156.

Ed didn't mind at all when gray clouds rolled in early in the afternoon, for he had the hot tub purchase on his mind. After only some light cajoling, Olivia agreed to have everyone pile in the SUV and head inland to one of the nearby showrooms. They were the only customers and the salespeople immediately swarmed. Noah, Maggie, and Wyatt ran around and stopped to inspect each floor model. At one point, Wyatt adorably asked, "Where da wa'er?" Noah explained they would add the water when they got home and he and his siblings busied themselves by climbing in and out of each tub while their parents browsed and listened to sales pitches. With Ed clearly eager to make a purchase and Olivia not exactly dissuading him, the employees let the kids do whatever they wanted to do and even offered them bottled water and cookies from the vending machine. An hour or so after arriving, the Tuckers walked out of the showroom with a receipt and a guarantee their hot tub would be delivered two days later.

On the way back to the car, Noah noticed the exterior was caked with a layer of dust and dirt from the road trip, so Ed drove through a nearby car wash. This was a new experience for all three kids, and their eyes grew wide as the sprays of water and soap drenched the car and the gigantic brushes whirled all over the exterior. Once the shock subsided, the trio shrieked with delight and shouted to the machinery.

"Come back, brush!"

"Scrub! Scrub! Scrub!"

"Nee' more wa'er!"

"Get da bubbles!"

"Fasser! Fasser!"

"Ah done?" The question was posed by a disappointed-looking Wyatt.

"Yeah, bud," Ed answered and glanced backward with a grin, "Fun, huh?"

"Cah ah'clean!" Maggie exclaimed. "Monster clean it!"

"Monster," Noah giggled, "We should have a person wash! You could walk through and you haveta have goggles, and you jus' get all clean really quick i'stead of da bath!"

"We can spray ya with the hose," Ed suggested.

"Sure," Olivia said, playing along, "We'll put shampoo all over you and hose you down!"

Noah thought the idea was hilarious and he howled with laughter. Deep down, he knew the idea was much too outrageous for his parents to actually go through with it, but the thought was enough to entertain him during the short ride home. They rarely used the front door, so they made their way to the back of the house. The kids ran ahead and Ed and Olivia sprinted to them when they heard Maggie's blood-curdling scream.

When they saw what had terrified Maggie, Ed and Olivia both breathed a sigh of relief. Sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs circling the fire pit was the scrawny gray cat that didn't seem to have a permanent home yet never drifted far away from their patch of coastline. Noah and Wyatt were deliberately standing away from their sister as if they were concerned she was combustible. Olivia rushed over to soothe Maggie. Ed shooed the cat away.

"Small sister likes everrthing," Noah said, "But she hates those kitty cats! I dunno why."

"That one's kinda yucky lookin," Ed replied, "Maybe that's it."

"Yeah, that cat needs ta eat!" Noah peered into the tall seagrass, "But she's gonna haveta get lunch somewhere else! No cat food here!"

"Ki'cat bad, No?" Wyatt asked.

"No, it's okay, small sister jus…" Noah, at a loss for words, trailed off.

"The cat gives her bad vibes," Ed finished for him.

"Yeah," Noah replied, "Bad vibes. Dat's right."

…

Olivia fussed over Wyatt, took his jacket and bag, and scrutinized his face. He looked like he'd lost weight and she demanded an explanation. Wyatt had only recently moved into a studio apartment of his own after four years of living in the dormitories, and, from the minute he moved in, Olivia worried that Wyatt would simply forget to eat without the convenience and regularity of the campus cafeterias. Wyatt had a tendency to get so absorbed in his studies he could spend an entire day in the library, or, in nicer weather, on one of the campus' lush lawns, subsisting on flavored water and, perhaps, a smoothie. At least, when he lived in the dorm, his floormates would prompt him for dinner, and, during the busier fall and spring semesters, he played intramural sports and he and his friends often went out for pizza or burgers after games and matches. Now that it was summer and Wyatt was living on his own, Olivia was certain her youngest son was on an unintentional hunger strike.

