July 13

After they were gone, Charlie said. “We’re taking the kids tubing, do you want to come Mom?”

“No Dear I’ll take little Suzy back to the motel with me. We’ll have a great time.”

“Thanks, I was going to have to take her home and I want to give June a break. We’ve got our stuff and want to change at your place.”

“OK lets grab some food for the kids while we’re here.”

They all went over to get their chili and then walked up to her apartment. She and Jamie and Brock sat at the kitchen island while Bobbie’s grand kids ran around chasing Fossy and getting ready.

After they left Brock shook his head. “Wow they are a handful. It’s a nice kind of chaos though. I’m not planning to have a family.

“You can always be a favourite uncle or something. It’s a pretty good gig.” Said Jamie

Bobbie looked around.“I’m pleasantly surprised by how clean this place is. Effie did all my dishes and put everything away. That’s what I thought I’d be doing this afternoon.”

Suzy was in a high chair beside the island, sitting there looking at them. She had eaten little pieces of leftover scallops and fishcakes and was carefully drinking her sippy cup with water.

Bobbie wiped her high chair. “I guess we could have a story and then get ready and go to the pool.” Suzy smiled with her sippy still in her mouth. She was defiantly ready for a nap.

Jarrod arrived. “Trixie is with the ladies and will bring Katherine back here when they are done. Are you ready to go?” Jamie nodded and put his empty paper chili bowl in the compost.

Brock said he had some paperwork to do.

When they were all alone, Bobbie took Suzy out of her chair and whispered “Shall we go potty before we have a story?” They went into the bathroom and Bobbie set her on the little potty her dad put in the bathroom. She looked at Bobbie earnestly after a few unproductive minutes and said “Done.” And she squirmed off the potty onto the floor. Bobbie pretended to tickle her and slid on a new diaper. “That was a nice try at going potty. Maybe we can try again after our story.”

It had been a while since she had tried to help potty train a little one. She remembered Eddie took a while but Charlie wanted so much to be like his big brother he was easy.

They went over to the giant bookcase and found a good kids book to read and soon they were both snoozing in Bobbies room.

Around 2 Suzy woke up and nudged Bobbie. They got up and got ready for the pool. Suzy had her Princess water bottle and Bobbie had some toys that would float. Bobbie was walking Suzy over to the edge of the shallow end when Rick came out on his crutches. He greeted Bobbie and sat in a chair. Bobbie helped Suzy get in the pool and sat with her as she played in the water.

A while later Brock came over with three fancy drinks, he set them down. “Hi guys, why don’t you let uncle Brock watch Suzy for a while. And handed Rick a drink.

“Bobbie stood, keeping her eyes on Suzy. Hi Brock, this is Rick Dawson. He’s staying at the motel while his leg gets better and works… ?”

“I’ll be Teaching a class at the University in the fall and working for T-Green, a renewable energy startup company.” Interjected Rick. “Thanks for the drink.”

“And this is Brock Simms, he works in Cap City with Ambrose Hennessy.”

Brock stayed with Suzy, getting practice at being an uncle, so Bobbie sat down, sipped her drink and sent Barb a text. “Hey girl, I missed you at the market this morning, want to come over for a late afternoon bevy by the pool?”

“Thanks Bobbie, but my tummy is acting up and I’m just going to stick around here today. Enjoy your pool day, XO”

Hmm thought Bobbie, it was not like Barb to say no to a pool date. There was more to it than a sore tummy. Barb had been really quiet at the dinner party. Maybe she needed to talk.

Brock left and Suzy just wanted to be wrapped in a towel and sit on Bobbies lap so they relaxed in the chair beside Rick.

“Bobbie I was thinking about a green way to heat your pool.”

“I’m open to ideas. I’m just happy it’s not full of mining slag that’s rolled down the mountain.”

“OK, I deserve that. I can’t deny that I knew that Peabody wanted that mine but I didn’t think he would even develop it. He has dozens of claims that stay untouched.”

“Well Rick I guess I should let bygones be bygones. It all worked out for everyone except you. You probably got the worst of it; losing the job and the compound fracture and all.”

“Thanks Bobbie. Like I said I’ll be doing some new, more worthwhile work and my leg is healing. It shook me, for sure. Things are healing well, I’m starting to back off my pain meds and they are replacing my cast with a lighter walking cast on Monday.”

Bobbie heard a car door and looked at her watch. Charlie walked around the corner and took a Suzy from Bobbie. “We had a great run but everyone’s still in the cars ready to head home. Thanks for watching Suzy. Oh, hey Rick. See ya later.” Suzy looked over his shoulder and waved.

Rick stood up. “It was nice to talk to you but I think I’ll go back to my room now.”

Bobbie picked up the empty glasses walked back to her apartment. She dropped the glasses off in the kitchen and saw Brock at the island with his laptop. “Hey Uncle Brock would you like a coffee.”

Brock laughed. “Thanks Bobbie, that would be great. I like to have a nap around nine when I’m on thee red eye so a coffee now wouldn’t hurt.”

Trixie texted that she dropped Katherine off at the motel but was not stopping in. She had a few things to take care of.

Finally Brose and Johnny came in through the door. “We didn’t get much fish but I snagged a few sandwiches for an early supper.”

Johnny left and Brose, Brook and Bobbie sat at her island and ate Mark’s shaved roast beef sandwiches.

Katherine had a 7PM flight so Bobbie and Brose took her and a sunburned Lester to the airport.

In the car on the way home Brose looked at Bobbie. “This was a great weekend. I got to have a great talk with Katherine and Lester really enjoyed himself. You really outdid yourself with dinner, I can’t thank you enough.”

“You are very welcome of course dear but I did it for mostly Katherine.”

“I see.”

They got back to the motel and Bobbie suggested they go for a little walk. They held hands and strolled dawn the drive way and along the road until they got to the shoreline. They sat on a big rock and listed to the waves. The sun was setting and the sky was full of brilliant orange and pink ribbons sinking into the sea.

“Wow, I haven’t seen a sunset like that in years. This place is truly ideal.”

“It’s my favourite part of the country. Sunsets like this help convince me that retiring here was a good idea. I have so many good friends and co-workers and my family is here. It is such a full life.”

“I hope you’ll come see me in Cap city sometime. I’ll be lonely if you don’t visit.”

They were quiet on their walk back up the hill and Bobbie joined Brose in her room while he started to pack. “I’m just going to have a quick shower and try to lay down before we have to get up at 2 to catch the red-eye.”

He came out of the shower and Bobbie had fallen asleep so he covered her up and sat beside her. This is crazy he thought. They’ve been telling me for years that I need to have a partner to improve my image and I could never find the right woman. It was because I met the right woman back when I was 18. He slipped into bed and fell asleep until his watch alarm went off at 2. He carefully got out of bed.

Bobbie swung her legs to the floor. “I’ll make coffee”

Don’t worry Bobbie, Brock and I arranged an Airport cab so you just go back to sleep.