Seventy.

The cards for gin rummy had been dealt and Olivia joined the table last having poured Caroline another drink. She set the glass in front of her mother-in-law, and, touching her shoulder in the process noticed her shirt was damp.

"Caroline!" She exclaimed, "Let me get you another shirt!"

"I'm fine, honey."

"No, no, come on," Olivia practically dragged Caroline to the bedroom and sent her into the closet. "Take your pick," she said of her casual shirts hanging from the rack, "And we'll put yours in the dryer."

"Thank you, dearie."

Back at the table Sarah explained the rules of the game to Noah who insisted on playing. He nodded slowly at the instructions and giggled when Sarah explained the variant they were actually playing was called 500 Rummy but Grandma Caroline would only play if they called it gin.

"Yeah," Noah said slowly and seriously, "Gramma love dat drink."

Ed disapprovingly shook his head and turned to G, "The guy with you today in front of school. He alright?"

Whenever she was around the Tucker family, G interacted with Ed the least. He always seemed uninterested in talking to any adult other than his wife, so G was slightly surprised at not only the question but its personal nature. "Oh, um, ah," she stammered, "He's a vendor from a company we use for AV. He's a little overbearing is all...stubborn…"

"If he goes from overbearing and stubborn to someone else, you let us know."

"Okay," G murmured, overwhelmed that Ed's protective nature extended so far out of the family orbit. Then again, the twins and Noah had been entrusted to her care on more than one occasion, so maybe he saw her as an adjunct member of the Tucker clan.

"Caroline will be right out," Olivia said as she took her seat, "Ready?"

"I know howta play now, Mommy!" Noah said, curling his cards in front of his face. "Sare Bear say we're playin' for a dollar a game."

"Well, let me get some dollars then," Olivia said. She started to get up again, but Ed stopped her. He reached back for his wallet and slapped two dollar bills onto the table. "What about Noah?" Olivia asked.

"I got my money right here!" Noah reached into his pocket and pulled out a fistful of bills. "Cept I need some change! These dollars say FIVE and TEN and TWENTY."

Olivia laughed, "We'll get you some change sweet boy."

Caroline strode back into the room. In one hand she held her shirt and in the other was a bottle which she lifted in the air and regarded curiously, "Eddie, what is this?"

"Omigod," Sarah gasped, "Omigod, omigod, omigod."

Noah squinted his eyes. Ed's and Olivia's faces turned bright red and they both sat paralyzed from embarrassment.

"Grandma," Sarah shot up, "Give me that." Once again Caroline was dragged to the bedroom and, in a low voice, Sarah explained the contents of the bottle.

On the way back, Caroline snapped, "How was I supposed to know it was some sort of magic sex potion?"

Ed broke into laughter. Olivia buried her face in her hands. "I'm sorry," she said, looking up at G, "We, ah, well-" She trailed off knowing there was no explanation that could possibly void her embarrassment.

Caroline and Sarah reappeared and Ed admonished his mother, "Ma, we offer you shelter and clothing and you snoop around in our bathroom?"

"It was right out on the counter, Eddie! Such a sleek bottle, I was intrigued!"

Ed smirked at his wife, "We'll keep it in the drawer from now on."

Sarah grinned, "Ooo! What drawer?"

"Never mind," Olivia said, warily eyeing Noah and anticipating a question. "Let's play."

"Don't need da magic potion, Mommy?" Noah asked, wide-eyed.

Though her cheeks were still crimson, Olivia kept her cool, "No, sweet boy, I can win without it."

"I'M gonna be da winner!"

The game commenced, and Olivia made sure to keep her eyes away from Ed. She was sure he was ready to smirk naughtily at her, and she could practically hear him formulating a sassy, sexy retort about winning.

….

After Noah decided he'd had enough study time, he and Olivia went to the hotel pool area and snuck up on Ed. The drinks had arrived and he was sipping his beer and watching Maggie and Wyatt who were still splashing around with the other kids. The torpedoes and rings were neatly lined up along the edge of the pool and Wyatt kept glancing over, checking on them, not fully trusting the strangers sitting nearby even though they were adults with no kids.

Olivia came up behind Ed, gripped his shoulders, and kissed his head. "Hey there," she said in a low voice.

Noah said a quick hello but wasted no time tossing aside his t-shirt and jumping in the pool. He landed inches from Maggie and Wyatt and, after the twins recovered from the splash, good-naturedly flicked water at their big brother. Seconds later, Maggie was standing on Noah's shoulders, boasting how she could do a back flip from the perch even though she simply jumped backwards into the water.

