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Post by larue on Mar 14, 2006 10:51:41 GMT 10
“Anything else?” Luka asked as he came into their bedroom. Abby nodded toward the packed suitcases on their bed and he rolled his eyes.
“Hey, this is our stuff...yours and mine,” Abby said as she picked Lauren up from their bed and cuddled her against her shoulder. “All the other things you’ve carried down were her’s.”
“I know, I know...diaper bag...suitcase... stroller...swing...playpen...case of diapers...it’s very good thing that you are nursing her,” he groaned and picked up the suitcases.
“You were the one that wanted a road trip,” Abby sighed happily. She followed him out of the apartment to the street where the doorman stood watch over their unlocked car. Luka put the suitcases in the back of the vehicle while Abby settled Lauren in the car seat in the middle of the back.
“I’m going to run up to see if we’ve forgotten anything and then lock the place up,” Luka said. Abby nodded and slid into the front seat and buckled her seat belt. She busied herself organizing the maps and travel brochures Luka had been collecting. She scowled as he crossed in front of the car and held up some CD cases.
“How could you forget to pack these?” he asked as he climbed behind the wheel and tossed his Barry Manilow and Celine Dion CDs into her lap. “I found them under the pillows on the couch.” Abby returned his gaze with wide eyes and shrugged. Luka chuckled.
“Ah huh...busted!” he nodded. Abby grinned and Luka leaned over to kiss her.
“Ready?” he asked. “Once we’re on the freeway there’s no turning back.”
“Well...aside from the fact that I wish we were heading anywhere but Minnesota,” she said. “I guess we’re ready.” Luka frowned playfully.
“You know I promised your mother we would bring Lauren to see her in the fall.” Abby nodded resignedly.
“Besides, how can you not enjoy the thought of showing off such a beautiful baby?” he added as he leaned toward her again. “And having me all to yourself?”
Abby rolled her eyes and kissed him. She turned to wave to the doorman as Luka started the car and pulled it into the traffic on the street. She sighed and settled in her seat. This was probably the first real vacation she’d had in a good long while...like forever. Luka had been planning it since even before Lauren had been born. Leave it to him to make a journey out of a simple eight hour trip from Chicago to Cambridge, Minnesota, where her mother lived. They had a week. An entire week to loiter and visit and...play. He was right. How could she not be looking forward to it? Abby shrugged trying to shake the familiar forboding feeling that encroached on her happiness. She rolled her eyes as Luka switched on the radio and started to sing along...very badly.
“Rules of the road,” she said brightly as she snapped off the radio. “Number 1...you can’t sing unless I can sing.” Luka frowned and then shrugged.
“Okay,” he said. “”We’ll get some ear plugs at the first truck stop.” He grinned and laced the fingers of his free hand through hers. He kissed her hand and started humming as he drove. They soon left the city behind them.
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Post by cranky on Mar 14, 2006 11:15:42 GMT 10
Hee. Love that you fit in Luka's Craptastic CD Collection!
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Post by <3 LubyII <3 on Mar 14, 2006 12:09:41 GMT 10
Great fic! Can't wait to read the next part.
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Post by Lubyfanatic316 on Mar 14, 2006 12:10:31 GMT 10
Love it!
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Post by lulu on Mar 14, 2006 21:02:38 GMT 10
I really enjoyed that - it made me smile
Abi*Lulu
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Post by Noora on Mar 14, 2006 23:22:34 GMT 10
It made me smile too. [glow=red,2,300]Loved it!!<3[/glow]
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Post by larue on Mar 15, 2006 3:28:10 GMT 10
Luka smiled as he watched Abby through the rearview mirror. She had been sitting in the back next to Lauren’s car seat since they’d stopped for lunch. She’d been reading and playing with her and he loved watching her face when she did that...almost as much as he loved watching her nurse their daughter. All the defenses were gone. All the worry lines were smoothed and replaced with gorgeous laugh lines and dimples. Abby glanced up and caught his eye in the mirror.
“Hey...eyes on the road up there, Bernie,” she ordered. Luka straightened and nodded as he assumed his chauffeur role.
