A/N: I am still working on DANNY"S LIST, because I am still receiving prompts =) But this story is way overdue to be posted. Please read and review!
"Gotta go, sorry guys. See you tomorrow, leaving 8am?" Jamie was up and out the door before anybody could even answer him.
Henry sat back with a contented sigh. "What is with that boy?" he wondered. "He's got ants in his pants quite a lot lately."
"He got off the phone pretty quick when I went to pick him up at the precinct the other day," Danny reported, helping himself to seconds of Key Lime Pie (courtesy of Linda) and vanilla ice cream (courtesy of Frank).
"And he kept checking his phone under the table." Sean informed them, polishing off the last of his dessert.
"Something's up," was Erin's astute observation.
"Perhaps he's got a new girlfriend?" surmised Nicky, with an amused grin.
Maybe it's none of those, Frank thought, as he stood to clear the table.
Sensing something amiss, Danny followed him into the kitchen with an armful of dishes. "What's up?" he prodded, placing his load on the bench.
"He's been avoiding me since – " the older man stopped talking, but continued to scrape the dishes prior to washing.
"Since when?" Danny probed.
"I'm sure it's nothing," Frank hedged. His voice was measured, almost emotionless. That was what got his eldest child really concerned.
"What's 'nothing'?" Danny was determined to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering his only surviving parent.
"Do you remember the night of The Showdown**? How he yelled at me and stormed out?" The memory of that night still disturbed Frank.
Danny thought back to that night. Due to Danny's own foolishness and selfishness, an incident had occurred earlier that week that had fractured his relationship with Jamie, nearly caused his brother to lose his job, and driven a wedge between Frank and his youngest son. That evening was supposed to mend some fences. Instead it had ended in a screaming match. "Not our finest hour, either of us. But that was weeks ago!" Danny comforted his father.
"And he's avoided being alone with me ever since." The moustached man's hurt was evident in both his tone and his eyes.
Jamie took a deep breath. He was looking forward to the family vacation starting the next day. Seven days at the beach was just what he needed after the turmoil of the last few weeks. He just hoped that the texts he had received during dinner wouldn't scupper his plans. He also prayed the rest of the Reagan clan would forgive his rudeness once the full story came out. He approached the cream wooden house and knocked on the mahogany-stained door.
"Sorry, Jamie," the pretty female occupant apologised, ushering him inside.
"Problem?" he queried, going through the carpeted hall to the opulently furnished living room. He stopped short when he spotted the man sitting uncomfortably on the leather sofa.
"Problems," the other man emphasised. "I don't think you'll be going anywhere tomorrow."
**see "Jamie Needs A Holiday" Chapter 11