Here to Stay: Day 9

 Word Count: 54,006

Summary of Events:

James was heading into the house when Seldon Ingham arrived to return some books his wife had borrowed from James' mom, and reported that after the Williamses had left the barbecue Mr. Ellerington had gotten mad at Mr. Baron for buying inferior palominos — also disclosing that Mr. Baron had bought stallions for both himself and his son, which appalled James. Jake and his grandma were in Rocky Mountain House running some errands — with Jake along to practise his driving — when they came out of the bank and Jake recognised Mr. Baron's vehicle in the parking lot of a nearby fast-food restaurant . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“Hey, neighbours!” Mr. Baron called.

Jake stopped only because Grandma did, and he saw she had the same degree of reluctance in looking toward Mr. Baron as Jake himself did.

Mr. Baron closed the driver’s door of his SUV and walked toward them, Keanu trailing after, while Keana lingered by the SUV, looking a little bemused.

“It’s a handy thing to run into you,” Mr. Baron said. “I was wanting to stop by and let Jim know that my horses have finally arrived.”

Jake furrowed his brow, rather confounded. Jim? Who was Jim?

“I would like it if he could come by sometime soon, but, whenever he’s available, to have a look at them,” Mr. Baron said. “If you could pass that on to Jim would be great.”

Grandma nodded. “I will.”

She sounded tense and curt, which was rather unlike her at most times, as she usually had the ability to at least convincingly feign friendliness to people in situations where Jake simply couldn’t.

“Well, we’ll see you around,” Mr. Baron said.

He turned and left, while Keanu — who’d been smugly smirking the whole time, with his gaze pointedly fixed on Jake — turned and followed after him after puffing out his chest somewhat haughtily.

It was only once they’d disappeared behind an adjacent vehicle that Grandma turned so suddenly Jake wasn’t expecting it and ended up getting run into by her.
“I’m sorry Jacob,” Grandma said.

She also didn’t usually call him Jacob unless she was upset. Dad was the one who called him Jacob the most out of anyone, but even he didn’t do it 100% of the time.

Jake trailed after Grandma, who rather stalked toward the truck and climbed inside, slamming the door hard before sighing heavily.

“What’s the matter Grandma?” Jake asked, somewhat cautiously climbing into the driver’s seat, as the only time he ever remembered Grandma getting angry had been a frightening experience.

“As much as I can understand where and how such a byname is derived despite its incredible dissimilarity to the origin name, “ Grandma said. “I did not name my son Jim.”

“You mean he was wanting you to tell Dad?” Jake asked.

“Yes,” Grandma replied.

“I didn’t know who he was talking about,” Jake said.

“My father has always detested Jim and not let himself be called by it, and I made it abundantly clear to those who didn’t know my father’s detestation of the name that my son was not to be called by it any more than his grandfather,” Grandma said. “And everyone, even the newcomers, have respected and accepted that. I have no idea where Mr. Baron got the idea that it was acceptable to abbreviate my son’s name in that fashion, and especially from your father.”