Page 41 of Delivery After Dark (Gansett Island #28)

A dam was worried about rough seas, knowing how much Abby hated being on the ferry when it was rocking and rolling. After pulling away from the hospital, he called Seamus on the Bluetooth to get a weather update.

Seamus picked up on the third ring. “Hey, Big Daddy. How’s it going?”

“We’re on the way.”

“We’re ready for you with two spots on the noon boat.”

“How bad is it out there?”

“It’s sporty but shouldn’t be too ugly. I’ve seen worse.”

“That’s hardly comforting coming from someone who rode out a hurricane on a ferry.”

“ That was truly sporty. This is only kinda.”

“How reassuring. My wife hates it when it’s rough.”

“Most people do, but we’ll get you there safely. Don’t worry. Looking forward to meeting those wee lads of yours.”

“We’ll see you in thirty minutes.”

“See you then.”

“Abby won’t be happy out there in this,” her dad said.

“I know,” Adam said, “especially since she decided not to take the Dramamine because she’s pumping.”

One of the babies woke up with an outraged squeak a few minutes later, which gave Adam something to think about other than how rough the seas would be. Thankfully, the baby was quickly pacified by his grandmother and settled down before he woke his brother.

As he drove south, with an eye in the mirror to keep Big Mac’s truck in sight, Adam was comforted to think that at least their babies hadn’t been born on the ferry or in a helicopter, not during a tropical storm with no doctor on the island or any of the other crazy things he’d worried about before Abby was moved to Providence—on a helicopter.

Babies tended to join their family with a bit of drama. In their case, the fact that there were four of them was all the drama they needed.

He called his father, and when he answered, Adam heard babies crying in the background. “I’d ask how it’s going over there, but…”

“We’re fine,” his dad said. “The boys are just making themselves heard.”

“I bet Liam is thrilled about that.”

“He’s had a few choice words for his brothers.”

Adam laughed. He hoped Liam would outgrow his disdain for his brothers, but he didn’t expect that to happen overnight. After all, the little guy had had him and Abby all to himself for almost two years and now had to share them with four loud, needy brothers.

“How’s Abby doing?”

“She’s a champ. Nothing to worry about over here.”

“Okay, thanks, Dad.”

“Welcome, Dad. See you soon.”

Adam ended the call, smiling at his father calling him Dad, a title he’d once wondered if he’d ever hold. After all the struggles and heartache, he and Abby had five sons to love and raise and enjoy for the rest of their lives. If they had to withstand some rough seas to get home, so be it.

When they arrived at the ferry landing, Seamus was waiting to show them to a special lane so they could be the last on and the first off the boat when they reached the island.

While they waited to board, Adam got out to check on Abby.

In the back seat of Big Mac’s truck, she was holding Kane and trying to soothe him.

“He’s not happy, huh?”

“Not so much.”

Linda was comforting Murphy while Big Mac took Liam for a walk to see the fishing boats.

“How are the others?” Abby asked.

“They’re good. A few squeaks here and there, but no real outrage so far.”

Abby eyed the dark gray sky. “We’re almost there.”

“One more hour, babe.”

Seamus came to tell them they were ready for them.

“Here we go,” Adam said, stealing a kiss before he went to back his SUV onto the boat.

Big Mac was right behind him and would be the first vehicle off the ferry when they landed on Gansett.

Adam noticed that the lowest deck was mostly empty, with about a quarter of the vehicles that would’ve packed it to capacity during the summer months. Only year-rounders were “crazy” enough to be on the ferry this time of year, because they had no choice in the matter.

They unloaded the four baby seats and carried them to the second floor, where they were set on picnic-style tables for the last part of the ride home.

Linda took a photo of the four babies about to embark on the first ferry ride of their lives. “Liam, do you want to be in the picture?”

He shook his head and rested it on Adam’s shoulder.

Linda captured that moment and all the others that transpired before the horn sounded to let them know the boat was about to depart. Liam loved that horn and perked up when he heard it.

“Time to go!” he said.

“That’s right, buddy,” Adam said. “Let’s take these babies home.”

“Wanna go home.”

“Me, too. What are we going to do when we get there?”

“Play!”

“Yay for playing.”

“Yay for playing!”

The second they cleared the Point Judith breakwater, the boat began to dip and roll through the high seas.

“Oh my God,” Abby said as she clung to the table and one of the baby carriers to keep it from sliding off the table.

It got worse from there.

The babies were moved to the floor so they couldn’t fall off the tables, and each had a parent or grandparent holding on tight as they crested one wave after another, only to fall into the deep trench that followed.

