Marc beamed. “Your mom and I never got to be the proud parents with the new baby, so tonight we get to be the parents of a very awesome man. Prepare yourself to be doted upon and bragged about.”

Then an elevator arrived, and as soon as it emptied they stepped in and headed for the seventeenth floor. Their luggage was in their rooms when they arrived.

“It’s about three hours until we go to Aunt June’s. Did you guys eat lunch?” Marc asked.

“We ate a late breakfast on the road,” Sully said.

“We can go down to the bar in a few and share a couple of appetizers with a glass of wine if you want, or lie down and rest if you’d rather.”

“I’ve rested more in the last two days than I have in the last twenty years. As soon as I get unpacked, I would like to go to the bar,” Lovey said.

“So would I,” Melissa said.

“Sounds good to me,” Sully said. “Give us about fifteen minutes, then knock on our door. We’ll be ready.”

The time passed quickly with wine and snacks, and when it was time to go back to get ready, Sully asked, “How long will it take to get from the hotel to the party?”

Marc thought a moment. “Oh, I’d say with rush-hour traffic and me taking shortcuts, somewhere between thirty and forty-five minutes. Just text me when you’re ready, and we’ll head that way.”

Chapter 20

A short while later, Marc turned down a block lined with long-established homes and the kind of landscaping it takes years to achieve. As he turned, he pointed to a big two-story Craftsman in the middle of the block ahead.

“See all those cars lining both sides of the street? They belong to family, and the two-story blue Craftsman-style house with gray trim belongs to Aunt June.” As he neared the house, he suddenly laughed. “Ha! Looks like Aunt June made sure there was a parking place for us in the driveway. Being the guests of honor in a family this size does have its perks.”

Sully was excited and grabbed Melissa’s hand as they stopped.

Marc looked across the console at Lovey. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

“This makes three times, but who’s counting?” Lovey said.

“Then let’s go do this. Janie…sorry…Lovey, you and I are going in first together because I want it understood that we’re a team. Are you okay with that?” Marc asked.

Lovey sighed. “Yes, and thank you.”

Marc caught Sully’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “And you, my son…just prepare yourself for the impact your appearance is going to have. Melissa, don’t try to remember all the names tonight. We have a lot of family years ahead of us, okay?”

“Okay,” Melissa said.

“Sit tight, ladies. We’ll help you out,” Marc said as he and Sully exited, then circled the car. After they’d paired up, Marc led the way into the house.