Page 169 of Delivery After Dark
“I appreciate you taking the time when you’re so busy,” Morgan said.
“Happy to do it. You’ve got my number if you want to talk about the work.”
“I’ll be in touch.”
“I’ve got to run, too,” Grant said. “It was great to see you, Morgan.”
“Thanks for the input.” Morgan shook hands with both of them. “You really helped to give me some perspective.”
“Any time,” Mac said.
Chapter 34
Shell-shocked. That was the only way to describe the parents who boarded the eight o’clock ferry on the way to their daughter’s graduation in Ohio. They’d been up all night with four baby grandsons, helping out wherever they could as they were changed, fed, soothed, rinse and repeat.
Big Mac went straight to the snack bar for two coffees while Linda landed at a picnic table, too tired to keep her head up.
They were leaning against each other, eyes closed, hands wrapped around coffee cups, when Seamus and Carolina joined them.
“Well, isn’t this a lively group?” Seamus said as they slid onto the bench across the table from them.
“Up all night,” Linda said as she yawned. “Four babies is a lot.”
“How’re the parents doing?” Seamus asked.
“Probably better than the grandparents, since they’re thirty years younger than us,” Big Mac said.
Seamus chuckled at their sorry state.
“How’s the leg, Caro?” Linda asked.
Carolina had fallen in the shower and broken her leg months ago. “Better all the time, but I brought the cane because it acts up when I overdo it.”
“Good call.” Linda returned her head to Big Mac’s shoulder. “Wake me up when we get to Ohio.”
They slept the entire way to Point Judith and on the way to the airport while Seamus drove Big Mac’s truck. They nodded off in the waiting area before they boarded the plane and then slept all the way to Columbus, waking up feeling slightly more rested but still dragging as they were greeted by Joe, Janey, PJ and Vi in a flurry of hugs and kisses and frantic excitement.
“I thought they were going to spontaneously combust waiting for you guys to get here,” Janey said of her kids as she hugged her parents.
“I thought you were going to,” Joe said to his wife.
Janey laughed. “I almost did. This is what I was picturing every minute of the last few months—the second you guys would arrive for graduation, and we’d never have to be apart again.”
“I’m here for that,” Big Mac said, yawning.
Janey took a closer look at her parents. “You guys look rough. Was the flight bad?”
“They’re hungover from wrangling quadruplets all night,” Seamus said.
“Ah, I see,” Janey said. “We’ll put you down for a nap.”
“No naps!” PJ said to laughter from the adults.
Janey and Joe led the way to where they’d parked both their cars. “Caro, you’re walking so much better than you were the last time we saw you.”
“I’m getting there. Slowly but surely.”
“Will you be ready to swim at the beach next summer, Gran?” PJ asked her.
