Wednesday Family Dinners

Congressman Grant Collins looked like a politician. Silver haired and distinguished. He was a dignified man. Mid-fifties. A Vassar educated attorney. And a smile that still charmed even his ex-wife.

He rose from the table to greet her. "Erin, you're looking well."

She kissed his cheek. "Thanks for meeting me on such short notice."

Grant pulled the chair out for her. "You said it was important."

Erin sat down and waited for him to do the same. "Important, yes." she confirmed. "And I wanted it to come from me before you heard it through someone else."

He nodded. "I see." he replied. "Things are going that well with Agent Rossi?"

"Yes." she smiled. "But this isn't really about him. I mean it is. In a way. It's more about me, really." she stumbled through her thoughts. "It affects our family as a whole."

Grant looked her over. And suddenly everything became clear. "Congratulations." he offered. "I'd know that glow anywhere."

Erin finally exhaled the breath she had inwardly been holding since she had called him earlier in the day. "Thank you." she said, skeptically.

"No, I mean it, Erin." he told her. "I'm not just spitting out pleasantries. I'm really happy for you. You've had a hard year and you deserve some happiness. Have you told the kids?"

"Gracie." She took a sip of her water. "Not intentionally though. She caught me on a particularly bad morning."

"Must be a boy then." he observed. "You were never sick with our girls, just Dash."

"God, nothing could rival how sick I was with Dashiell." she recalled. "Thankfully it's not that bad."

"That's good then." he replied. "Do you want me to come out and we can tell them together?"

"I think that would be best." she told him. "Divorced or not we're still their parents and I think it's important to present a united front."

"Of course." Grant agreed. "I'm free tomorrow evening. Unless you want to wait to tell them."

"I've just hit the second trimester and everything looks good." she replied. "I'd like to tell them as soon as possible."

"So." he breathed out. "Who's last name is the baby getting?"

Erin couldn't help but smile. "Still a terrible fisherman, Grant." she laughed. "David and I are completely happy with things the way they are. For now."

"I'm just looking out for you."

Their divorce was an amicable one. In the last few years of their marriage they had drifted apart. He was there for her during her trip to rehab and after. And knew when to step back when David Rossi arrived on the scene. They had been married almost twenty years. Love and caring and respect was a difficult thing to just throw out the window with as much as a second thought.

"I appreciate the gesture but I can handle myself."

"You always could." he smiled.

/

The Collins children were all sitting at the dining room table. Grace knew why or at least she thought she did. Dashiell and Olivia on the other hand had no idea. Across from them sat both Grant and David with Erin in between.

Dashiell was the most pessimistic of the bunch. Teenage angst and all that. "So." he breathed out. "What's all this about?"

Erin shifted in her chair. "We'll get to that."

He shrugged. "I don't want to sit here all evening." he replied. "I have homework."

"Relax, son." Grant said, firmly. "We're having a family meeting."

"Are you going to stay for dinner, daddy?" Olivia asked.

Grant nodded. "That's the plan." he answered his youngest daughter. "But first we're going to get some business out of the way."

Erin looked at David and then over at the faces of her two youngest children. She had been thinking about this moment for quite a while. And every scenario she played out in her head seemed to end in absolute disaster. She figured the best thing to do was just come out and tell them the truth.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. David gave her thigh a gentle squeeze and a boost of confidence. "David and I are going to have a baby."

The words echoed throughout the room. Olivia's eyes grew as big as saucers. "You mean I'm going to be a big sister?"

"Yes." Erin answered with a smile. "Do you like the idea?"

"I love it!" she smiled back. "Except for the crying. I don't like crying."

Grant eyed his son. "Dashiell?"

"Well it's a little late for a brother now, mom." he said. "But I guess it's okay. What do you think, Gracie? You're not usually this quiet."

The teenager shrugged. "I think it's okay." she replied. "I'm not babysitting though."

Erin looked at David and saw the relief in his eyes that she was feeling. She turned her attention back to her children. "Any questions?"

Olivia was the first one to ask. "When do we get this baby?"

"May." David answered. "We'll know soon rather it's a boy or a girl."

Grant remembered how wonderful it felt to see his children on the ultrasound machine. To watch them flutter and hear their rapid heartbeats. A slight twinge of jealous hit him. But he was genuinely happy for both Erin and David.

Dashiell shifted in his seat. "This is a little awkward." he admitted. "I'll have a brother or sister that could practically be my kid."

Grant eyed his son. "You and I are going to have a little talk later."

"Not again, dad."

Erin was genuinely relieved at how the evening was going. Although there was some slight tension no one had complained or acted out. And that counted for something. A whole lot where she was concerned.

/

Grant placed the last of the dishes in the dishwasher. "I think tonight went rather well." he told her. "You were on pins and needles for nothing."

"It could have went either way, Grant."

"Not with our children."

"This has been a difficult year." she bit her bottom lip. "Everything just happened so fast."

He reached for both of her hands. "It has been a difficult year. But it's also been a very rewarding year. You're sober, you're happy, the kids are happy. You and I make a great parenting team. Things are obviously going very well with David. You're going to have another baby."

"I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop." she admitted. "Like it's too good to be true."

"You deserve to be happy, Erin." he told her. "We all do. Besides you overanalyze too much. Enjoy the moment."

Erin gave his hands a gentle squeeze before releasing them. "Thank you."

"Anytime." he smiled. "I need to get going. I have an early meeting in the morning. Why don't you call me and we'll get together for lunch sometime next week."

"My schedule is crazy right now."

"I'll call Meredith and have her pencil me in somewhere."

"Sounds good."

/

David stepped out of the shower to find Erin holding his towel hostage. "So it's like that, is it?"

"What?" she asked, innocently.

"You know what."

"I'm just trying to be helpful, darling." her eyes roamed appreciatively over his body.

"Like what you see?"

"Most definitely." she smiled. "In fact I was planning on joining you."

His wet hands reached for the tie of her robe. "Please do." he took her hand and brought her inside the shower with him.

David turned the water back on, letting the double shower heads cascade water over their bodies. His hands immediately went to her lower abdomen, covering the slight swell just below her navel. "You know I still can't believe it sometimes." he smiled. "There's actually a baby in there. A little piece of you and me."

Erin ran her fingers through his wet hair. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"A few times today."

"Perhaps I should show you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth down to hers. Their lips met softly in the middle. And then again more intensely, leaving them wanting more.

His arms encircled her waist. "I definitely like where this is going."

-Finished.