Douglas was right. No matter how little time has passed, Nancy always acts like it’s been months since the last time she saw her family. Not that I’m complaining. It’s amazing to be so close to your family. My own parents are the same, maybe just a little tamer.
“I figured since it’s a nice day, we could eat outside on the patio. Douglas has steaks for the adults and hotdogs for the kids going on the grill.”
“Sounds good.” Molly looks around the living room. “Lindsay, Joe, and Aubree not here yet?”
“Running a few minutes late,” Douglas answers. “They left something at home and had to go back.”
While the women move to the kitchen to finish the side dishes, the kids, Douglas, and I go out back. I walk to the grill to check the meat, flipping over a couple of the steaks.
“Dad! Can we play with the water hose?” Gray yells.
“Ask your grandpa.”
He turns to Douglas, but before Gray can open his mouth, Douglas announces, “Go ahead.”
“Nancy’s going to have your hide,” I tell him with a chuckle.
“She’ll be all right.” He hands me a beer. “How’s the commission going you’ve been working on?”
I close the lid to the grill and pop open the can. “Pretty good, actually, despite the days I took off to go to the lake. Owen’s been coming by a couple of days a week to help out since it’s such a big job.”
“Still not wanting to hire someone else?”
We both turn toward the backyard when Gemma lets out a loud giggling scream. Thor, Nancy and Douglas' big mastiff, is chasing her around the yard. Gray’s hot on their trail with the water hose. Most kids would be terrified to have a dog as big as Thor running after them, but he's nothing but a big softy and surprisingly gentle for his size.
“Owen is really the only one I trust enough to give each piece the Bradshaw taste. I’m picky as hell when it comes to my art.”
He leans his elbows on the railing. “What about Gray? I know he’s shown some interest before. Has he expanded on it?”
I take a pull of my beer then mirror his position. We both watch the kids laugh and scream. I chuckle when Gray corners Gemma and pelts her with a blast of water.
“He has. He likes working with his hands and has a lot of potential. He’s helped me with a few pieces.”
The door opens behind us, and a new scream emits in the air. “Grandpa!” Aubree, Molly's six-year-old niece, screeches as she runs over to us.
He stands and scoops the little girl up, leaving her legs to dangle by his hips. "Hey, kiddo. I heard you and Gemma are putting on a show for us.”
“Uh huh.” Aubree nods. “That’s why we were late. I forgot my Barbies and had to go back to get them.”
“Well, we can’t have that, can we?”
“Nope.” She turns her chocolatey brown eyes to me. “Hey, Uncle Lincoln.”
“Hey, squirt.” I lean over so she can kiss my cheek. I do the same to the top of her head.
“Aubree!” Gemma yells. “Come help me!”
Douglas puts her down and ruffles her head. “Sounds like you’re needed.”
The little girl runs off, heading straight for the trio across the yard.
“Oh, Lordy. I hope you know I won’t be the one drying Thor for an hour.”
We both turn to Nancy coming out the back door with Molly, Lindsay, and Joe following.
“Don’t worry your pretty little head, dear.”
She side-eyes him for a moment, brows lifted, before she carries a bowl to the table off to the side. I bump fists with Joe and kiss Lindsay’s cheek. Throwing my arm over Molly’s shoulders, I pull her to my side. We both watch the kids frolicking across the yard.
“It’s a good thing I brought them a change of clothes,” she remarks. “I had a feeling this might happen.”
“It’s too nice out to not let them play in the water.”
“Mom asked if we’d take Thor when they go on their cruise.”
“I thought they decided to board him?” I ask.
“They did.” She turns to face me, lacing her arms around my waist. “But she said the closer they get to leaving, the more she dreads leaving him like that.”
“We can take him. I’m sure the kids would love it.”
She smiles and kisses my chin. “I’m glad that’s your answer because I’ve already told her yes.”
I laugh. “You did, huh?”
“Yep.” She shrugs before giving me a cheeky grin. “I knew you’d agree.”
“You’re rotten,” I say playfully.
“Only because you made me so.”
“Hey, Mols,” Lindsay calls, laying out plastic plates and silverware on the table. “Have you had the chance to read any more of those journals?”
“Journals?” Nancy’s head pops up. “What journals? Yours?”
Molly’s brows drop. “I didn’t tell you? I thought I did.”
“No. The only journals I know about are yours.”
“She found several boxes full of journals in her attic,” Lindsay inserts before Molly has the chance. “Some of them are quite old.”
“Do you know who they belong to?”
“There’s a Betsy Miller and an Anna Dumont, and I think there may be a couple of other women. The names are pretty common, and I wouldn’t even know where to begin to look. The earliest date I’ve come across was in 1856.”
“Oh, wow.” Nancy’s eyes widen.
“I feel weird reading them—these are personal thoughts—but I want to find out who they belonged to and contact their families. I’m sure they would love to have them.”
“I’m sure they would.”
“I offered to help her read some of them, but she’s being stingy,” Lindsay says, her eyes dancing teasingly.
“I just feel like this is something I need to do on my own,” Molly says.
I squeeze her shoulders, pulling her closer. She looks up at me, and I lean down for a kiss. She tastes like the mocha-flavored coffee she had this morning.
“Steaks and hotdogs are done,” Douglas announces, setting a platter down on the table.
“Kids!” Molly and Lindsay yell at the same time. They both look at each other and laugh. “Come grab a towel. We’re ready to eat.”
The water hose, which Gemma had possession of, gets dropped to the ground, and they run full blast toward the patio.
“Don’t forget to turn off the spigot,” I tell Gray.
He makes a sharp turn to the corner of the house, twists the knob to the water hose, and continues his mad dash toward the table. Molly hands him, Gemma, and Aubree each a towel while I begin loading up Gray and Gemma’s plates. Joe does the same for Aubree. We all sit around the big patio table, talking and eating, enjoying the nice day and the company. The kids giggle at the stories Douglas and Nancy tell of Molly and Lindsay’s childhood. Joe talks about work, and Lindsay asks Douglas and Nancy what stops are planned for their cruise.
Once I’m finished eating, I sit back in my chair, leaning my arm across the back of Molly’s and fingering a lock of her hair. We’ve had numerous days like today, but they never get old. Molly and her family are very close. That bond has always extended to me. It’s amazing to see how each member can have different connections to each other.