“Ah...here it is,” he said as he guided the car from the highway to an exit. Abby looked out the window and read a sign.
“Wisconsin Dells?” she asked. “Are we stopping for the night already?”
“Yeah,” Luka said. ‘There’s some stuff I want to do here.” Abby shrugged.
“You’re the guide,” she said. “We’re just along for the ride.” Luka chuckled.
“It’ll be fun...I promise.” Abby watched out the window as he bypassed hotel after hotel and finally pulled into a Howard Johnson Hotel and Conference Center. He pulled the car near the lobby door and turned the key off.
“Do you want to wait here while I check on our reservation?” Abby unbuckled her seat belt and unclicked the latch that held the babyseat in Lauren’s car seat.
“Go on ahead, “ she said. “We’ll be right behind you.” Luka nodded and got out of the car. He stretched a bit and looked around before heading into the hotel lobby. Abby slipped out of the backseat and lifted Lauren’s baby seat out. She smiled as an exiting guest held the door tot he lobby open for her.
“Thank you,” she said and then turned around. Her eyes were drawn to a huge banner over the check in desk.
“Welcome, Scrabble Players...Tournament of Champions,” she read silently. Luka came toward her from the reservation desk and held up a key card.
“Did you know about that?” she asked as she nodded toward the banner. He turned his head to read the banner and nodded.
‘Yeah,” he said. “That’s why I picked this weekend and this hotel. I thought you might enjoy it.”
“Yeah...” Abby nodded happily. “Maybe I can pick up a Croatian dictionary.”
“What? And have me lose the only edge I have over you in that game? I don’t think so.” Luka laughed and kissed her. “I’m going to go get our bag and move the car. I’ll be right back.” Abby watched him go with a smile on his face. He was having a great time...and surprisingly, so was she.
They spent a wonderful afternoon exploring a Harvest Festival and the touristy shops of Wisconsin Dells. Luka even talked her into posing for a family portrait...in Victorian garb. Then he dragged her on a horse and carriage ride through Lost Canyon where they marveled at the beautiful fall colors around them. Being surrounded by trees and rocks and crisp clean air made the city streets of Chicago seem worlds away. Lauren was warm and content snuggled against either of them in her carrier.
Abby smiled as she stretched out on her stomach on the hotel bed with the framed portrait they’d had taken in her hands. Luka looked so serious - and so ruggedly handsome - sitting in the chair with the high collared shirt and black frock coat on. She stood slightly behind him with Lauren in her arms. They’d swept her hair up in a loose knot and she wore a lacy, high collared shirt waist and dark high waisted skirt. Lauren’s little face was framed in a lace baby bonnet as she peered out from the crocheted blanket she was wrapped in. They looked so perfect together...the three of them...a family.
Abby looked up as the door opened and Luka came into the room from the hall. His wet hair was slicked back and he had a towel around his neck. He grinned and tossed the towel onto a chair before sitting down on the bed beside her. He took the picture from her hand and chuckled softly as he looked at it and then set the frame on the bedside table.
“How was the work out room?” she asked as she rested her chin on her folded arms. Luka shrugged.
“Pretty good. A couple laps in the pool felt good too,” he said. “I’ll stay here with Lauren if you want to go try it out.” Abby grimaced and shook her head.
“Thanks...but I’ll pass,” she said. “I’ve already taken a long, hot bath.” Luka glanced over at the hotel baby crib.
“Is she sleeping?”
“Like a rock,” Abby laughed. “She’s not used to so much fresh air.” Lukagrinned and stood up. She watched him as he looked down at their daughter and smiled. He moved a small pillow out of the crib and then stretched out beside Abby on the bed. She raised herself up on one elbow and grinned.
“So what’s on the agenda for...tonight?” she asked. Luka smirked and shrugged.
“I had to see if she was going to cooperate first.” His eyes locked on her’s and he put his hand to her waist. Abby smiled softly. She was so sensitive about the weight she’d put on that was coming off oh so slowly, but the truth be known, he loved the new curves and warmth. His warm fingers slipped under her soft cami and up her back. Abby squirmed and rolled over on his hand.
