Well he had already enjoyed himself...

Shane Bygarde arrived at the Nursing Home to find something unexpected. A fully kitted-out birthday party was waiting for him. He was elated. These wholesome old ladies who had shaped his teenage years, providing him advice and company had set up a soiree for him to enjoy his birthday. It made him happy about his path in life. Even if they wouldn't live forever, the happiness and friendship he had established in this time was wonderful.

The party was splendid. The ladies had made a lot of food, a veritable feast baked and cooked by them in a plethora of palates. Ambuja made a butter chicken that was unlike any he had ever eaten before. The old Indian woman said to Shane in passing previously that her recipe was superior because most restaurants substitute the traditional yogurts used in India with creams. Shane had to agree, the difference was night and day. Beyond that, several of the other ladies had made side dishes and desserts that each amazed Shane (even if they didn't match the same palate...).

Board games were played, Card games were played, stories were told. Catherine even organized a Mario Kart tournament for everyone to enjoy, but curiously Shane noticed Imelda was missing. When he asked around about it, Ambuja told him that she was handling some estate details with her granddaughter. Hopefully she wouldn't take too long, the party wasn't complete without her.

Overall the party had been going great and Shane felt humbled by the appreciation shown to him by these ladies. And just as the Mario Kart tournament reached its climax, it was interrupted by a sharp cry for help.

"HELP, SOMEONE! SOMETHING HAPPENED TO GRAN!" came a concerned cry from the rooms. When Shane looked to its source he beheld a blindingly beautiful woman of his age. He was certain he had seen her before but he didn't know where. But Shane didn't have time to focus on her, she had just exclaimed that someone was in trouble. He jumped up from the game and raced toward her, matched in pace by Laura, the head nurse. The Nursing Home staff followed the distraught girl back to Imelda's room, where the owner of the entire home lay on the floor still. The nurses quickly evacuated the room and began the proper procedures.

Shane returned to the main lounge, beside himself. While everyone was enjoying themselves, the lady likely most responsible for the festivities was breathing her last, and he began tearing up. Realizing that to do so would be unfair to her granddaughter who was obviously more distraught than he was, being closer to her than he was, as well as the fact that the poor girl had to watch the event unfurl.

Many things happened very quickly at that point. The party was packed up by the staff; its food packaged and its games put away. The paramedics arrived and determined that Imelda's **** was likely quick, some kind of fast-acting stroke. A lawyer arrived and began speaking to the mourning granddaughter, Katie she said her name was. Shane overheard that Katie apparently had inherited Imelda's entire estate lock, stock, and barrel. They must have been even closer than he thought. 'I need to apologize to her,' he thought.

Katie had sold the scenario well. The **** of her "grandmother" had proceeded flawlessly and now she was in position to grow close to her future husband in shared grief.

When Katie was free to speak to, the boy... no, man himself approached her. "Hey," he said innocuously. She looked up at him, faint traces of ruined mascara adorning her face. "I'm Shane. I'm so sorry for your loss. Imelda was a very special woman; I'll miss her dearly." He said quietly, his voice full of suppressed grief for her sake. That's what Katie loved about him, his genuine pure heart.

"T-thank you..." she said, playing up her best sob she could. Her grandmother was dead, after all. "Do you work here?"

"Uh, no," Shane said, nervously chuckling. "It's a bit hard to explain, but I'm something of a volunteer. My Grandmother used to be a resident here and the ladies have been so important to me growing up, even after she was gone I've been coming by regularly." Katie could tell he had rehearsed that. Knowing Shane, before he walked up to her he had practiced his introduction in order to move the topic away from him. He was considerate like that. Katie decided to pounce on the opening he created for her.

"You come by here regularly? Does it interfere with your job?" She asked, feigning concern.

"Ah, I don't have one. I'm still in high school." He added, somewhat confused by her question.

He fell for it. "Wait, really? I would've guessed you're much older. Most guys at school don't look as mature as you do." Shane was surprised at that, and stifled a blush. Katie smiled internally. She had successfully made him feel handsome while also implying she, too was a high school student. The adorable little ball of wholesomeness that was Shane was practically in bed with her already.

"Uh, thank you," Shane said awkwardly. He clearly wasn't used to receiving compliments from pretty girls. Katie giggled in such a way that showed he found him endearing in such a way that lightened her heart during her "grief".

"So you knew Gran well?" She asked, moving into the next phase.

"Uh, yeah," he said, swallowing and recovering from her attack. "She was one of the people that shaped my teens more than any other. I owe a lot to her." He said earnestly. His eyes fell, still grieving. That caring heart was delicious to Katie.

"I wish I knew her better," Katie responded, feigning remorse. "She and my mom had a big falling out and I didn't get to spend much time with her growing up. I don't even know what I'm going to do with the ownership to this place..." she trailed off, finally maneuvered to pounce. "Hey. Could you tell me about her some time?" She asked with shining eyes. Shane was paralyzed by her gaze. Her beautiful, pleading face and quivering birdsong of a tone left only one response. "S-sure." he squeaked out. Katie flashed a big smile at him and proceeded to exchange contact information.

After that, the Nursing Staff stopped by to send everyone home. Shane went, his head hot with the fact that a gorgeous girl that called him mature was now in his phone... a feeling that even overpowered his grief for his dear friend.

Katie refused, perks of being the "new" owner and once Shane was gone she dropped her mask of grief. She returned inside to see a gathering of old women waiting for her expectantly. They wanted to know the results before they themselves used various means to move forward with their seduction of their darling Shane. She smirked at her elderly sisters.