

"But now we get to enjoy some delicious food," Jackie said.

"That we do," Scott's grandpa said smiling, "especially with so many gorgeous cooks making the food for everyone."

"Always one to charm the ladies," Andrea commented.

"How do you think I was able to convince your mother to marry me?" Scott's grandpa said. Once everyone was seated, he had everyone hold hands with the person they were sitting next to. This was easy for Katie as she was sitting between Scott and Jackie. Jillian on the other hand was sitting between Keith and Andrea. Andrea was more than apprehensive to be sitting next to Jillian, but with the way people sat down she didn't have much choice. Once grandpa said grace everyone let go of each other's hands and started passing dishes around. Once everyone got their food they began to eat, making idle chit chat with each other.

Everyone seemed to be getting along well, that is until Andrea decided to actually do more than just have small talk with Jillian.

"So Jillian," Andrea began, "how much do you have to travel for your job?"

"More than I'd like," Jillian admitted. "I'm hoping to cut down on the travelling sooner than later. It sucks not being able to spend time with my daughter."

"It must be really hard for Katie, you know, having a mother that is hardly there and a father that left her when she needed one most."

"Yes, it has been hard for Katie, but she has found a way to be strong."

"She has found a way," Andrea said with an insincere smile, "while bullying Scott," she continued under her breath.

Jillian knew she was being baited and expected this to happen. "So I've heard that your daughter goes to Michigan State University. What is she studying?"

"She is pre-med right now and hoping to be enrolled in their medical school in two years."

"You must be very proud of her."

Andrea nodded, "More proud of my daughter than you should be."

"That's enough Andrea," Scott's grandpa said sternly.

"What did I do?" Andrea asked, not understanding why she was being called out.

"You will be nice to Jillian or you will get no dessert."

"I'm not a child Dad," she defended.

"Funny, I thought only children made childish jabs at people they don't like. I guess maybe the way you're acting is more like a toddler instead." All heads turned to Scott's grandpa, shocked at what he just said. "So, anyone else have something they want to say to Katie or Jillian? Mind you it wasn't Keith, Jackie, or Scott that invited them to dinner here. It was me who told Keith invite them over."

Andrea was too furious to answer her father, but her daughter was ready with a response.

"You're telling me grandpa that you are so easily willing to forgive Jillian for all the bullshit she put Uncle Keith and Aunt Jackie through and all the years of bullying Katie did to Scott?"

"Yes," he said while a smile, "because it is too easy to live with hate towards someone and nothing good comes out of hating someone. Forgiving is much harder and can make wonderful things happen."

"And how do you know this?" challenged Shannon.

"When shortly after I married your grandma, we both forgave the guy who cheated on her when he asked us to forgive him." Everyone did a double take at that statement and grandpa nodded his head. "Yep, it was a couple months after the wedding and he called out of the blue. He asked if he could meet with us at a local bar to talk with us. Both your grandma and I were unsure what we wanted to do, but he was my best friend at one point in time. We agreed to meet with him and we had barely sat down at the table when he first apologized to Diane about what he did and then to me next for putting me in a precarious position. It turned out he ended up marrying the woman he cheated on your grandma with, but she wasn't loyal to him at all. Somehow she made it seem like it was his fault that she cheated on him when they went to get divorced. She took him for half of everything he had and got full custody of their two children.

"He was in a bad place and felt like it was karma with what was happening to him. Whether it would reverse his karma or not, he wanted to ask for our forgiveness. We ended up deciding not only to forgive him, but invited him to stay with us until he found a place to live other than a motel. A few months later he moved out into an apartment and after we helped him move into we never heard from again. We could have not forgiven him and just left him at the bar, but Diane and I weren't ones to hold onto grudges.

Scott's grandpa looked Jillian from across the table. "My son has forgiven you for everything you have done to him and so have I." He then turned to look at Katie. "My grandson has not only forgiven you, but asked you to be his girlfriend. I haven't seen them be so happy in years, especially Scott. It is time to put the past behind us where it belongs."

Jillian shed a tear at hearing her being forgiven and Katie squeezed Scott's hand.

The table fell silent for a few moments before Jackie spoke up. "Well since it appears we are all done with dinner, I think it is time we have some dessert. Jillian, what pies did you bring?"

"Two apple pies and one cherry," Jillian answered.

"Well," Andrea began, "I guess the least I can do is try one of your pies before I condemn them."

"Are you going to try some of my Mom's pie?" Katie asked Scott, which caused everyone minus her and her mother to chuckle as they were not in what was so funny.

Scott sheepishly sank in his chair with a guilty smile on his face not sure how to tell Katie what everyone found so funny. "Um, well... I actually don't eat pie."

Katie laughed at what Scott said, thinking he was joking. "Good one Scottie." When Scott's guilty face didn't go away Katie realized he wasn't joking. "Have you ever had pie?"

"No," Scott admitted, "it is not something I have ever wanted to try."

"Katie, drop it," Jillian told her daughter.

"But Mom, you worked really hard on those pies and..."

"If he doesn't want one he doesn't have to have one."

Katie was about to say something, but Jillian gave her a look that told her to drop it, so she did.

Everyone, except for Scott and Katie, started to get up from the table and clear the dishes. Once they were the only ones left at the table Katie looked at Scott with a serious stare. "So what other foods do you not like that I should know about?"

