“Play!”
“Yay for playing.”
“Yay for playing!”
The second they cleared the Point Judith breakwater, the boat began to dip and roll through the high seas.
“Oh my God,” Abby said as she clung to the table and one of the baby carriers to keep it from sliding off the table.
It got worse from there.
The babies were moved to the floor so they couldn’t fall off the tables, and each had a parent or grandparent holding on tight as they crested one wave after another, only to fall into the deep trench that followed.
Abby was green.
Her mother was a slightly lighter shade.
Liam loved every wild second of it, demanding that Adam put him down to let him “surf” the big waves. He stayed close to the little guy as he laughed with delight at every big wave and the crash of water hitting the windows that came with it.
“Sweet Jesus,” Linda said as she held on to a baby with one hand and Big Mac with the other. “This is like the first day I ever came to the island.”
“Best day of my life,” Big Mac said.
“Once I stopped wanting to puke, that is.”
“Abby and I had a similar memorable ride once upon a time. Remember, hon?”
She gave the briefest of nods. “This is worse.”
“Forty minutes to go, people,” Big Mac said to groans from the rest of the group.
Adam battled his way to the snack bar, where he grabbed some puke bags and brought them back to the group.
Abby grabbed one and held it close to her face.
The babies slept through it all.
“Our boys are made for island life,” Adam said to Abby, who barely acknowledged him as she tried not to get sick.
“I see the island,” Big Mac said. “Should get better once we’re in the lee.”
The island would block the worst of the wind, and sure enough, once they cleared the bluffs, the seas were noticeably calmer.
“Anyone want clam chowder?” Adam asked.
“Shut up, Adam!” his wife said.
“What she said,” his mother added.
“I’m just asking.”
“Good one, son,” Big Mac said with a chuckle. He’d never met a rough sea that he didn’t thoroughly enjoy.
“Shut up, Mac,” Linda said, making the others laugh, including Abby, whose laughter quickly turned to vomit in the bag.
“Damn it,” she said as she gagged through a dry heave. “I was holding it in until you fools made me laugh.”
That set off more laughter as Adam took the bag from Abby and handed her a new one.
