"Anything else?" Luka asked as he came into their bedroom. Abby nodded toward the packed suitcases on their bed and he rolled his eyes.
"Hey, this is our stuff...yours and mine," Abby said as she picked Lauren up from their bed and cuddled her against her shoulder. "All the other things you've carried down were her's."
"I know, I know...diaper bag...suitcase...stroller...swing...playpen...case of diapers...it's very good thing that you are nursing her," he groaned and picked up the suitcases.
"You were the one that wanted a road trip," Abby sighed happily. She followed him out of the apartment to the street where the doorman stood watch over their unlocked car. Luka put the suitcases in the back of the vehicle while Abby settled Lauren in the car seat in the middle of the back.
"I'm going to run up to see if we've forgotten anything and then lock the place up," Luka said. Abby nodded and slid into the front seat and buckled her seat belt. She busied herself organizing the maps and travel brochures Luka had been collecting. She scowled as he crossed in front of the car and held up some CD cases.
"How could you forget to pack these?" he asked as he climbed behind the wheel and tossed his Barry Manilow and Celine Dion CDs into her lap. "I found them under the pillows on the couch." Abby returned his gaze with wide eyes and shrugged. Luka chuckled.
"Ah huh...busted!" he nodded. Abby grinned and Luka leaned over to kiss her.
"Ready?" he asked. "Once we're on the freeway there's no turning back."
"Well...aside from the fact that I wish we were heading anywhere but Minnesota," she said. "I guess we're ready." Luka frowned playfully.
"You know I promised your mother we would bring Lauren to see her in the fall." Abby nodded resignedly.
"Besides, how can you not enjoy the thought of showing off such a beautiful baby?" he added as he leaned toward her again. "And having me all to yourself?"
Abby rolled her eyes and kissed him. She turned to wave to the doorman as Luka started the car and pulled it into the traffic on the street. She sighed and settled in her seat. This was probably the first real vacation she'd had in a good long while...like forever. Luka had been planning it since even before Lauren had been born. Leave it to him to make a journey out of a simple eight hour trip from Chicago to Cambridge, Minnesota, where her mother lived. They had a week. An entire week to loiter and visit and...play. He was right. How could she not be looking forward to it? Abby shrugged trying to shake the familiar forboding feeling that encroached on her happiness. She rolled her eyes as Luka switched on the radio and started to sing along...very badly.
"Rules of the road," she said brightly as she snapped off the radio. "Number 1...you can't sing unless I can sing." Luka frowned and then shrugged.
"Okay," he said. ""We'll get some ear plugs at the first truck stop." He grinned and laced the fingers of his free hand through hers. He kissed her hand and started humming as he drove. They soon left the city behind them.