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First Day of School
Pips closes her door carefully before sitting on her bed with her tablet and bringing up Facetime so she can call Grandma. It doesn’t take long for Grandma to answer, because it never does.
“Hi, Grandma!” Pips says.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Grandma says. “How was your first day at your new school?”
“I made a best friend. Isn’t that cool?”
“First day and a best friend already? That sounds great, Pips. I’m so happy for you,” Grandma says.
“Her name is Moxxie,” Pips says, then hesitates.
“That’s an unusual name!” Grandma says, then she looks concerned. “What’s the matter, sweetheart? You look like something’s bothering you.”
“Her full name is…” Pips glances at the door again, making sure it’s shut, then back at Grandma. “Moxxie Gibson Puckerman.”
“Ah,” Grandma says.
“That’s not a very common last name,” Pips points out. “And she said her dad is twenty-nine.”
“It’s true that I’ve never met any other Puckermans. Still, that would be an awfully big coincidence, wouldn’t it?” Grandma says. “Tell me a little more about Moxxie. What does she look like?”
“She has really curly brown hair, like tight little curls,” Pips says. “And brown eyes. Her mother is not in the picture.”
“So you two have that in common,” Grandma says.
Pips nods. “Grandma? Do you think there’s more than one Noah Puckerman?”
“I suppose it could be possible, but I think it’s highly unlikely,” Grandma says. “Why? Did Moxxie say something about a Noah Puckerman?”
“That’s probably why Moxxie and I got along so well so fast,” Pips says thoughtfully. “That’s her dad’s name.”
Grandma’s eyes widen. “Oh my goodness, Pips. Do not tell your father that!”
“Of course not. I told him her name was Moxxie Gibson. Which it is. That’s just not her full name.”
“Well, I’m not going to encourage any outright lying, but omission may be the wisest course of action here,” Grandma concedes. “How on earth did this even happen?”
“Didn’t you say Puck moved to LA?” Pips asks.
“Twelve years ago or so. He could have been anywhere by now.”
“Apparently anywhere is Santa Monica, Grandma,” Pips says. “I guess he didn’t have any reason to leave. And a Moxxie-reason to stay, maybe.”
“If it is Puck, then he’s raising that girl all by himself. I don’t think any of his family here in Lima has heard from him in years,” Grandma says.
Pips nods. “Moxxie says she doesn’t have any grandparents.”
“Pips Hudson,” Grandma says, in the voice Pips knows Finn got from her. “You had better introduce me to that girl so I can grandma her up right.”
Pips giggles. “Okay, Grandma. I will.”
“And get me her clothing and shoe sizes. I’ll send her a little something with your box.”
“She’s about five inches shorter than me,” Pips says.
“Well,” Grandma sighs. “I suppose she would be.”
“I can send you a picture!” Pips says. “I can take one at school tomorrow, maybe.”
“Perfect! Now, enough about the P-word,” Grandma say, lowering her voice a little.
Pips giggles. “Okay! I’ll tell you about my teachers now.”
Night of the First Date
As soon as Moxxie closes her door and Pips gets settled on Moxxie’s bed, she pulls out her tablet. “Want to Facetime my Grandma?”
“Sure!” Moxxie says. “I never had a Grandma.”
“Grandmas like to send packages and ask a lot of questions,” Pips explains, calling Grandma on her tablet. “Hi, Grandma! Look!” She angles the tablet towards Moxxie.
“Hi Pips’s Grandma!” Moxxie says, waving.
“You must be Moxxie,” Grandma says. “It’s very nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too,” Moxxie says. “Thank you for the shirts.”
“Did they fit?” Grandma asks.
“Yeah, they were perfect!” Moxxie says.
“Oh, sweetheart,” Grandma says, still looking at Moxxie and sounding sad. “You look just like your father.”
“Especially now that he’s tan, I think,” Pips says. “They’re eating dinner right now.”
Grandma’s eyebrows raise the same way Finn’s do when he’s shocked about something. “Together?”
“Nobody even barfed,” Moxxie says. “I mean, my dad doesn’t really barf, but Pips’s Finn kinda does. I think he’s got what my dad calls delicate digestion.”
“No, he has really big feelings,” Pips says. “They’re eating on the balcony, Grandma.”
“Can you see the balcony from your bedroom door, Moxxie?” Grandma asks.
“Kinda.”
“Hold the tablet out the door. I have to see this for myself.”
“Pips’d better do it, I think,” Moxxie says. “She’s sneakier.”
“Strategy,” Pips explains again. “I’m a better strategist.” She carefully walks to the door and opens it just enough to hold the tablet out, mentally counting to thirty before going back to the bed. “See, Grandma?”
“How on earth did you girls manage that?” Grandma asks.
“Pips got strategic appendicitis,” Moxxie says.
“Not on purpose, but it did work out!” Pips says.
“I think it was a little on purpose,” Moxxie says. “I think she, like, willed it into being.”
“Goodness,” Grandma says.
“What were they doing, Grandma?” Pips asks.