Ed found one of Olivia's hands and dragged her down next to him. "How was the study session?" He asked as he kissed her cheek.

"I finally had to tell him we'd done enough," she said, "You know how he gets when he's overprepared. He wanted to go over some of the science questions, but I put my foot down."

"He doesn't trust the science kid," Ed concluded, smirking proudly.

"He wants to be prepared," Olivia leaned across Ed and swiped his beer. She took a sip and grimaced. "A little warm."

"I'll order ya something else," Ed picked up the menu and read a few options aloud. Olivia chose a tropical-themed cocktail and Ed raised his eyebrows, "Wouldn't have guessed that."

Olivia shrugged, "We're poolside."

"That we are," He cupped her head gave her a kiss. He ordered the drink and another beer for himself then asked if she was going to swim.

"Pool looks crowded," she said, "Hot tub?"

"Sure."

They waited for the drinks to arrive then carried them to the jacuzzi tub which was situated at the deep end of the pool so they had a clear few of the kids. As often happened in large groups, Noah and the twins gradually drifted away from the other kids and played on their own. Maggie and Wyatt had never lost their admiration for their older brother and they listened intently as he dictated the rules for a game he'd invented.

"Wanna just order room service tonight?" Ed asked as they settled in front of two jets.

"Yes. I bet those three will be worn out anyway. And an early day tomorrow." Olivia suddenly sat up, her back stiff as a board, and she called out, "Maggie! Jump out! Away from the edge!"

Maggie responded with a garbled, "Kay!"

Ed put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. Maggie had landed at least three feet from the concrete pool edge, but he humored his wife. She relaxed and he kissed her again, not caring that there were two other people in the hot tub with them and the PDA was clearly making them feel uncomfortable.

"I'll take him in the morning," Ed offered, "He's gotta be there at 7. We don't all have to get there that early."

Olivia did not mount a protest, "No we do not. At least we're done by noon and we can all go have lunch and explore more."

"Tickets for the tower tomorrow or the next day?"

"Tomorrow."

"Daddy!" Wyatt rushed over, slightly out of breath. He dripped cool pool water on his parents as he hunched over and, goggles still covering his eyes, asked, "Can you be the judges? We're gonna race but we need judges!"

"Sure bud," Ed replied without hesitation, "But how are you gonna race with only three of you?"

"I'm goin' twice," Wyatt replied, "Maggie and Noah'll go once each."

Ed hoisted himself out of the hot tub and held his hand out for Olivia's, "No cheating," he teased.

"Never," she retorted.

Ed and Olivia positioned themselves at opposite ends of the pool and held out their hands for each swimmer to slab before he or she turned around and headed for the other side. When the kids got winded, they took a break, swilled their Shirley Temples, and eagerly nodded their heads when Ed suggested they order poolside snacks. Noah wanted chips and guacamole, Maggie wanted mozzarella sticks, and Wyatt wanted calamari. Ed ordered all three appetizers and the five of them tossed the football around until the now-familiar waiter arrived with the food. They munched and made plans for the next day.

"After Noah wins," Maggie said enthusiastically, "We're gonna go up HIGH in the tower and then to American Girl and we haveta go to the bean, too! And maybe the zoo."

Olivia grinned. To anyone who didn't know them, the Tucker kids appeared ridiculously spoiled-fancy drinks, overpriced appetizers, an impressive collection of pool toys-but Olivia had barely heard anything other than "after Noah wins." Sure, she and Ed probably did spoil them, yet Maggie, Noah, and Wyatt were also the most caring children she'd ever encountered. They were unabashed in their love for one another and they were each other's biggest fans. She crossed her fingers they would remain this close and tight-knit forever; she'd never had a sibling she could count on, but she was elated her children would have the opposite experience now and throughout their lives.

…

By late evening the worst of the storm had passed and a light drizzle fell over the city. Numerous power outages were reported, however, including a large swath of the Bronx, including Caroline's neighborhood. After some cajoling, Ed and Olivia convinced her to stay with them for the night so she wasn't alone in a dark, sweltering house.

"I am not afraid of the dark," Caroline insisted, her jaw steeled in the classic Tucker expression of indignance, "But I must admit, air conditioning wins out. This is a helluva Indian Summer we're having here."

"Indian Summer?" Noah scrunched up his face.

"It's what we used to call a hot September when we used to be able to say Indian," Caroline explained.

