Luc looked up, saw Meg and smiled. “Yes ma’am. Our service does include wiring the computer to your modem. No, no problem. We will be there sometime this afternoon, Glad to be of help,” he said and hung up the phone. “If that rings one more time, I think I’ll throw it out the window,” he said.
Meg laughed. “Well then, my news should make your day,” she said nonchalantly.
“And what news is that?” Luc asked. “Oh please let it be that she’s pregnant!” he thought.
“Oh, I’m having puppies,” she said and sat down on the edge of Luc’s desk.
Everyone in the office just stood there. Luc finally found his voice. He was expecting her to say that she was pregnant, but her use of the phrase ‘puppies’ had him flustered. “Puppies? As in plural?” Luc asked.
Meg just nodded. “Twins,” she said softly.
Luc came around the desk and swung Meg into his arms. He tilted his head back and howled. The sound of it echoed through the office. Patrick joined in and the noise brought Kevin, Cal and Peter running.
“What the hell?” asked Peter.
“We’re having puppies!” shouted Luc.
An hour later, seated around a table they were chatting and enjoying coffee. Meg was eating a piece of lemon meringue pie and listening to Ginny and Patrick’s travel plans.
“George has volunteered to stay with the kids and Ysabel is going to help. When we get back, Patrick has a couple of job interviews lined up,” said Ginny.
“You gonna be able to do all that in two weeks?” asked Cal. He was still laughing at the idea of Ginny being a relative. Granted, his joke about ‘taming the shrew’ earned him a smack up side the head and the right to pay her bill.
“I think so. If nothing else, we get a chance to be alone. Something I don’t think Ginny’s done in years,” said Patrick.
“I have too!” said Ginny. “I’ve showered alone for as long as I can remember,” she protested.
That made everyone laugh.
“By the time we get back, George has promised to fix up the house too. Paint, rearranging a few things and make it better for us to live there with the kids. With ‘Solda and Bitty almost grown, they don’t need to share rooms with the likes of Sara or Ivan,” said Ginny.
“And we get to turn the guest room into a nursery,” said Luc. He was still utterly gob smacked by the idea of twins.
“First though, we’ve got some work to do. Otherwise, we will all be in the doghouse,” said Angie. She’d been keeping an eye on the time and knew that Luc and Kevin had thirty minutes before appointments.
“Geeze, and I thought Ginny was a stickler for keeping on time,” joked Kevin.
“And now you know why we hired Angie,” said Meg with a smile. “No rest for the wicked.”
Laughter broke out again. Cal grabbed the bill and paid everyone’s tab.
*
Ginny and Patrick had their bags packed and sitting by the door. She was taking a last look around and checking the list she’d written on the dry write board. She added a few things and then went to find George. He was out back with Sara, Ivan and Joe.
“Hey George,” she called from the back door.
“Yes Ginny. Are you ready to head out?” asked George.
“Just about. Patrick is making a few last minute calls and then we are out the door,” she said.
“Good. I think you going on holiday is a great idea. Now when you get back, if we can just get Luc and Meg to take a break,” he said.
“Oh, she’ll take a break soon enough,” said Ginny.
“Yeah, I am so happy to hear that she’s pregnant, and with twins,” he said with a huge smile playing over his face.
“Luc was a riot. Talk about moonstruck,” added Ginny. “Here is the list of stuff that we discussed. Things in red have to be done. Things in blue would be nice,” Ginny said.
George looked at the list. “I’ll get as much done as I can. You just go have fun,” he said.
“I plan to,” Ginny said with a smile.
*
Twenty minutes later, Ginny and Patrick were headed out of town to Spoon River, a little resort area up in the mountains. Luc had suggested it. He and Meg had stopped there on the way back from time to time after a drive in the mountains.
“So, tell me about this bed and breakfast Luc suggested,” said Patrick.
“It’s called Spoon River B&B, but it is the restaurant across the street that Luc said we’d like. It’s called the Dog Bar,” said Ginny.
“What?” asked Patrick.
“You heard me. From what they said, people actually bring their dogs with them. Sort of a local color place with good beer and great pizza,” she said.
“Sounds good. I’m looking forward to some time up in the mountains away from people. This resort may just be the right thing,” said Patrick.
“I hope so. You’ve made me realize just how much I need to get away and relax,” said Ginny. “Oh gods do I need to get away!” she thought.
Patrick nodded as the road demanded his attention. It wound up into the mountains and over a gentle pass followed by another pass, full of switchbacks and truck runoffs. The view was getting better and better. Ginny would occasionally point out a hawk or deer. Otherwise the only sounds were the engine of Patrick’s Subaru gearing to climb the road. Time as a vital concept ceased.
“I think that’s our turn,” said Ginny after a long bit of silence. She pointed to a small sign.
“I see it,” said Patrick as he hit the blinkers and then turned. “Just twelve miles to go.”
Ginny smiled. It had been nice to just sit quietly, basking in the scenery. She watched as the cabins began to play peek-a-boo between the trees. Then rustic buildings reminiscent of a western film set mixed with modern signs crowded an intersection.
“Here’s our turn,” said Ginny pointing to the left. “The B&B is down on the left according to Luc.”