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“I remember my mother serving our lunch on these trays,” Dave had said. “Peanut butter and grape jelly for me with a glass of milk and a salami sandwich with mustard and a glass of lemonade for Justin.” Yeah, he wasn’t throwing those things away. “Justin has two, too.”

“Maggie never mentioned it.”

“It’s not a big deal. I told my father to please offer Justin and me anything he’s going to toss. He’d never minded the trays until Rose started coming around.”

“Maybe it’s better if she doesn’t move in with him if she’s going to shake everything up. It’s kind of weird she’s still living with Aunt Elizabeth at Val Amotte’s house instead of with your father.”

“She wants to get married, but my father isn’t budging, thank God. Please don’t tell Maggie that.”

“No, I won’t. Maggie’s relationship with her mother is strained lately and I’m not sure why. I have to stay out of it because I love them both. Rose has gotten a little weird in the past few months.”

“You’d better get to work,” Dave finally said. “I could sit out here and gab all day.”

“I’d rather do that. Stay. I’ll sign in and see what’s going on and if there’s nothing pressing, I’ll wait to do my welcome back to me speech.”

“Okay, I’ll get coffee. You want a cup?”

“I’d love one.”

Stepping back into the cottage, the baby began to cry. While he cared for baby David, Katrina got down to business. Her excited acknowledgement of congratulations echoed into the cottage from the terrace and Dave smiled, changing a diaper. She was back to work.

Chapter 8

As the week flew by, the parents waited for a hint of a routine to emerge. But it didn’t happen because the sleepy baby got his days and nights mixed up.

“They say not to do this, but he’s coming into bed with me to nurse,” Katrina said, exhausted after the second night. “He’s acting like he’s starving so I’m going to let him suck all night long if he wants. I’ll try not to roll over on him.”

“Katrina, that’s not very reassuring,” Dave replied, concerned.

“I’m just kidding.”

“I’ll get a bottle of pumped milk and feed him,” he said.

“Do it. I can’t stay up all night with him tonight.”

The details were easy once they agreed on how to manage the nights. They took turns if the baby was ready to party. Katrina only had to nurse him, and he would fall right back to sleep for an hour or two.

“You’re easy, baby David,” she whispered, kissing his cheek.

When the weekend finally arrived, they high-fived. “We did it,” Dave said. “What would you like to do this weekend?”

“Can we do anything with a week-old baby?”

“That’s up to you.”

“I want to push the stroller into town tomorrow and shop at Spencer’s. If it’s okay with you, I’ll call Annie and ask her to meet me for coffee at Café Delphine.”

“It’s fine with me. I’ll head over to my dad’s if you’re okay with not going along.”

“Oh, please,” she said, laughing. “Enjoy your visit.”

Annie was thrilled to get out of the house but especially, to see the baby, whom she hadn’t seen since birth. “My house is on the way into town so stop here and we’ll walk in together.”

The trip would be the first of many meetings the three musketeers and their babies would have in Cypress Cove. The women hugged, teary-eyed as they mooned over each other’s babies, especially the new baby, David. Annie’s baby, Stevie, was almost five months old and when he saw the baby, he wanted to touch him, intrigued with the miniature human.

“I hope this is the beginning of their friendship,” Annie said. “Maggie’s baby Tina and Stevie will be his protectors in school, if he needs it.”

“If only,” Katrina replied. “Bullying is a big problem right now. Can things change fast enough?”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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