A multi colored train rolled over the wooden tracks accompanied by chugging noises from three year old Jamie Reagan pushing the train along. "Choo Choo here comes the train oh no watch out he's the bad guy," Jamie spoke out loud grabbing a small toy figure putting him in front of the rolling train using one hand to move it closer.
The door slowly opened allowing Frank's large figure to enter, wordlessly watching his youngest with a smile. He and Mary loved all their kids equally but Jamie was their youngest he was special. "Hey kid, can you take a break fighting bad guys to have a talk with daddy," Frank smiled asking softly after several minutes of watching.
Hearing his voice Jamie quickly let the toys go turning as he scrambled up stumbling until finally regaining his balance. He smiled brightly, eyes twinkling running into the large arms of his father his own arms wrapping around him tightly. "Daddy did you hear I was about to get the bad guy like you do. Can you play with me a minute please?" The three year old clung to his daddy picking his head up revealing bright blue eyes.
"Well I'd love to buddy but mommy has to go shopping and I could really use a helper to come with us. Do you know anyone," Frank asked curiously scanning the room pretending to look for someone smiling so his mustache furrowed.
"I can do it daddy," Jamie pulled back using one hand to point at his chest. His eyes sparkled adding more excitement . He dropped the other arm bringing them up to make muscles showing his arms off. "I'm a big boy now daddy I'm this many," He brought a hand up showing three fingers.
Smiling proudly Frank pulled Jamie back into his arms tightly wrapping them around his son's small frame trapping him. With one hand he brushed his finger's over Jamie's tummy sending the little boy into a fit of laughter. "Daddy," Jamie squirmed in between laughs.
"All right mommy is waiting let's go down and we can play a little until daddy has to work," Frank released his arms letting go of his son and stood. "But I will race you to the stairs ready, go." Frank took a large step forward letting Jamie get ahead of him.
Jamie stopped skidding on the wood floor slipping backwards caught by Frank's arms before he went flying down the steps. "Have to be careful son we don't want you to get a boo boo right." Picking Jamie up into his arms carrying Jamie downstairs.
Mary's face lit up at her youngest stepping into the room ready to call up at her boys. "There he is my Jamison come to mommy." Squirming free Jamie rushed to her arms wrapping tightly obediently. "There you go let's get your sneakers on."
"No mommy I can do it I'm this many," Jamie put up three fingers again getting down to run out into the hallway where they kept outdoor shoes. Smiling Frank put an arm around Mary walking into the hall together watching Jamie put his sneakers on the right foot. Jamie held the laces up crossing them over pulling the two tight then made bunny ears crossing it over.
Hearing footsteps he turned around smiling proudly, "Mommy, Daddy look I tied my sneakers all by myself."
"Whoa what a big boy Jamie," Mary praised their son, teary eyed at how their baby was growing up so fast. "come on honey you get to go on a special shopping trip with mommy and daddy just us not your brothers or sister."
They set Jamie in his car seat, Frank driving and Mary in front passenger turning back to check on Jamie smiling. He kicked his little legs looking out the window amusing himself at the sights until they arrived. A special trip without his siblings made Jamie bounce excitedly in his seat a rarity to have both parents all to himself.
Arriving at the local market they let Jamie walk around holding Frank's hand having the wagon in case he grew tired. Mary took her list out following it gathering necessities for the house after looking at each item comparing prices. Jamie looked up at his father watching him carefully reach for items Mary couldn't reach exchanging a gentle kiss with her.
In each aisle Frank picked up heavy items for his wife watched carefully without either parent realizing. They stopped for a bag of rice Frank leaning low to pick it up setting up the bag inside their wagon. "What else do you need?"
Mary double checked her list, "We still have to get eggs, milk because our kids love milk right Jamison?" He turned to her giving a smile, eyes twinkling brightly.
Reaching for his hand Jamie took another few steps following along not once asking to be placed inside the wagon because he was tired. He looked around at all the items turning again to watch how Frank would reach out and take anything heavy Mary was about to pick up.
The shopping trip came to a close after picking up a large milk, some eggs and yogurt for the house set carefully on top of the wagon so they don't crack. Pushing the wagon to checkout Jamie's mind wandered to what he saw today all the gestures by his father to never let his mommy carry anything, holding doors open for her.
Frank reached for his wallet taking out a pre signed check handing it to the cashier with id for clearance. They bagged the items setting them inside their wagon while Frank took care of the money. Jamie watched Mary reach for the last bag while Frank was busy hurrying closer. "Mommy let me get that I can hold it."
Smiling Mary looked down grateful to her youngest for the offer. "That is very sweet honey but it's very heavy. Mommy can carry it thank you."
"No mommy I can carry it," Jamie insisted reaching two little hands up for the bag eyes rounded pleadingly. Sighing Mary slowly brought the bag down handing it over kissing the top of her boy's head.