"I've been working out, Mom," Wyatt explained. "I started jogging and doing lighter weights. Leaner and less bulky."

Olivia pressed her lips into a straight line. She preferred Wyatt like he'd always been-a little on the thicker, burlier side.

"Good for the brain," he added with a reassuring grin.

"Do you want me to sign you up for one of those meal delivery services?" Olivia asked.

"Ew."

At the island, Ed finished arranging sandwich ingredients and invited everyone over, "I'm with you, pal," he said to Wyatt, "Those meals look pretty gross to me."

"In California they're good," Maggie said, "I don't think there's anything wrong with them, they just look weird, well, some of them do. I did a salad subscription once but it got too expensive."

"Do you need more money?" Olivia asked Wyatt.

"No, mom," Wyatt smiled at her and then laughed at Maggie who was shooting them a good-natured dirty look. "I promise I'll be fat the next time you see me."

"Thank you."

"So," Ed slathered mustard on a piece of fresh bakery bread, "To what do we owe this impromptu reunion?"

"Wyatt and I are crashing Noah's date tonight," Maggie said matter-of-factly.

"Really."

"Yep," she reached for the turkey and piled it on her own slice of bread, "Mia is back and we're going to make sure she gets gone again. Noah won't be inviting her back to his apartment if good old brother and sister are there!"

Amused, Ed glanced at Olivia and then at Wyatt. "And you needed to drag your brother here for…?"

Sounding exasperated, Maggie replied, "Dad. I'm on a mission. I cannot complete a mission without my bro, you know that."

"Excuuuse me."

Olivia grinned and kissed Ed on the cheek. "C'mon guys. Let's eat at the table. And I'd like to know a little more about this...mission."

Wyatt dumped some potato chips onto his plate and murmured, "So would I."

…

Ed and Olivia both agreed visiting the beach house in the off season needed to happen more often. Less beach time meant more opportunities for minor home improvement projects. In addition to the hot tub purchase, they ordered the barstools and, in preparation, Ed power washed the porch. The kids squealed in delight as they watched the grime disappear from the vinyl slats. After Noah took his turn with the sprayer, he reported the water was "really strong" and would certainly hurt a person if he or she was targeted. In the evenings after the kids went to bed, Olivia spent an hour or so decluttering the baskets she'd placed around the home for magazines, books, and games. She then pinpointed the den as a hub of clutter and got to work clearing and organizing the contents of the built-in cabinets.

After she'd been in the den for what Ed deemed too long, he brought her a glass of wine and sat down on the overstuffed sofa. He sunk into the cushion, temporarily lost his balance, and his Pinot Noir precariously sloshed around in the glass. Though lacking in the ergonomically friendly department, the couch was perfect for watching movies or lazily paging through magazines.

"I'm amazed we've been able to collect so much ju-er-stuff in only a couple of years," Olivia said.

"I like it," Ed replied, "Reminds me of my mom's house."

"It does," Olivia said softly, "It's what I always imagined as the perfect home when I was little."

Ed reached for one of the photo albums she'd extracted from the cabinets and placed on the coffee table. Prior to leaving for the house each summer, Olivia printed certain pictures and added to the albums. She loved the idea of keeping the books around the house for years and years for future Tucker generations to cherish. Ed flipped through the thick, plastic-lined pages. Olivia arranged the albums chronologically and he'd landed in a section of their early days together. Noah was the twins' age, Ed's hair was less gray, and Olivia looked, well, Ed decided she had actually aged in reverse. In a few of the photos she was smiling yet the weight of the job was evident in the puffiness under her eyes or the slight slouch in his posture. He remembered how he'd kicked himself during their brief breakup for not recognizing how overtaxed she had been and how he'd been unintentionally adding to the pressure in her life. Memories of those days still felt like a gut punch and he looked up from the album, at Olivia, to make sure she was actually there with him.

