“Your dad said he’d be on grandpa duty this morning,” Jon reminded him. “Do you wanna shower first?”
“Coffee first, shower later.”
They plodded down the stairs, clad in sleep pants and T-shirts, bare feet landing soft footfalls on the treads.
“Good morning, guys,” Rob said in greeting. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please,” they answered in unison.
“There’s a breakfast casserole in the oven that should be ready in about ten minutes,” Rob told them after filling two cupswith a strong, dark brew. “And we’ve also got fruit salad in the fridge. Ben should be down with Wyatt in a minute.”
“We can’t thank you enough for taking care of the little guy while we go away,” Kyle said, sincerity apparent in his voice.
“It’s our pleasure. With everything that’s happened, I know your dad wants to get to know him better. Really, both of us do,” Rob admitted. “I never thought I’d have a grandchild, so this is special for me too.”
A few moments later, Ben walked in carrying his grandson. “Morning, guys.” He hugged Jon and Kyle, kissing their cheeks, then kissed his husband on the lips.
“Hey, buddy,” Kyle said to Wyatt.
“Down, Pa,” Wyatt said. When Ben set him on the floor, Wyatt waddled over to Kyle, lifting his arms.
Dutifully, Kyle lifted him up and received a kiss on his cheek from his son. Wyatt leaned toward Jon and bestowed a kiss on him as well. He then squirmed to get off Kyle’s lap and headed for the family room, where several of his toys were scattered on the floor. They could easily see him from where they were sitting at the kitchen island.
“He seems to be adjusting well to everything that’s happened,” Rob remarked, then turned to pull the casserole from the oven. “This needs to sit for a few minutes before we dig in.”
“Yeah.” Kyle smiled sadly as if remembering his cousin’s passing. “I wasn’t sure how Wyatt would do at first, but things really have been good with him.”
“What time do you guys plan on heading out?” Ben asked.
“No later than noon,” Jon said. “You said it’s only about an hour to Plymouth, right?” When Ben nodded, he continued. “That will give us plenty of time to get there and check in, then take a look at the town before dinner.”
“That reminds me,” Ben said, reaching for an envelope tucked amid some cookbooks along one wall of the kitchen. “Here’s some information about the town and places you might want to visit.”
Kyle opened the envelope and pulled out two sheets of paper written in Ben’s neat hand, along with a simple map of what appeared to be the center of town. “Thanks, Dad.”
“If you see Clay at the B and B, tell him we said hi,” Rob said. “He was so pleasant and helpful when we were there. Oh, and there’s a place in town called the Cask and Larder. It’s a wine and gourmet food shop. We got them to pack a picnic lunch that we took up to the park on the bluff. The views are amazing there. You might wanna think about doing something like that.”
“That sounds really nice. I think we need to do that, sweetheart,” Jon said to Kyle.
“Okay, this casserole should be ready to eat now,” Rob announced, pulling a bowl of fruit salad from the fridge.
“C’mon, Wyatt, time for breakfast,” Jon called out.
“Bef-kiss,” Wyatt repeated.
The rideto Hawthorne Bluff was uneventful but scenic, at least toward the end once they’d left I-195. They’d opted to take Route 25 and get onto Route 3 north in Sagamore so they could enjoy nicer views than just the highway. As they drove down Main Street in town, Jon pointed out the Bradley House Bed and Breakfast sign, and Kyle pulled into the parking lot near the beautiful Federal blue Victorian home.
“Wow, I can see why Rob and my dad liked this place so much. It’s gorgeous!” Jon grabbed their duffel and backpack from the back of the SUV, and they headed in.
“Welcome to Bradley House,” a cheerful young man greeted them as they entered the lobby. “I’m Will, how may I help you?”
“Hi, Will, I’m Kyle, and this is my husband, Jon. Last name is Rockingham-Rivera. We have a reservation.”
“Certainly. I see that your stay has already been paid for, including any incidentals while you’re here.”
“Yeah, that’s my dad for you, leaves nothing to chance,” Kyle said, smiling. “My dad was here last summer with his fiancé, Rob, and they loved it. They wanted us to stay here for our honeymoon.”
“Congratulations!” Will said enthusiastically. “Your dad’s Ben Rockingham, right? I remember when he and Rob stayed with us.”