"Ohhhh…"

"I'll put some fresh sheets on Noah's bed," Olivia said brightly, changing the subject, "Noah, how about you sleep in Maggie's and Wyatt's room tonight? You can have a slumber party."

"Yes!" Noah stabbed the air with his fist. "You hear dat Maggs and Wyatt? I'm gonna sleep with you! But not in da crib! Hmm," Noah twisted his lips, "We can all sleep on da floor with da big cushions!"

Uncertain about freeing the twins for the night, Olivia glanced at Ed. He shrugged, indicating it was her call. "You know," she said sweetly, "That's a good idea. Maggie and Wyatt are going to have to get toddler beds soon, so this will be good practice."

Noah ran to his room and returned dressed in Marvel character pajamas. He and the twins had the same set and he insisted they match for sleepover night. Caroline read stories on the couch, and the three kids snuggled in amongst the bean bags and oversized pillows. Olivia turned on the planetarium projector and Noah softly told imaginary tales about the planets and the stars. Maggie hugged her baby and Wyatt put his fist in his mouth, a sure sign he was close to falling asleep. Both twins stared placidly at the ceiling and listened to their brother. Maggie occasionally murmured her version of what Noah had said.

"Magg stah, No?"

"Yeah, small sister," Noah replied in a sweet, gentle voice, "Dat's your star. Right there."

Olivia lingered in the doorway until Ed came up behind her and kissed her neck. They watched their trio for another few minutes and then joined Caroline who had found Casablanca on the classic movie channel and was watching happily. Ed and Olivia had another drink and finished the movie with her.

"Oh, my," Caroline said, "North by Northwest next? It's my lucky night!"

Olivia yawned, "I'm going to have to pass."

"Sure, sure, goodnight, dearie," Caroline said, "Thank you for the lodging."

"Anytime."

Olivia kissed Ed and stroked the side of his face. "Will you check on the kids one more time before you come to bed?"

"Absolutely," He patted the back of her thigh, "I won't be long. Love you."

"Love you."

…..

Sporting pastel blue pants, a crisp white oxford, and a blue bow tie, Noah walked slowly around the yard searching for plastic eggs containing candy, dollar bills, and small plastic cars and animals. He delicately placed each egg in a plastic bucket before moving on; unlike most other kids, he did not rush from spot to spot. He toted the bucket as if the eggs would break.

Ed and Olivia stood off to the side. They had attended Easter Mass with his family. After the service, everyone else headed back to Caroline's house to help her prepare their feast. On the way out, Olivia noticed the advertisement for the egg hunt on the back page of the church bulletin and was going to pass until Noah caught sight of the other kids making a beeline to the small, shaded garden adjacent to the cathedral. He pointed eagerly and squirmed to get out of Olivia's arms.

"Okay if we take him?" Olivia asked, thinking about the transportation arrangements.

"Of course," Ed replied brightly. "John, Ma can ride back with you?"

"Yup."

Caroline gave Noah a hug and a kiss and instructed him to bring back "all the treasure." Noah smiled and nodded. He squirmed more and Olivia finally put him down. "Okay, sweet boy, let's go." Inside the gates, each child was issued a bucket and sent out on the hunt. Olivia and Ed shadowed him at first, but he caught on quickly and the area wasn't that large. They drifted to the perimeter and observed.

"Oh, good job, pal," Ed murmured as they watched Noah overturn a fairly large stone slab and pluck an egg from underneath.

Olivia gazed at her boyfriend. In her cork wedge heels she was slightly taller than him, so leaning over to kiss his cheek was effortless. He blushed. She grinned. It was thrilling to see him jolted by her affection even though he tried to act unaffected.

"Now that the religious part is over," he said, "I'm ready for a drink and some food. You're in for a treat; Ma does it up at Easter. Hope mass wasn't too excruciating. At least on Easter they kinda speed it up knowin' there are people like me there."

"I didn't mind it," Olivia replied, "The sanctuary's beautiful. And, well, I have a complicated relationship with religion, but there's a certain beauty in it...I suppose it's admiration...I admire people who can have such an unwavering faith."

"So do I. Especially in the Catholic church."

Olivia squeezed his hand. "They're not all bad guys."

"Maybe not," Ed sniffed, "Ten, twenty percent aren't. And that includes the nuns."

"Ed!"

He grinned but was nowhere near apologetic. "Oh, here he comes." Ed crouched down to greet Noah. The little boy proudly offered up the bucket. His eyes sparkled when he looked up at his mother and then at Ed who was showing him how to open the eggs. "See? You pinch it a little and, there!" A small blue race car fell from the egg, "Lookit that!"