“I’m sorry,” she laughed. “I am just so ticklish tonight.” Luka chuckled.
“Ticklish? You’re ticklish?” He chuckled and slipped both hands up to her rib cage. He slipped the cami over her head and off her arms. He tossed it away.
“Luka!” she cried softly and reached for the edge of his tee shirt. He grinned as she pulled it off and tossed it away from the bed.
“Rules of the road,” he said with a lecherous grin. “Number 2...take advantage of every...single... entertaining...opportunity.” He lowered himself slowly on top of her and she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him into a long, lingering kiss.
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Post by LoveLuka on Mar 15, 2006 5:11:11 GMT 10
hahah hahahah it was good and funny
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Post by Lubyfanatic316 on Mar 15, 2006 6:40:14 GMT 10
Love it!
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Post by lubyfan on Mar 15, 2006 6:59:10 GMT 10
It's really good and funny, I hope it's a long story like the last one.
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Post by tanja on Mar 15, 2006 7:29:09 GMT 10
It's really good!
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Post by <3 LubyII <3 on Mar 15, 2006 8:06:00 GMT 10
It's great! I love it!!!
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Post by lulu on Mar 16, 2006 3:55:11 GMT 10
That smilie just about sums it up. Really nice & great entertainment Abi*Lulu
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Post by larue on Mar 16, 2006 9:33:52 GMT 10
Luka glanced over at Abby who was absorbed in a new and improved Scrabble dictionary. He shook his head and grinned a little.
‘You know...” he said. “I really do not need to have you reading any more of that. You beat me easily enough as it is.” Abby looked up and smiled. She slipped the book in the pocket of her door and sat up straighter in her car seat.
“Actually I was preparing myself for Maggie,” she said. “We had a tendency to go at Scrabble for hours.” Luka frowned and looked at her. Abby winked and nodded.
“It was a manic thing.” She chuckled as Luka shook his head and turned back to his driving. Abby drummed her fingers on the dashboard in front of her and then picked up one of the brochures that had been tossed there. She grinned as she looked at the pictures from the train museum they had just visited.
“This was interesting,” she said as she looked through the brochure again.
“My father would have loved it,” Luka said. “Did I tell you that he...”
“Was a conductor on a train while you were growing up?” she interrupted. “Yes. About 20 times in the last day or so.”
“It is a very...prestigious...job for your father to have when you are a little boy,” he grinned. “Kept him away from home a lot though.”
“And so now he paints,” she said. Luka nodded.
“And sculpts.”
“Why don’t you have anything that he’s done?” she asked. Luka shrugged.
“I had a couple of pieces once. I just haven’t asked him to replace them yet.” Abby turned to watch him thoughtfully for a moment. She wondered if the art pieces he’d talked about were destroyed when his family was killed. She reached over to caress his forearm and Luka grinned when he glanced at her. He threaded his fingers through her’s and sighed.
“I really need some music,” he pleaded. Abby rolled her eyes and released his fingers to go through the CDs in the glove compartment. She glared at him and shook her head as she slipped one into the CD player. Luka tapped the steering wheel and bobbed his head as the opening strains of Celine Dion came from the speakers. He reached over and adjusted the volume and grinned at Abby. She shook her head and reached for her dictionary.
She called Maggie on her cell phone when they passed St. Paul. They chatted for a while as Maggie guided them off the highway to her apartment building. She was waiting outside when Luka pulled the car into a parking spot.
“Here we go,” Abby murmured as she smiled and unbuckled her seat belt. “Are you sure you don’t want to convince her to let us stay in a hotel?” Luka chuckled softly and opened his door.
“Rules of the road...” he said softly. “Number three...enjoy your destination.” Abby rolled her eyes and shrugged as she opened her door.
“Right,” she drawled softly and waved. “Hi, Mom!”
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Post by Lubyfanatic316 on Mar 16, 2006 13:50:48 GMT 10
Love the update! Can't wait for more!
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