Bobby tries to prepare for the cookout by going to his old neighborhood market.

CHAPTER FOUR: Old ladies and late arrivals.

The Grocery Store or an Obstacle Course?

Bobby went to the grocery store armed with his special Memorial Day grocery list. Even after all this time, he still frequented his old neighborhood's grocer … he was loyal to a fault. He ran into little old Mrs. Ramelli … she was four foot nothing and couldn't reach anything on any shelf at Julian's Market. She asked Bobby for his assistance. After he helped her with her shopping and carried her groceries home, he went back and tried to do his … that's when he ran into little old Mrs. Santini … same scenario. Third times a charm, so he thought … but … little old lady Mrs. Francini was there. He saw her first and tried to sneak out.

"Robert … Robert is that you?"

He turned around with a heavy sigh escaping his lungs … "Yes, Mrs. Francini … how are you on this fine Memorial Day week-end?"

"Oh Robert … my arthritis is flaring up on me, the Doctor said I need a hip replacement and my heart is not so good … but not so bad for an eighty two year old woman."

"Well I think you look wonderful."

"You always were a charmer Robert."

"Yes ma'am. Well, it was good to see you, but I have some errands to run …"

"Oh Robert!?"

Damn … almost.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Would you be a Dear and help me reach a few …"

Hours later …

"Bobby, where the hell have you been? I've been calling your cell phone?"

He takes his phone out of his pocket and notices a dead cell. He holds it up.

"Sorry … it's dead … is something wrong?"

"No, yes … I was worried. You were just going shopping, what took you so long? Your sister called, Molly wanted to say hello before they left for the airport … the kids missed you, I missed you."

Alex wraps her arms around him and begins to cry.

"Honey … I'm sorry. Every little old lady from the old neighborhood was at the market. They all wanted my assistance. If I wasn't reaching … I was lifting … if I was lifting … I was taking their groceries out to their car or walking them home. It was like a frigin obstacle course of old women … I was trying to avoid them."

He's rubbing her back trying to calm her.

"I'm sorry, I just missed you so much … I thought you went and got yourself into some kind of trouble again."

He pulls away from her and wipes the tears from her eyes.

"I think I did, Alex."

"What do you mean?"

"Throwing up … overly emotional. You need to take that home pregnancy test."

"We don't have one."

"I bought one … lets go use it."

"No … it's too early."

"I read them all … this one says that you don't even have to miss your period."

Bobby fishes through the bags of groceries and grabs the test. He hands it to her.

"I'll take the test after the cookout … when everybody leaves."

"Why wait?'

"I don't want to know."

"Why?"

"Because then we would have to keep it from my family and yours. I don't want that hanging over us … better we don't know. I could be coming down with something you know."

"Why would we have to keep it from them?"

"The triplets aren't even a year old yet … and besides … we should wait until I'm at least three months along and Dr. Hunter gives me a clean bill of health."

"You think you are … don't you?"

"Maybe."

Bobby sits on the couch and tries to absorb what his wife just said. She sits by his side and rests her head on his shoulder. All of the sudden she jumps up.

"Oh my gosh! Your sister!"

"What?"

"The airport … you have to go meet them. She glances up at the clock on the wall. Three hours … you have to go meet them in three hours! I have to clean the house!"

"Alex, honey … please … sit. I'll clean the house … you take care of the babies. I can handle everything."

Alex starts crying again.

Except another set of triplets.

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Next up: we meet Bobby's family and we have a cookout. Thanks for reading ... judy