"Boo Car!" Noah exclaimed.

"That's right."

Noah pointed at Ed's tie and then at his own. "Boo! Noah boo! Ed boo! Boo car!"

Olivia was conveniently attired in a floral shift with streaks of blue, so she wasn't left out of Noah's matching club; however, his obsession with blue didn't last long. There was more treasure to discover. He opened the rest of the eggs and soon he had a pile of wrapped chocolates, more cars, two plastic bunnies, and a rabbit's foot keychain.

"Soft," Noah murmured. He gingerly touched the keychain as if he expected it to move on its own. Then, he babbled a sentence Olivia assumed only she could decipher since it was a combination of actual words and baby talk, so her jaw dropped when Ed immediately responded.

"You're gonna give it to Grandma Caroline?" He asked. "You sure?"

Noah touched the keychain to his face, "Gamma Care-line loveit!" He said, jumping up and down.

"Alright then."

Ed and Olivia each took one of Noah's hands and they strolled out of the garden gates. Ed mumbled something about the car's location, but Olivia ignored him and instead said, "You knew what he was saying."

Ed didn't immediately pick up on what she meant.

Olivia noticed his blank expression, "When he said he was going to give the keychain to Caroline, you understood him."

"Yeah I did," Ed replied, finally connecting the dots. "We, uh, we've been spending a lot of time together lately. I didn't even notice."

"I did." Olivia simpered at him and puckered her lips for a kiss. A different type of chemistry sizzled between them. It warmed Olivia's heart, and she never wanted that feeling to go away.

…

Halfway through the second movie Ed found himself dozing off at intervals, so he kissed the top of his mother's head, peeked in at the kids, and went to bed. Olivia was in her usual position-lying partially on her side with one arm bent over her head. As soon as he crawled in next to her she sensed his presence and turned her head toward him.

Ed kissed her cheek nestled his head next to hers, and slung an arm around her torso. A few minutes later, Olivia began running her fingertips up and down his forearm. Though already half-asleep, Ed started kissing her neck and Olivia rolled over so they were facing each other.

"Liv," he said, "I dunno if I can do this with my mother across the hall."

"You can do it with a house full of kids," Olivia whispered, her lips touching his as she spoke.

"There's something about...my mother being twenty feet away."

"I think it might be at least thirty."

He grinned sheepishly.

"I think you're still a little freaked out about her finding the lube."

"Maybe that's it," he said, "That was awkward."

Olivia kissed him once more then turned again so her back was against his chest. "It sure was. And poor G saw it, too. I can't imagine what she thinks." She pulled his arm back across her chest and held it tightly.

Ed chuckled softly into the back of her neck. "She probably thinks it's amazing people our age even think to buy that stuff."

"I can't believe I'm not more mortified."

"Years of Sarah," Ed replied matter-of-factly, "You're used to our sex lives being the topic of conversation."

"Very true."

"You remember when you first met her? And Brooke?"

"Of course," Olivia replied, "They showed up...and I couldn't place them at first. I felt so bad. I knew those eyes...I knew they were familiar, I just...I was working, I didn't think Ed Tucker's daughters would pop in and drag me to a dive bar."

"But you're glad they did?"

"Absolutely."

"It wasn't that long ago…"

"No it wasn't," Olivia replied, her voice was starting to get heavy with sleep and had a dreamlike quality to it, "But it was like we were all meant to be together. Sometimes I catch myself forgetting there was a time you weren't in my life, when I didn't know Sarah or Brooke or Caroline...those days just seem so far away."

"Hard to go back that far when we have the three musketeers who," Ed lifted his head to catch a glimpse of the video monitor, "Are surprisingly still where we left 'em."

"Did you lock the door?"

"Not the twins' door."

"Ed!"

He chuckled. "It's locked. Dead bolt, the works, and I put the coat rack and the scooters in front of it." He felt Olivia shake with laughter. "What?"

"I still get a little chill when I hear you talk about kid stuff...like scooters. It's so far from IAB Ed Tucker. I love it. It reminds me of the first few times you played with Noah-seeing a brand new version of a person I'd known for a long time...it's...breathtaking."

"You think I'm breathtaking?"

"Yes."

"Not sure if I deserve that."

Olivia shifted around again and gazed into his eyes. "Yes, Ed. Yes you do."

….

#Tuckson