******************************************************************

Andrea came into the kitchen and found Jillian talking with Jackie. She didn't care what conversation the two were having as she immediately barged in. "How did you make those apple pies?"

"Andrea," Jackie protested. "You're being rude again."

Andrea looked at Jackie dead in the eye. "For an entirely just reason. There is no more pie left and I want a third slice. I would have a second slice of cherry but my dad already took the last piece."

"Sorry Andrea," Jillian apologized. "Family secret that I will pass down to Katie but to no one else."

"Well, guess we'll just have to have you for Christmas if for no other reason than to bring over some more of your delicious pies."

Jillian couldn't help but smile. Pies were something she was really good at making was one of the things that convinced her ex-husband to marry at the time. No matter the occasion, whether be work or family event, everyone loved her pies and knew that those pies she brought over would have helped smooth some of the rough parts with Keith's family. She just didn't plan on everyone asking her to make more on the spot in the case of Scott's cousin Shannon. She had devoured her pieces of cherry and apply pie and almost begged her to make more. Next time she would probably have to make double the amount of pies as some people might ask to take some home.

"I'll see if I can make some more. Christmas is always busy for me work wise sadly. End of the year bullshit and all," she said rolling her eyes. "Somedays I just wish I could quit this job and retire on a beach."

"What's stopping you?" Andrea asked.

"I still need to provide for Katie and help her pay for college. Once she is done with that, I will retire."

Andrea started to look at Jillian differently just then. She always thought Jillian was just some woman who worked too much, travelled for work when she didn't need to, and raised her daughter to be a brat. While the latter might have been true, she worked to try to provide a better life for Katie and take care of her financial needs, current and future. Maybe she wasn't such a bad person in the end. Still, she didn't feel the need to apologize to her. Besides, she needed to talk to Jackie about something else.

"That makes a lot of sense. So Jackie, is Keith ready get his butt whooped again in Euchre?"

"Sadly, he isn't," Jackie answered a little sad. "Work has been taking its toll on him lately and he said he needed a break from anything stressful today, including Euchre."

"Who is Keith's usual partner?" Jillian asked.

"My husband," Andrea answered, "but it is more of a fun little battle of the sexes tradition we do."

"Well maybe I could partner with Jackie," Jillian suggested, "and you and your husband have fun losing to us."

"Let's see if your Euchre game is as big as your mouth," Andrea said with a smirk.

***********************************************

Scott and Katie sat in the family room with Scott's grandpa watching the Dallas Cowboys go against the Green Bay Packers. Katie knew for a fact that her boyfriend didn't care for football, but he wasn't going to not spend time with his grandpa. After his grandma passed, he made it a point to spend as much time with him as possible when he was over, even if it meant watching football.

Katie really liked the fact that Scott was making an effort to spend time with his grandpa and she wanted to also spend time him as well. Midway through the second quarter of the game, Shannon came up to Katie, but made sure she was out of the way so that grandpa could still see the TV.

"Hey Katie, would you mind coming with me to the basement so we could talk for a bit?"

Scott overheard Shannon and immediately turned to her. "Why do you need to go to the basement to talk to her?" he asked accusingly.

"Because I want to ask her a few things and get to know her."

"Still didn't answer my question," Scott said not believing her.

"It's ok Scott," Katie said trying to reassure him. "I'm a big girl and can take care of myself. I'm sure your cousin isn't going to bite me."

With how the day had gone so far and how everyone was treating Jillian and Katie, Scott didn't think it was a good idea for her to be alone with his cousin. "Katie."

"Scottie, I'll be fine." Katie looked him dead in the eye, smiling to let him know she will be fine. Scott still wasn't convinced but didn't want to fight with Katie about this so he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Ok."

Katie got up and was led by Shannon to the basement. Once they were down there they sat down on a couch at opposite ends.

"So," Shannon began, "I want to start off by saying I'm sorry."

"You don't have to," Katie said waving her hands. "I understand..."

"No," Shannon said cutting her off. "Just because you bullied Scott in the past gives none of us the right to treat you and your mom like we have been. You are invited guests and we should have welcomed you with open arms."

Katie smiled, grateful for the apology. "I accept your apology and forgive you."

Shannon smiled back, happy to be forgiven. "Now that that is out of the way, what are you getting Scott for Christmas?"

"Honestly, I haven't really thought of what to get him. I know almost any movie he wants he can just find a streaming service to get it and I'm very sure I can't afford to get him a new video game. Hell, I'm not sure what video game I could get him because he seems to play everything."

"Has he shared his love of anime with you yet?"

"Oh yes he has," Katie said laughing. "We've gone through all four seasons of Attack on Titan, first season of Sword Art Online and he is trying to convince me to watch one called Yu Yu Hakusho."

Shannon couldn't help but laugh as Katie listed off the anime Scott was having her watch. "Yeah, he's not big into anything that isn't action oriented."

"Well he took me to see Spirited Away on our first date. That wasn't action oriented."

"No, it wasn't," Shannon agreed. "That is a very good movie though."

"Yes it is," Katie agreed. "I just wish there were more anime series and movies like that Scott and I could watch together."

"Well, there is one movie that is going to be in theaters on New Year's Day that I know he would love to watch and it would actually make a perfect Christmas present."