Page 64 of Be With Me
“Oops? Are you blushing?” Without waiting for him to answer, Debbie started talking to Scott. “Hi Scott, nice to meet you over the phone. I’m assuming you’ll still be around when I get there with the twins. Be prepared, they talk a lot.”
Mooney watched Scott chuckle as he spoke, “Nice to meet you too. As for your twins, Cam and Cal if I remember all Mooney told me about them at the wedding? I run a day care center so I think I can handle them.”
Sitting back to sip on his beer, Mooney half listened half tuned out the questions Scott asked Debbie. He figured it was more home front information that he probably needed to know at some point but right now, he was still getting his feet under him as the first sergeant.
“It’s been great talking to you, Debbie. I look forward to seeing you and the boys when you get here.” Scott ended his conversation with Debbie.
“I’ll call you when I get home, Debs. Tell you about the progress on the house,” Mooney said after taking the phone off speaker.
“Love you. Can’t wait to see the house.”
“It’s as you wish,” he replied and disconnected the call.
“Princess Bride?” Scott teased.
“Best movie ever,” Mooney told him.
§ § §
Debbie was exhausted from driving. School had let out two days ago and she’d supervised the movers while the boys finished up. She’d put everything that they were taking in the minivan in the sunroom then just had to make sure the movers didn’t touch it.
She’d thrown a small birthday party for the boys this year at the Y. Seven five-year olds splashing in the pool followed by pizza and of course, cake. Debbie thought she’d been prepared for the amount of energy; Cam and Cal weren’t exactly quiet and retiring but yeah…
Two days in the car had the boys ready to explode. They’d done good for the first six hours but after they’d driven eight, Debbie needed a rest as did Cam and Cal. She’d found a Holiday Inn and they’d had dinner and crashed for the night.
When they were an hour out, she called Luny. He told her the heptad was getting together for dinner that night before Mackey and Kevin deployed. Luny said he’d wait at the house for them then they could follow him over to Spook and Jeanine’s for dinner. Everyone would be happy to see them; it had been at least a year.
Luny sat on the front porch, waiting when she pulled into the driveway. A big smile lit his face up when he realized it was them.
“Boys, look out the window,” Debbie instructed them.
“Mama, we’s—” Cam said.
“watching—” Cal started before she interrupted him.
“Look now!”
“Papa!” they shouted as they struggled with their boosters.
“Cam! Cal!” Luny exclaimed as he got tackled by the twins. He looked at her over their heads and mouthedlove you. “How would you like to see your uncles tonight?” he asked the boys.
“They’re still hereed?” Cal asked. Debbie hoped that they’d stop putting extra syllables on words soon.
“Mama said they leaved,” Cam told him.
“They’re leaving soon but we can go see them for dinner. Get back into your seats and we’ll go.” Luny watched them climb back in and checked their buckles before closing the door. Debbie pushed into his arms for a quick hug.
“You’re driving with us?”
Luny shook his head. “I’ve got the present for Spook and Jeanine loaded in the truck. Giving it to them tonight, which is a good thing since those boxes are heavy. Follow me there?”
“You know I’ll follow you anywhere.” She slid back into the driver’s seat and Luny closed her door for her, tapping on the roof.
Pulling into a spot behind Luny’s truck, the boys anxiously unbuckled and she hit the button opening their door. They flew out of the van already shouting at Mackey.
“’Key! ’Key! We’re here. Surpriseded?”
“Nibbles!” Mackey dropped to his knees and had his arms full of little boys talking over each other.
