Chapter 38
After they got the good news from Mac in Providence, Ned went looking for Francine and found her in one of the stylish little rooms on the Chesterfield’s first floor.
She was sitting with baby Mac, who’d been frightened by the helicopter and had been inconsolable after his parents left.
The baby was asleep in his grandmother’s arms, and Francine was singing softly to the little guy while he slept.
Ned leaned against the doorframe and watched her with the baby.
She was such a wonderful grandmother, and it gave him pleasure to see her with the kids.
She’d told him how much she’d missed with her daughters because she’d had to work so much to support them after her jackass husband left.
It also gave him pleasure to know that because of his years of house flipping, she’d never have to work another day in her life.
She could devote herself to her daughters and their seven grandchildren, with an eighth one on the way.
He pushed off the doorway and went to join her on the sofa, taking pains not to jostle the baby. For a guy who’d never had kids of his own, Ned had become rather adept around babies and little ones.
“Have you heard anything?” Francine asked, her brows furrowed with worry.
“Big Mac talked ta Mac.” Ned kept his voice down so he wouldn’t disturb little Mac. “Emma Linda and Evelyn Francine were born on the chopper.”
“Oh my Lord! Are they all right?”
“The babies are small but healthy, and they’re keeping ’em in the NICU fer at least forty-eight hours to keep an eye on ’em.”
“And Maddie?”
“Mac said she lost some blood durin’ the delivery, so they’re givin’ her a transfusion. But otherwise, she’s fine.”
“Thank goodness,” she said, exhaling a deep sigh of relief.
Ned pulled out his phone to show her the photos Mac had sent. “This beauty is our Emma, and this little doll is Evelyn, named in part for her Grandma Francine.”
“It’s so sweet that they did that,” Francine said, looking a little misty. “My mother’s name was Evelyn.”
“I remember that, and Linda’s mother was Emma.”
“They did good.”
“Sure did, and it’s such a relief ta have it done and over.”
“You said it. Hopefully, we only have to go through this one more time.”
“Hope so, ’cause it’s awful tough on the grandparents.”
“That’s for sure. You’re the best grandpa ever. The kids are so lucky to have you.”
She twisted him up in knots when she said things like that. “I’m the lucky one ta have this amazin’ family at my age.”
“And the best part is we get all the fun and none of the work.”
“That’s right,” he said, chuckling. “We’re still gonna keep tryin’ ta have one of our own, though, right?”
She giggled as her face turned bright red, the way it always did when he said things like that. He loved to make his pretty redhead blush. “Stop it.”
“Never.” He’d waited a lifetime for her and their family, and he planned to enjoy every second with them.