“I’m not sure I should say,” Grandma says.
“I think it’s okay, unless they were, you know.” Pips lowers her voice. “Naked.”
“Oh my goodness, Pips, no!” Grandma says. “They were kissing.”
“Yes!” Moxxie says.
“Again!” Pips says, smiling at Moxxie.
“Our dads are totally gonna get married, and then we’ll be sisters,” Moxxie says. “And your Grandma would be my Grandma! Hi, future Grandma!”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet, though I’ll happily adopt you as my second granddaughter either way,” Grandma says.
“Our dads are both pretty stubborn, but they seem to be getting over that,” Pips says.
“They were always stubborn boys, so it makes sense they’d be stubborn men,” Grandma says. “Still, they have the two of you, which probably trumps stubbornness.”
“We do make a good team,” Pips agrees.
“Team Hudson-Puckerman!” Moxxie says, holding up her hand for a high five. Pips giggles and gives Moxxie a high five.
“Or Team Puckerman-Hudson,” Pips says.
“Team We-Have-Until-the-Wedding-to-Figure-It-Out!” Moxxie exclaims jubilantly. “It’s all happening!”
“It’s still just a first date, girls,” Grandma says. “Try not to get too excited.”
“Future Grandma, I was born excited,” Moxxie says.
“They were kissing on Tuesday night,” Pips tells Grandma. “And Wednesday during the movie, even though we pretended not to notice.”
“And they kissed when we got there and when we left on Thursday,” Moxxie says. “I think all of those may count as dates, just, like, family ones. My family is dating Pips’s family!”
“Ah,” says Grandma. “That does sound like a lot of kissing.”
“Hey, your Grandma says ‘Ah’ just like Finn,” Moxxie says.
“I think she learned it from him, though, not the other way around,” Pips says.
“Oh. Do you think my dad’ll start saying it now?”
Pips giggles. “We can laugh if he does.”
“Future Grandma, can you show me some pictures of my dad and Finn when they were our age?” Moxxie asks Grandma.
“I was just hoping you’d ask that, Moxxie!” Grandma says. “I have a photo album right here.”
Pips smiles again. “Moxxie’s right, it’s like our whole families are dating!”
Day After the Third Date
“Grandma! Guess what?” Pips says as soon as Grandma answers her Facetime call.
“What?” Grandma asks.
“No, you have to guess!”
“Moxxie is there with you?” Grandma guesses.
Moxxie leans in front of the screen. “I am! Hi, New Grandma!”
“Yes, but that wasn’t what,” Pips says.
“Then you’ll have to just tell me, then,” Grandma says, “because Moxxie was my guess.”
“Do you want the part that already happened, or the part that’s going to happen, first?” Pips asks.
“You can tell me in whatever order you think makes the most sense,” Grandma says.
“Our dads had a sleepover last night,” Pips says. “Also, we’re moving.”
Grandma looks startled. “Oh my goodness. That’s— well I just don’t know what to say about that, Pips.”
“Finn and I are moving, I mean. To Moxxie and Puck’s apartment,” Pips clarifies.
“That seems fast,” Grandma says. “Also, I’m not sure it’s entirely appropriate that you know your dad had a sleepover. I know you and Finn have always had a very honest relationship, Pips, but sometimes I worry.”
“I don’t think he could hide it, Grandma. Either he’d be gone or someone else would be here,” Pips says.
“Well,” Grandma says.
“Oh, hey, that’s kind of like the ‘Ah’ only different!” Moxxie says.
“Also, Finn looks really happy, Grandma.”
Grandma sighs and makes a very Finn-like face. “Well, of course I want Finn to be happy, sweetheart. That’s important to me.”
“We’re happy, too,” Moxxie says. “In case you were wondering.”
“I know you are,” Grandma says. “I want you all to be very happy, Puck included. I just worry this is moving so fast, after their history together. I still don’t know what caused that terrible falling out they had!”
“Oh, Grandma,” Pips says. “Probably the same thing that made them go on dates now.”
“It was love, Grandma,” Moxxie helpfully explains.
“Goodness,” Grandma says.
“We’re looking at bunk beds after we talk to you,” Pips says.
“We had to reach an accord on the room color,” Moxxie says. “‘Accord’ is the same as ‘agreement’. Half of the walls stay teal, but the other half go purple. We felt that was fair and quitable.”
Pips nods. “Equitable. They’ll look good!”
“I’m sure they will,” Grandma says. “You girls seem to have gotten exactly what you wanted.”
“Finn and Puck are happy,” Pips says.
“That’s what we all want,” Grandma says.
Moxxie leans in front of the tablet again and grins. “So you’re my New Grandma for real now!”
“I suppose I am,” Grandma says. “Hi, New Granddaughter Moxxie.”
“Hi, New Grandma!”
“I think you’re as much dorks as Finn,” Pips says.
“Yeah, ’cause now we’re all related,” Moxxie says. “Me and you and Dad and Finn and Grandma all get to be a family of dorks together.”
“I guess I can’t argue with logic like that,” Grandma says.