Sonny turned to Luke instead. Olivia always talked about family matters, and most of her words circled back to urging him to get married.
"What else could your granddad be up to? He's just an old man. All he does is watch TV after eating, or he goes downstairs to play chess and brag with the other old men."
Luke glared at Olivia. "Playing chess is better than dancing. You ladies are always disturbing the neighbors and getting complaints."
"We only dance from seven-thirty to nine in the evening. Even if it's noisy, it won't affect anyone's rest. I bet those people are just jealous that we old ladies are having fun exercising."
Olivia did indeed go dancing regularly.
She was old now, and her husband had his own hobbies. She felt bored, so she joined the neighborhood dancing group.
It was easy to cause a disturbance, but they kept to a schedule and almost always finished before nine o'clock at night, so they would not interfere with anyone's rest. They would even suspend their dancing for a few days during the exam season. Compared to those who danced whenever they pleased, Olivia believed she and the other ladies in her neighborhood were being very considerate.
"If you'd spend more time with me, I wouldn't have to go dancing. All you ever do is play chess. What's so fun about that anyway?"
Luke replied, "I've spent more than half my life keeping you company. My hair has already turned white. Can't I enjoy a hobby of my own? Besides, what's so great about dancing every day?"
"What's wrong with that? I like it."
"And I like playing chess."
The old couple started arguing.
Sonny quickly stepped in and said with a laugh, "Grandmom, Granddad has his own hobbies, and you have yours. You can't stop him from enjoying chess just because you don't like it. He has never stopped you from doing what you like either."
"Exactly, Sonny. Your grandmom has always been like this. She wants me to stay by her side every single day. I don't have any freedom at all."
“I never tied your legs together. Why don't you have any freedom? When we were young, you'd follow me wherever I went. Why didn't you say that you were the one clinging to me?
"Now that I'm old, my face is full of wrinkles, and I'm no longer pretty, you find all sorts of excuses to avoid spending time with me."
"Grandmom, don't say that," Sonny said helplessly.
“I can't be bothered to argue with your grandmom. I'm the only one who can tolerate her. If it were any other man, they'd have split up ages ago."
"Mom, Dad, Sonny, dinner's ready."
Just as the two were about to fight for real, Hank came out carrying two plates of food. He placed them on the table and called out to the family.
Only then did the couple stop bickering.
Jessica brought out another two plates and arranged them on the table before returning to the kitchen to get the utensils.
Hank carried out a large pot of soup, saying, “I made some fish chowder today. It turned out rich and milky. Absolutely delicious."
Sonny helped his grandmother over.
"Dad, your soup keeps getting better and better."
Hank's smile widened at his son's praise. “I know you like soup, so I've been learning how to make it."