After paying for everything Frank turned meeting Jamie's eyes winking giving him an approved nod of his head heating what he told his mother. "Come on let's go home " On his way by Frank rubbed the top of his son's head pushing the cart out with Jamie determined to carry the bag out for his mommy.
During the car ride back Mary smiled at her husband laying her head back against the rest. "What would you like for dinner tonight," Frank asked softly watching her out of his side vision.
"Oh I can cook Frank you have work," Mary insisted. "What is tonight until midnight right? Are you still trying to catch that bank robber?"
Waiting for a red light Frank leaned across the seats placing a gentle kiss on his Mary's lips. "Yes but we'll find him. You on the other hand need to sit down and relax. Mary you do so much for this family I can cook dinner before work. I can have the kids help."
Mary laughed at that idea, Joe sure and Erin would be glad to help. Even Jamie at three found helping exciting but their Danny he was a firecracker.
They arrived home Mary putting her feet up watching Jamie play while until his siblings came home from big kid school as Jamie called it. He heard the door open Joe coming home with Erin first. "Joe," Jamie threw his toys down stumbling forward over them planting himself face first trying to get up. Finally managing to stand Jamie met them at the living room door jumping into his-brother's arms.
"Hey kid, how's it going," Joe knelt down on one knee for a tight hug amused he received the same reaction every day from Jamie when they came home.
"Joe, I got to go shopping with mommy and daddy today just us!" Jamie turned to his sister Erin holding her back pack over the ground. "I can carry that Erin. I'm supposed to cause you're a girl," Jamie reached his little hand out taking the strap from her.
Erin raised an eyebrow curious at first then warning to her older brother. Clearing his throat Joe started into the kitchen chuckling when he was far enough from Erin to do anything. She looked back to Jamie pulling the bag towards the steps meaning to bring it up to her room.
From the living room Mary chuckled too meeting Erin in the hallway. "Jamie saw daddy carrying the groceries for me. I'll talk with him but it is very sweet. Dad is cooking tonight before work so what can we do until dinner.
While dinner cooked Frank took Jamie upstairs for a man to man talk with his youngest before work. Sitting the little boy down on his lap Frank smiled, hugging his youngest making Jamie look smaller in his larger arms. "Your not in trouble Jamie I just wanted to talk about what you saw earlier."
"Okay daddy." Blue eyes rounded totally focused on his father with clear admiration Jamie waited patiently.
"Son when you get bigger there are things that you should do in order to be a gentleman. I know it's a lot so I try to show you and your brothers the right way of what we are supposed to do," Frank explained softly smiling . "Being a gentleman is very important son okay?"
Jamie only nodded quietly taking that in his little brain to let it soak. "What you say me do today with mommy holding her bags and opening the car door for her those are some things you should do. You pull out a chair for a lady because it wouldn't be nice for her to do it."
"No daddy," Jamie shook his head emphatically, keeping everything his father was saying engraved in his brain to remember.
"Always pick up the check," Frank continued with a smile to his youngest, letting Jamie cuddle in the bigger man's arms. "When your older Pop and I will teach you how to cook for a woman because that's romantic. I used to cook for mommy when we started going out you know."
Blue eyes round Jamie looked up to his father, "You did? You're a good cook daddy make yummy meals."
Smiling with a light chuckle Frank rewarded his son with a tight hug. "You will be too son just always remember to be a good, honest person okay? That's more important then anything else in life and you can do anything you set your mind to. Love you bud now daddy has to go catch some bad guys."
Setting him on the bed again after a second hug Frank waved watched by Jamie from the bed disappearing while ducking under the doorframe. With his father gone Jamie lay on his stomach, little mind turning like wheels on a machine at everything his father told him almost reciting it to stick.
Kicking his feet Jamie frowned, turning over to look at the child sized desk across the room with crayons. "Joe? Joe are you here?"
Jamie let out a breath seeing his older brother's head peek in around the doorframe. "Where else would I be kid? What's up you all right?" Joe crossed the room to sit beside his baby brother and best friend studying him.
"Daddy came in and told me I have to be a good boy and pull out chairs and hold doors but I can't remember what else. Can you write it down for me so I can remember everything please Joe for me? I don't want to forget."
Chuckling under his breath Joe picked his brother up moving him on his lap. "And how are you going to read it?"
The bottom of Jamie's lip quivered not thinking that he wasn't able to read the list even if Joe did write it. "So I'm going to forget and make daddy mad at me? "
Quickly wrapping his arms around his little brother's body Joe hugged him tight. "No you won't forget and you still have a lot of time before that so if you ever need you can always come to me or dad, Pop or even Danny. We're all her for you all right kid?"
Jamie's eyes twinkled, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand quickly hating to cry in front of Joe. "And it's okay to cry if you feel sad no matter what anyone says all right? Now let's see what kind of train track we can build."
Holding his brother's hand Jamie eagerly forgot why he was upset, distracted by the track he started to build glad he had time and the family to help remind him.