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"Do you want me to give him a few laps around the house?" offered Adam, kissing Charlie's neck and nuzzling his face into her soft brown hair.

"You wouldn't mind?"

"Not if you wait for me in bed," he breathed into her ear.

The sensation tickled Charlie, and she couldn't help giggling. "How can you be so frisky and tired at the same time?"

"It isn't easy," he murmured.

Charlie felt his cheek rest against hers, and she happily sighed. "I'll wait."

While Adam lead Chuck around the mobile home in the darkness of the night, Charlie enjoyed a hot bath. Then she changed into Adam's favorite nightgown, and made the mistake of climbing beneath the covers to wait. By the time Adam found her, she was fast asleep.

When Adam awoke the next morning, he reached across the bed for Charlie, but found her place empty. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Adam got out of bed and dressed. As he buttoned his shirt, he went to the living room and found no one around. Even Chuck wasn't in his usual place on the sofa watching television. Where was everyone? Then Adam heard Shirley's voice outside the window, and stepped out to see what was going on.

"So, you're finally awake," remarked Shirley, as her brother sleepily scratched his head and came out to meet her. "You won't have a normal sleep pattern, if you don't wake up when everyone else does," she reproved.

Adam looked about the property in amazement. The back of the moving truck was open, and Mike, Hiram, and Jeff, were hauling things out and placing them on the ground. Maggie, Vera, and Sandra, were helping Shirley opened boxes of appliances, while the packing material blew in the wind. Nearby, Chad and Becky were exploring the things already set out, while Chuck sat in a chair close to Vera, enjoying the sunshine.

Seeing the smile on Adam's face, Shirley knew he was thankful. "I called Charlie this morning, and told her I was bringing some help," she answered his unspoken question. "Today was one of Jeff's off duty days, so he volunteered to come, as well."

"I sure appreciate it," confessed Adam. "I have to admit, I wasn't looking forward to doing all this with just me and Charlie." Then Adam realized he hadn't seen his young wife in all the activity. "Where's Charlie?" he asked.

With cutter in hand, Shirley opened yet another refrigerator box. "She's in Twin Yucca, running a few errands with Kevin. Honestly, Adam, how many of these things did she buy? I've counted four so far!"

"There's two more to go," he smiled. "Did Charlie say when she'd be back?"

"No," sighed Shirley, "and I didn't press for details. I had the impression she didn't want to tell me."

"Oh," Adam sighed. Seeing he had a lot to do, he joined the guys in unloading things from the moving truck. Halfway through the job, a large delivery truck from the furniture store honked outside the gates of Villa Rosa. "Looks like the furniture is here," announced Adam, putting down a microwave oven box and jogging to the gates.

"My, my," mused Shirley, shading her eyes as another truck pulled up behind the first. Soon, another and then another arrived.

After the first truck had been unloaded, Adam's pickup pulled up with Kevin behind the wheel. Charlie jumped out and ran to where Hiram and Adam were carrying out a large sofa.

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