Love for a Lifetime

Chapter 59

"Jackie," Jack whispered gently shaking his wife awake, "Up and at 'em, Darlin'. We're off."

"Where are we going?" Jackie asked groggily.

"You'll see."

Jackie got showered and dressed for day after yawning for a few minutes. Then she went downstairs. "Geez, Jack. Where are we going and for how long?" she asked upon seeing all of their luggage packed and ready to go.

"We're taking a road trip," Jack grinned.

Jackie looked out the window and saw hers and Jack's Buick all loaded up as well Bobby's. "How are we driving?"

"You and I are going to take our kids and Mary in our car and Bobby's going to take Kathleen, Joseph, Robert, and David."

After everyone and everything had been loaded up in the cars, they pulled out of the driveway. "Now will you tell me where we're going?"

"Yes, we are going to Rehoboth Beach."

"No way! Did you rent a beach house for all of us?"

"Yes, I did."

"You're the best!" Jackie exclaimed, "I'm so excited! And you packed all of our clothes and the kids' clothes! Oh, Jack! Why did you decide to do this?"

"We needed a vacation and so did Bobby."

"Mama?" Harrison called from the backseat.

"Yes?"

"Snack?"

Jackie reached into the snack bag and pulled out a small cup of Cheerios which she handed to Harrison, "Don't make a mess, Kiddo."

       Harrison began to munch on his Cheerios while Jackie messed with the snack bag, "Do you want anything, Bunny?"

"I'll take a handful of M&Ms if your brought some."

Jackie then whipped out peanut and regular M&Ms. "I guess I know you pretty well," Jackie smiled.

"Peanut, please," Jack grinned.

After a couple of hours on the road, they had to pull over at a gas station to refuel, use the restrooms, and so Jackie could change the younger children's diapers.

    "Alright, we are good to go," Jackie said after carrying Harrison out of the bathroom.

    "Okey dokey," Jack said stretching, "We'll be stopping about two or three hours for lunch."

    "Where are we stopping?"

    "Wherever we find around lunch time."

    "Gotcha."

    "I wonder how Bobby and the other kiddos are doing."

    "I guess we won't find out until we meet them at the beach house."

    "Well, the kids are asleep and we have a good bit of time, so why don't we discuss baby names."

    "How are we going to top Harrison and Arabella?"

    "I don't know. Everyone seemed to love those names. You go first. Just start brainstorming."

    "Catherine, Carrie, Cindy, Carol, Col-"

    "Wait, Carol. What about Caroline?"

    "Caroline Bouvier Kennedy," Jack stated, "It's beautiful."

    "And if it's a boy, I want to name him after you."

    Jack's cheeks reddened and he smiled at Jackie, "I'm flattered, Jacqueline, but-"

    "No. If we have a son, I want him named after you."

    They drove for what seemed like forever and then stopped at a Pizza Hut for lunch. Jackie carried Arabella inside while Jack carried Harrison and Mary. After they were seated, they ordered enough pizza for Jackie, Jack, and Harrison as the girls had to eat baby food. "Jack, it's your choice," Jackie said while they were waiting doe their pizza, "You can feed Arabella or Mary."

     "I'll feed Arabella. She's used to me. Mary will respond better to a woman anyway, I bet."

     "You're probably right," Jackie said cracking the cap on the jar of mashed bananas for Arabella, "Here's bananas for our picky little girl and Bobby said she likes applesauce, right?"

     "Yes," Jack responded as Jackie began to open the jar.

     Just as the girls had finished eating, their pizza came. After they finished eating, Jack paid the bill while Jackie loaded the kids back into the car, "I don't want to get back into this damn car," Jack moaned as he came out of the building.

      "I know," Jackie said taking a few steps toward him and rubbing his back, "Two and a half more hours, honey bunny."

      When they finally arrived, Bobby was there. "Hi, Bob!" Jackie said running toward him to give him a hug.

     "How'd the ride go?"

     "Jackie," Bobby gulped, "There's been an accident."

     "Bobby, what are you talking about?"

     "Ethel. She got hurt really bad in some sort of accident. I have to go. I have to go be with her."