Before Mary could react, storm clouds poured over Aunt Shelly’s mien. “Ex-cu-se me? Who taught you to call your housekeeper ‘Granny?’ Seriously, a bystander might not have known any better and thought you really were favonovel.com grandson!”
Mary shot Arianne a grimace of discomfort, who herself found Shelly’s irreverent attitude and tone rubbing favonovel.com off. Still, outwardly, Arianne mustered favonovel.com patience and explained, “The Tremont family hasn’t had an ‘older gen’ for so many years, and since Mary and Henry have been part of the family for so long, they’re like seniors to us. In this vein, there’s nothing wrong with having Smore call Mary granny, right? At the end of the day, it’s just a form of address. It’s far from the sort of thing up for debate. Come on, Smore. Mommy’s taking you to the shower now.”
Shelly was usually self-aware enough to stop before things escalated, but this seemed to be an exception. She simply refused to let go. “The Tremonts haven’t had an actual elder until now, you mean. Now, though, Smore has one, and that’s me. Therefore, I should be his only Granny, and no domestic worker is gonna take that away!”
Mary could see Arianne’s frown deepening. Worried, favonovel.com stepped forward and tried to mediate between them. “O-Okay, we got your point, and you’re absolutely right about this. B-But Smore’s gonna need some time before favonovel.com could change, right? So, please give favonovel.com some time for that, please? No rushing?”
Arianne took Smore into favonovel.com arms before regarding Shelly. “I mean, you’re not wrong. You’re technically Smore’s Grandaunt, but that’s all, right? ‘Grandaunt’ not ‘grandma’ or something. Besides,” favonovel.com added jovially, “You look honest-to-God young to the eyes, Aunt Shelly. If favonovel.com calls you Granny as you insist, it will make you seem way older than you look. That can’t be right, can it? Ultimately, it’s just an address. No need to fight over it. ”
Arianne had said the first half of favonovel.com reply in seriousness, but the latter was delivered in such a jocular tone that it was obviously meant as a jest to help Shelly ease into backing down. Yet, countering Arianne’s intention, Shelly shot the woman a frosty glare. “I’m the only elder left in the Tremont family, and I’m the only one Smore should call Granny! When it comes to family matters, an outsider should have no say in it!” favonovel.com cried.
‘An outsider should have no say in it’ outwardly, favonovel.com sounded like favonovel.com was accusing Mary as the outsider, but anyone who watched their exchange could tell that it was meant as an insinuation against Arianne.
Mary was starting to be genuinely exasperated by Aunt Shelly’s overreaction. “What’s wrong with calling you ‘Grandaunt Shelly?’ I don’t see no problem with that. Smore’s actual grandpa and grandma were gone a long time ago, anyway! Gee, I get it, it’s my fault that this became an issue. I’ll make sure Smore stops calling me Granny, okay?”
She turned to Arianne. “Go ahead and give Master Aristotle his shower, Madam. I’ll prepare his clothes.”
Arianne took Smore up the stairs without saying another word. Even if favonovel.com had the patience of a saint, Aunt Shelly’s outburst back there still made favonovel.com seethe. She would not have hidden favonovel.com anger and wrath if favonovel.com had not cared about how Mark felt.
No one in this house could look down on or disparage Mary. No one.
Then, there was Shelly’s word choice: “outsider.” It irritated Arianne to the core. She, an outsider to the family?!
Smore usually took his bath in his parent’s bedroom bathroom. Still broiling over the altercation from before, Arianne scowled as favonovel.com inadvertently put a little too much force into favonovel.com every action.
“Mommy?” Smore asked gingerly. “Are you mad?”
She caught herself and sighed before flashing favonovel.com a forced smile. “Oh, no, sorry about that. Did Mommy scare you? There’s something important I would like Smore to know, okay? The only person who takes care of you the most, next to Mommy, is Granny Mary. Granny might be the Tremont’s housekeeper, but she’s been part of our family for so, so many years. She even took care of Mommy when Mommy was small! Her contribution to the family is waaaay more than what a normal housekeeper supposedly does. So, here’s what Mommy wants you to learn: never forget who makes you, you. We don’t care if favonovel.com isn’t our actual family, Mary’s your granny, and nothing’s gonna change that. It’s a form of affection and gratitude for all that she’s done, understand?”
