Page 25 of Shelter for Martina

He followed her out the highway headed toward Hartford until he turned off to go home. She still had a distance to go, but not too far. The evening had been fun. If she could come to their little LaborDay get-together, he’d get a chance to see how the kids reacted to her and how she fit in with them.

She’d be busy with the grandkids the entire next day. That would give him a chance to do a little investigating of his own. And he knew just how to do it. He had some phone calls to make when he got home.

* * *

Blake and Maevewere the first to get there the next day. He saw her pull two big containers out of the back of the car after they pulled up, and he hoped one of them had her famous deviled eggs in it. He hated to say it, but they were better than Becky’s had ever been.

He opened the door and Maddie hit him around the knees full stride. “Pappaw! We’re here!”

“Yeah, you are, aren’t you!” he sang out and lifted her up. Her tiny arms wound around his neck and he hugged her tightly until he felt another pair of little hands on his leg.

Setting Maddie down, he grabbed Sammie and picked her up, halfway tossing her up in the air when he did. The toddler giggled and screamed. “Hey, Sammie girl! What’s up with you, huh?” Smothering her cheek with kisses, he listened to her giggle and mumble. “Did you come to eat with Pappaw?”

“Uh-huh, Pappaw. Um, I gah tootle.” She held out a little recorder-like whistle.

“Oh, you gonna play me a song?”

“Uh-huh. I pway son. I pway good, Pappaw,” she said with a grin.

“I bet. Go play with your sister. I got the toys out.” He looked up and saw another car coming up the drive. “Your cousin is here, Maddie!”

Riley and Dimitri’s car had barely stopped when Critt came barreling up the drive as fast as his little legs could carry him. “Is Maddie here?”

“Yep, and hi to you too, buddy,” Bud said, laughing, as Critt streaked past him.

“All he’s talked about the whole way here was Maddie being here,” Riley said, stopping to give her dad a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey, Dimitri, how’s it goin’?” Bud asked and slapped his son-in-law on the arm.

“Good, good. Let me help Maeve and Blake get stuff in.”

“I’ve got to get my stuff in too. Be right back,” Riley said, ducking back out the door.

Two hours later, there was food everywhere and everyone was laughing and talking. The kids were playing nicely. Critt and Maddie had taken Sammie out to see the horses, complete with a bag of carrots.

“And then the teacher said, ‘You do realize he’s a boy, right?’ And I just laughed,” Riley said, chuckling.

“Yeah, boys will be boys,” Blake announced.

There was a lull in the conversation, and Bud decided,Okay, here I go. “So, there’s something I wanted to talk to you guys about.”

“You’re not sick, are you?” Riley asked suddenly, spinning to face Bud, her eyes filled with fear.

Bud was horrified. “God, no! Nothing like that! No, actually, I think it’s good. I hope you will too.”

“Oh, shit. Scared me, Dad.”

“Yeah, me too, Dad,” Blake echoed. “What, you’ve got a girlfriend?”

Bud didn’t say a word.

“Oh, my god, you’ve got a girlfriend,” Maeve whispered.

“You’ve got a girlfriend? When the hell didthishappen?” Riley almost bellowed.

“Calm down! Just recently! She’s really nice, and I’m hoping she’ll come to our get-together for LaborDay.”

“Dad, don’t you think it’s a little soon?” Blake asked, his face almost scolding.

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