Still clutching the Crocs, she opened the door to find Markus standing in the early morning light, looking like a Hollywood star going on vacation.
When Kyle caught sight of Markus, she narrowed her eyes, and all the walls went up. She looked between Gabby and Markus and then back again. Her voice accusatory, she said, “I thought you were going on aworktrip?”
“I am. I work with Markus.”
Markus, not fully picking up on the dynamics, waved. “Morning, Kyle! You’re up and at ’em.”
While he grabbed Gabby’s bag and took it out to the car, Gabby tried to reason with Kyle. “It’s a work trip. Markus just happens to look like that.” She gestured to him like he was offending her. “He can’t help it.” That was true. The man couldn’t be casual.
Like she was the parent, Kyle said, “Mom, don’t even. You’ve been working out.” She punctuated that with a glare. “You got a makeover.” She said “makeover” like a dirty word. “You packed a bikini.” She said bikini the way that Gabby felt about it. “I’m not stupid, Mom.” All the softness Kyle showed a minute ago was gone.
“Kyle, I don’t like your tone of voice.”
“What are you going to do, send me to my room? You’re going to Cleveland.” With that, she walked off. “Or are you lying about that too?”
Gabby took a deep breath. She didn’t have time to chase Kyle down. “Kyle, I don’t like your attitude. I’m going to cut off your screen time if you keep talking to me like that.” It was the only power she had.
Lucas gave her a hug, and she felt him not-very-sneakily put a Post-it note on her back. Knowing Lucas, it probably said, “Kick me,” or simply “Butt.” It was just the touch her outfit had been missing.
While she instructed Granny on a few last-minute things, Markus collected more items to put in the car.
Burt held up his hand. “Hold on, sport.”
“Did I forget something?” Markus scanned the ground where the bags had been.
“Nope, I’m driving you two to the airport. That’s a grandpa’s job. And I’ll pick you up when you land. No need to pay for an Uber or parking.”
Markus smiled. “That’s a great offer, but the car’s already loaded, and I drove.”
“I can drive your car. Looks like the regular kind.”
Gabby shook her head vehemently over Burt’s shoulder. Please, God, no. It didn’t even make sense. Were they going to leave Markus’s car at her house all week? Could Burt get to the airport?
Burt was having none of it, though. In saggy boxers and a T-shirt that read, “Shady Acres Cheer Squad,” he settled himself into the front seat.
Granny saw the problem and shouted, “Burt, get out of the car. I need you.”
After grumbling for a second, Burt swung one pasty white leg out, and then the other, showcasing his compression sock–loafer combo. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, you’re forcing me to have an awkward conversation here in the driveway, then.”
“Burt, we gotta go,” Gabby said. “Whatever it is, we can talk about it later.”
Looking very serious, he shook his head and took a step closer to Markus. “I need to talk to this young man, Gabby.”
Gabby almost died. She loud-whispered, “Burt, this is a work trip. Markus is a co-worker. I don’t think you need to say anything.”
Burt held up his hand.
Markus gave her a look that said, “I can handle it.”
Gabby couldn’t.
“I just want to say that you need to take care of our Gabby. Watch out for her. Please help her with her bags because it looks like she overpacked.”
Gabby breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t being too weird.
“And remember to use protection. Vera and I can’t be watching any babies. Our knees aren’t good enough.”
Gabby started choking on nothing but air. Markus smiled and said, “Yessir. Thanks for all the advice.”