He continued turning the pages, intrigued by Olivia's choices-there was a snap of Noah on Ed's shoulders at the St. Patrick's Day parade, a selfie of Olivia and Noah with the Hudson River as a backdrop, and a slightly blurry snap of the three of them in the park. When he came to one of Noah buried in sand, he uttered a curious, "Huh."

"What?" Olivia asked.

"Where was this?" Ed turned the album toward her.

"Jersey," Olivia replied, "You don't remember?"

"Oh, shit, yeah," Ed grinned. "You didn't want to go."

"Now that is not true," Olivia moved to sit next to him, "I was...skeptical...that the Jersey Shore would be a relaxing quick getaway. But it was." She gave Ed a kiss. "Mmmm….tell me...I've done enough work for tonight."

"You've done enough work for tonight."

She grinned and kissed him again. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail and a braided headband held loose strands in place. As the kiss grew more passionate and fierce Ed freed her locks from both bands. Gradually, their clothes ended up in a heap on the floor between the couch and table and neither Olivia nor Ed cared that they had forgotten to close the drapes in the room. On his back and partially-enveloped by the soft cushions, Ed couldn't move much, but he didn't need to. Olivia moaned and gasped as she moved on top of him. Ed nibbled and licked at her ear and stroked her skin with his fingertips all the while encouraging her with whispers and moans of his own.

"Whew," Ed whistled breathlessly when they finished. "Wow…"

"Weren't expecting that?" Olivia smiled against his bare chest.

"Not, uh...not yet?"

Olivia chuckled. "There's something so sexy about you...reminiscing. I couldn't help myself."

"That so?" Ed teased. "Good to know." He made an exaggerated effort to reach for his phone.

"What are you doing?"

"Amazon," he said with a smirk, "I think we need more photo albums."

…

Just when the taxi's air conditioning finally kicked in at full blast, the driver pulled to a stop in front of Ed's building and tapped the wheel impatiently as Olivia paid with her credit card. In the elevator she billowed her shirt, desperate for a breeze and so cranky she didn't care she was a sweaty mess. When Ed opened the door she was greeted by a burst of cold air and, for the first time that day, she broke into a huge smile.

"God that feels good."

Ed held the door open, "Scorcher out there," he said as he debated whether or not she was open to a kiss, "Whaddya want? Something with ice? Water? Tea?"

"You have iced tea?"

"Well, uh, I could make you regular tea and put ice in it."

Olivia grinned, "Water's fine. Thank you." Ed went to the kitchen and she caught him sneaking a peek as she peeled off her blazer, untucked her blouse, and twisted her hair into a chignon. "Do you mind if we stop at my place before dinner? I didn't plan very well and I'd love to change into something else."

"No problem." Ed handed her the glass and went for the kiss. She smiled as he stepped away and his chest swelled with relief that she hadn't rebuked him. "Actually, uh, you have a couple days off duty, right?"

"Yes," Olivia said with a resounding air of finality. "Two whole days."

"Why don't we, uh, head to the beach tomorrow morning for the day? Maybe spend the night? Come back early Sunday?"

Standing on top of the air vent and peering down at the pedestrians wading their way through the heat, Olivia considered the offer. A day and night at the beach sure sounded nice. But what if something happened and she was needed? Could she really trust Fin or Rollins to make the right calls in her absence? Yes. Yes she could. And she deserved a getaway. She deserved to relax.

"Was thinkin' the Jersey Shore," Ed added hopefully, "Noah'd probably love it."

Olivia frowned.

"Or...somewhere else," Ed wanted the look on her face to disappear immediately. "Wherever we can get outta this inferno."

The crowded Jersey boardwalks didn't sound ideal, but Ed had apparently already concocted a plan in his head and Olivia was desperate for a break from making decisions. If he wanted to assume responsibility for driving, making hotel reservations, and choosing the restaurants, she might as well go along for the ride.

"Let's go," she said, "I'm in. We're in."

