Jed and Abbey watched from the front porch of their cabin at Camp David as the grandkids told their parents goodbye.
"Now you behave for your grandparents. You hear me?" Liz was giving them their last minute instructions.
"Yes, Ma'am," as Annie nodded her head.
With no response from Gus, Doug bent down into the boy's face. "What do you say, young man?"
"Yes, sir. I'll behave." Gus's smile disappeared for a moment as he realized his father was close to being angry.
"I mean it, young man. Do not cause them any trouble."
Gus nodded his head. "Yes, sir. I won't give Grandpa any trouble."
Abbey's heart broke for the little boy as Doug straightened up. "You call us if there's any problem."
Jed moved forward and enveloped Gus in a tight hug. "They'll be no trouble at all. None at all. We're going to have a great time, aren't we Gus?"
Gus turned his head up to look in his grandfather's eyes and smiled. "We'll have a great time."
Later, Jed and Abbey were enjoying hot dogs and baked beans with Gus and Annie. Abbey had worked for weeks to arrange Jed's schedule so barring an international incident, he and Abbey could enjoy the time with the grandchildren.
"Grandpa, when can we fish?" Jed didn't care for fishing, but he was keen on sharing something that Gus liked to do. Gus's enthusiasm made Jed feel that he had chosen the right thing to do with him.
"Tomorrow, Gus. After breakfast."
"Okay." Gus finished his hot dog and milk. He had been so excited all week that Liz finally had to take him to the store so he could have his very own fishing pole. He was almost as excited over this as he was on Christmas morning.
Later that evening, after the grandkids had gone to bed, Jed and Abbey were cuddling on the sofa in front of the fire. It was mid-spring, and the night air in the Maryland mountains was still chilly.
"Gus has grown up so much. I think he's an inch taller."
"Now, Abbey. Everytime you see them, you think they've grown."
"Jed, Gus is now six, almost seven and Annie will be sixteen in a couple of months. I call that growing up."
"Yeah, well I have to agree with you this time. In fact, they're growing up too fast."
"Children do that."
"I know. And we get older."
"How old are you?" Abbey stretched up and gave him a gentle kiss.
"Not too old for what you have in mind."
"Not tonight, Jed. Kids are in the house."
"Never stopped us before."
"Jed, let's just go to bed. You have a full day tomorrow."
"Well, I would like to have a full night."
Abbey laughed and gave him a playful slap. "Not tonight."
"Oh, hell."
"You'll survive, Pumpkin. Let's go."