Abby was green.

Her mother was a slightly lighter shade.

Liam loved every wild second of it, demanding that Adam put him down to let him “surf” the big waves. He stayed close to the little guy as he laughed with delight at every big wave and the crash of water hitting the windows that came with it.

“Sweet Jesus,” Linda said as she held on to a baby with one hand and Big Mac with the other. “This is like the first day I ever came to the island.”

“Best day of my life,” Big Mac said.

“Once I stopped wanting to puke, that is.”

“Abby and I had a similar memorable ride once upon a time. Remember, hon?”

She gave the briefest of nods. “This is worse.”

“Forty minutes to go, people,” Big Mac said to groans from the rest of the group.

Adam battled his way to the snack bar, where he grabbed some puke bags and brought them back to the group.

Abby grabbed one and held it close to her face.

The babies slept through it all.

“Our boys are made for island life,” Adam said to Abby, who barely acknowledged him as she tried not to get sick.

“I see the island,” Big Mac said. “Should get better once we’re in the lee.”

The island would block the worst of the wind, and sure enough, once they cleared the bluffs, the seas were noticeably calmer.

“Anyone want clam chowder?” Adam asked.

“Shut up, Adam!” his wife said.

“What she said,” his mother added.

“I’m just asking.”

“Good one, son,” Big Mac said with a chuckle. He’d never met a rough sea that he didn’t thoroughly enjoy.

“Shut up, Mac,” Linda said, making the others laugh, including Abby, whose laughter quickly turned to vomit in the bag.

“Damn it,” she said as she gagged through a dry heave. “I was holding it in until you fools made me laugh.”

That set off more laughter as Adam took the bag from Abby and handed her a new one.

“Not funny Mommy sick,” Liam said.

“Not funny at all, buddy,” Adam said.

Liam went to his mother and patted her head. “It’s okay, Mommy. We almost home. Look.”

Abby reached for him and hugged him close. “I can’t wait to be home. What’s the first thing you want to do?”

“Play trucks.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

Grant and Stephanie, along with Grace and Evan, had been hard at work at Adam and Abby’s house for two days, making sure everything was ready for them to bring home the babies.

They’d decided to turn the downstairs guest room and bathroom into a bedroom for Adam and Abby so they could base all operations on the main floor of their two-story home.

“I hope they’ll forgive us for this,” Stephanie said as she eyed the four bassinets on wheels that the guys had put together, along with the two changing tables that had been moved from the nursery upstairs to the living room.

“They’ll be thanking us,” Grace said. “It’ll be so much easier for them to have everything down here.”

Grant checked his watch. “We need to get going to meet the boat.”

Grace had summoned the entire family, asking them to be there when the ferry arrived to welcome their new nephews and cousins as well as Adam, Abby and Liam, who’d been away from the island for months.

The four of them took a good look around at the setup they’d labored to put together.

“I think it’s perfect,” Grace said. “They’ll be so thankful.”

“That we broke into their house and rearranged everything?” Evan asked.

“Yes, exactly,” Grace said. “They didn’t know they needed this, but they’ll appreciate it.”

“I agree,” Steph said. “They’re all set to maintain first-floor operations for as long as it takes to get the babies into the nursery upstairs, which could take months.”

Grace rested her hand on her pregnant belly. “Thank God I’m only having one.”

“Same,” Steph said. “Four would take me over the edge.”

“Abby is the perfect person for this challenge.” Grant had dated her for ten years a lifetime ago. “She’s had a lot of craziness in her life. What’s a little more?”

“Four babies,” Evan said with a shudder. “I couldn’t do it.”

“Of course you could,” Grace said. “What choice would you have?”

“You’re not trying to tell me something, are you?”

“Relax. Still only one in there.”

They rode together in Grant’s car to the ferry landing, where they met up with the rest of the family. Laura had brought balloons, and Katie had made a big banner for the kids to hold that said Welcome Home, Liam, Murphy, Rory, Kane and Beckett !

Thomas and Ashleigh took charge of the banner while Hailey and Mac ran in circles around them, full of excitement.

Mallory and Quinn arrived, followed by Riley and Nikki, Finn and Chloe, Kevin, Chelsea and baby Summer, as well as Big Mac’s older brother, Frank, and his fiancée, Betsy. Bringing up the rear were Luke and Sydney Harris, with their daughter, Lily.

“Where are Mac and Maddie?” Shane asked.

“Good question,” Ned muttered. “Haven’t resurfaced from their night away yet.” He held baby Emma while Francine had Evie. “Ready to turn these hooligans back over to their parents.”