One of the biggest smiles Olivia had ever seen formed on Ed's face. Not even after their first romantic evening together did he beam so brightly. "Great!" he said, "Then I don't have to return all this." He opened a closet door and set a large shopping bag on the table. It was jam packed with plastic shovels and buckets, a mask and snorkel, sunblock, and three brand new oversized beach towels. Olivia considered pretending to be annoyed at his assumption that she didn't own beach towels, but the whole gesture was so kind and thoughtful she didn't have the heart to tease him about it quite yet.

"Is there any way we could go tonight?" Olivia asked. "Make a whole weekend out of it?"

"I bet I can make that happen," Ed plucked his phone from his back pocket and was so consumed by finding the hotel's telephone number he didn't notice Olivia moving closer until her lips were inches from his.

"I'm going to call Lucy," she said, "I think she was taking Noah to the splash pad."

"I'll get the hotel changed and then I'll be ready."

"You're packed?"

Ed shrugged, "I was kinda betting you'd say yes."

Olivia didn't take her eyes off of Ed as she listened to him rearrange the reservation. It felt good to have someone take charge for once and she was proud of herself for letting him have the reins. She found her work phone, took a deep breath, and powered it off. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to stand being disconnected for the entire time they were away, but this was a start. With her personal phone she called Lucy. Luckily, she and Noah were still at the apartment. "Stay there," Olivia said, "Noah, Ed, and I are, uh, going on a little vacation."

"Vacation…" Lucy cooed, "Wow, that's great Liv. Need me to do anything?"

"Maybe help Noah pick out a few toys and books?" Olivia wanted to pack his clothes herself.

"Sure thing, Liv. See you in a bit."

Ed smiled at Olivia from across the room and put the phone in his pocket. "All set."

Olivia went to him and they kissed again. "It's going to be a great weekend."

"Yes," Ed played with a tendril of hair that had curled against her temple. "And it starts right now."

…..

Sarah grimaced at her computer screen and groaned. Nobody liked to receive "see me" emails from their bosses, but Sarah especially hated them because they caused her to overthink every action she'd taken or not taken for as far back as she remembered. Admittedly, she possessed a cavalier attitude toward authority, but that didn't mean she didn't get nervous when her performance was under the microscope. She spent an hour wondering what her boss could possibly want or criticize, and, coming up with nothing, she marched to his office and knocked on the door. He waved her in and got straight to the point. The firm needed a managing partner in their Frankfurt office and he wanted Sarah to take the position.

Sarah's jaw dropped. "Like, I'd be moving to Frankfurt?"

He nodded, answered in the affirmative, and ticked off all the perks of moving abroad-housing and travel stipends, a more leisurely work environment, and, compared to the city, a lower cost-of-living which made Sarah want to laugh. Her boss's salary was probably in the millions of dollars a year range and he was touting the benefits of cheap living. "We'd ask for a five-year commitment," he said, "Handshake agreement. We know things can change."

"My husband…"Sarah murmured, "He's in a Ph.D. program here…"

"They have universities in Germany."

"Is this a do or die type thing?" Sarah asked. "If I say no, am I, for all intents and purposes, done here?"

Sarah's boss was far from the stiff, austere, cutthroat Wall Street guys portrayed in television shows and films. He was kind and considerate and, in response to her very serious question he offered a winsome smile and a genuine reassurance. "You're too talented for us to do that to you. You're the first choice. Give it some thought and let me know by the end of the week." He got up and started collecting his things. Sarah, however, remained seated. "Sarah?"

She snapped to attention. "Oh...yeah?"

"I have a tee time in ninety minutes."

"Oh."

"First round of the season. I need to hit the range first."

"Yeah, right, sorry….um, good luck," she mumbled as she made her way to the doorway, "...hole in one, uh, have a good afternoon." Once she was in the clear and out of earshot she stopped, leaned against the wall, and gasped. "Holy shit. Holy fucking shit."

