Chapter 45

Laurel’s turn:

Okay. We can get through this. Only about a week’s worth of errands to run today. Jake took the day off to help Rob with some things, and Kaitlyn and I are gonna run with Krista and Mom to pick up some more of the things for the wedding. Renee and her mom are meeting us later, and after lunch we’ll go over to decorate the church.

Kaitlyn is a little nervous, but not as bad as I thought she’d be. We finally got the letter saying everything has been cleared up with the school’s finance office. Todd almost did us up real bad with that one! But after George and Rob got done explaining everything to the provost, everything got straightened out.

So tonight we graduate! Poor Renee still has to wait one more semester for her diploma because of a credit she missed in the transfer, but she’ll be marching in with the rest of us, just getting an empty diploma folder. She can take the credit on its own this fall, and I might even go back with her to pick up an elective I wish I’d taken before. Should be different there, now that Todd and his crew are gone, but I think the two of us could face most anything they can throw at us, anyway. Especially with all the family support that we’ve got!

“You about ready to go, adopted daughter?” Kaitlyn called from the living room. “Mom’s waitin’, and we’ve got a lot of stops to make.”

Yeah, “adopted daughter” – I was at just about the lowest point of my life, and wondering if it was really worth it to do a tomorrow, when Rob and Kaitlyn came along. And they said they saw something in me, and they love me. They joked about me being their adopted daughter, and even though I’m older than Kaitlyn, it really hit home. Not the idea of actually being adopted, no, that’s just silly. It’s the real love that surrounded those words. Can’t fake that. And that’s why, sometimes, someone will ask me if everything’s okay, and why my eyes are all wet.

“Coming, Mom!”

I’ve got a CD of old blues, to listen to in the car. I told Kaitlyn that Jake was practicing some Sonny Boy Nelson songs, and she wanted to hear what the original sounded like. I think she likes it! Gotta pick up Mom and Krista in a few minutes, though, and I don’t know if they’ll like it or not. It’s a far cry from that Celtic Woman stuff we were listening to last night. But I love that stuff too, so maybe she’ll like this.

Back to Rob:

Good grief! This place gets quiet when they all leave! Almost like it was before I pulled my sweetie out of the bay. And I never realized just how dragged out my life was getting to be, until that party barge lost one of its passengers right in front of me.

And then we started adding more and more excitement, until I wonder just who it was, back there all by hisself! This new life has been great the way it is, but I think I’m gonna like it even better when it’s just me and my Kaitlyn, cookin’, listening to music, planning trips on Nocturne Too, and cuddling and snuggling, and I better stop dwelling on that thought before I end up in the john. Again.

George said he was gonna take care of stocking the boat for a few-day trip. I guess I better get down there and make sure his and our ideas of “a few days” are at least close to the same. Gotta check with Ray, too. Make sure the schedule is set for the next week or so. We’re lucky to still have him, especially after, well ... you know.

Ooops! Phone call – gotta love this new synch system in the truck! Punch the button, and, “Hi George! What’s up?”

“Hey Rob. One six-pack of that lite beer be enough?” I could hear the chuckle he was trying to hide.

“Better NOT be that ‘lite stuff’,” I laughed.

“I know, just jerkin’ your chain. But which do you prefer, Shiner Bock, or Yuengling? They got ‘em both in at the store. Wanna make sure I got the right one. And Kay doesn’t like beer at all, does she?”

“Either one’s good for me, thanks, actually, the Yuengling would be a real treat, and one or two six-packs should be more than enough. Don’t wanna get too wobbly out there, especially on an unfamiliar boat. And no, she doesn’t care much for beer. I was gonna stop and pick up a bottle or two of a decent white wine. She likes a little of that, once in a while. But you don’t have to get...”

“I know I don’t have to, son, consider it a wedding present.”

“But George, you already gave us our wedding present! And now you wanna stock it too?”

“Just humor me, Rob, remember, you kids are the only family I got now.”

What do you say to something like that? Had to clear my throat a couple times, “Okay, George, just, please, don’t over-do it. We both love you for who you are, not for what you can give us. And Laurel and the rest feel the same way.”

“I know that, Rob,” he said, “and you’ll never really know how much that means to this old retread.” Could hear the smile in his voice. “Anyway, I’ll drop stuff off at the boat sometime this morning, and make sure the cabin vents are working okay, so it won’t be stuffy when you get there. Figure I’ll leave the extra cooler with a couple of those king-sized bags of ice in it for the beer and wine, and there’s cokes and water in the other cooler, so you’re all set for cold drinks. Dunno about your coffee and tea, stuff like that, but I’ll leave that to you.”

“Ooops! We forgot about those! Talked about stuff we could fix up quick for breakfast and snacks and like that, but forgot all about the coffee, and I know she likes a cup of tea in the evening. Thanks!”

“Forgot the coffee? Rob! Where are your priorities!?” He chuckled, “Never mind. I do remember that much...” His voice trailed off. “Yeah, well, anyway, I gotta get moving. Lotta errands to run this morning, and a big day comin’ up tomorrow, which reminds me, have you checked the weather for the next few days?”

“Yep! Should be excellent for everything we’ve got planned. Not too hot for the wedding, and a little chop out on the water, should be just fine for sleeping out on deck, too.”

“Okay, sleeping!” Could hear the chuckle in his voice again, “gotta run, ‘bye!”

I punched the end call icon on the screen, and looked up to see that I was just passing the turn to Jake’s place, and in the wrong lane to do it anyway. Guess that new tech is double-edged! Oh well, double back at the next light, and pay more attention to where I’m driving.

Kay, again:

Yep, three days of errands by this evening – think we can do it? I asked Mom and Laurel that, and both of them just rolled their eyes back.

“Sure,” said Mom, “let’s see that list again!” Laurel handed it over the seat to her, and I looked out the corner of my eye as she ran her fingertips over it, then stopped and squeaked. “Ooops! Forgot!” And the little peal of joyous laughter as she remembered she can read with her eyes now, brought some moisture to my own. She saw me grab a tissue and wipe mine, and turned to look at Lauren in the back, who was doing the same. Smile got bigger, and she reached out to both of us, “Know what?” Got us both!