…

The technician instructed Ed to leave the cover on the hot tub and let the water heat for at least five hours before attempting to use it, but Noah and the twins grew impatient after two hours and, after testing the water's temperature, Ed let them jump in.

"Maybe we should've just put in a pool," Olivia said to him as they stood at the edge and watched the kids splash around.

"Nah," Ed replied with a shrug, "Or, well, maybe we'll do that next spring." He eyed the yard and quickly came to terms with the fact that there wasn't enough space for a proper inground pool. "Or maybe not."

"Once the water gets warmer we can only stay in for a few minutes," Olivia said to the kids who barely acknowledged her mild warning. Noah was doing underwater flips in the middle of the tub and the twins were standing at the edges cheering him on and attempting flips of their own. The twins' acrobatics consisted of them putting their heads into the water and then letting their bodies fall in.

"Good FIP!" Wyatt would shout when he resurfaced.

"No a SARK!" Maggie squealed."SARK!"

"We need da BUBBLES!" Noah said, "Daddy, c'we turn on these things?" He slapped one of the jets.

Olivia flipped through the instructions the tech left along with a box full of chemicals. "We're supposed to wait to do that I think," she murmured.

Ed was already flipping the controls. "A couple minutes won't hurt," he said, smirking at his wife.

"Pushover," she said, trying to suppress a smile.

Despite her concern they were somehow damaging the tub by not following directions, she couldn't help but laugh at the kids' reactions when the jets turned on. They giggled at the way the propelled water rippled their skin. Noah held on to the side and then let the stream knock him backward. The twins copied him and they played their little game until the sun started to set.

"Alright kiddos," Olivia said, "Let's get out and dry off. Then we're going to eat."

"Shrimpies?" Noah asked.

"No," Olivia said, "I think we should order a pizza tonight. What do you think, sweet boy?"

"I always think pizza's a good dinner, Mommy!" Noah climbed out of the tub and Olivia wrapped him in a towel. "Know what would be a really good way to dry off?" He asked, blinking his eyes, unintentionally highlighting his long eyelashes.

"What?"

"A bonfire!" He longingly eyed the fire pit.

Olivia kissed his forehead, "I think we should definitely eat our pizza around the fire."

Noah wiggled out of her arms and ran to get his shoes. "I'm gonna get da wood!"

Ed had finished wrapping the twins in towels of their own and sat them on the porch swing. He bounded down the steps to the yard and smirked at his wife. "Guess I'm not the only pushover in this relationship," he said, passing by and slapping her behind on his way to the shed. "Put your gloves on, No!" He called.

"Got 'em on, Daddy!"

Olivia watched Noah and Ed emerge with armfuls of logs and returned to the porch. Ed had wrapped the towels around the twins' heads as well as their bodies so only their faces peeked out from the plush teal terry cloth.

"Aren't you two the most adorable things in the world?"

The twins grinned. Olivia saw her phone on the table and that she'd received a text from Sarah.

Omigod, omigod, omigod, she'd written. THE TWINSIES!

Olivia was confused for a second but got clarity when she opened the Instagram app. She'd started an account mostly to keep up with what Ed was posting. The photos he chose and the captions he wrote provided endless entertainment. Sure enough, he'd posted a photo of the tightly wrapped twins as well as one of all three kids playing in the jets.

Hot-tubbin' for the first time. Up next, dinner and probably crashing early!

Ed got the fire started, and the twins sat up straight, kicked their legs, and babbled about S'mores. Noah encouraged their idea, explaining that, if they ate their pizza, they would definitely be able to have a sweet treat afterward.

Olivia started freeing the twins and swapped the towels and bathing suits for shorts and hoodies. They could hardly stand still they were so excited for what the rest of the night entailed.

"Want me to order the pizza?" Ed asked.

"Sure." Olivia patted his chest and winked. "Crashing early tonight, huh?"

Ed glanced at the three kids dancing around on the lawn opposite the fire pit and smirked with mock shame.

"Yeah," he said, "Could be wrong about that."

…..

#Tuckson