"Mommy I decided what I want for my birthday." Jamie said with a smile as his mother sat down on the edge of his Giants themed bed.
"Oh yeah?" Lindsay mused stroking her son's blonde hair. "What's that?"
"A doggy." He said his brown eyes begging his mother to approve.
"Sweetie, you know your dad doesn't want a dog right now." She said softly, rubbing her hand over her seventh month bump. "Not with the new baby and Maggie still too little."
"But it's not for them, it's for me." He argued, frowing his brow in frustration.
"Honey." Lindsay started but was cut off.
"What does he even care? He's never here anyway." Jamie growled as he turned away from his mother.
"Daniel James, don't be mean." She warned the six year old, as his body tensed hearing his full name. "I'll tell you what." She said as she stood carefully. "I'll talk to him about it." She offered as she kissed Jamie's cheek, turned the light off, and left his room.
She turned to walk into her daughter's room and almost ran smack into Danny's chest, causing her yelp. "Jesus Christ Danny." She said punching him shoulder.
"Ow." He said as he rubbed it. "What was that for?"
"Scaring the shit out of me." She said as she noticed how beat and exhausted he looked. "How much did you hear?"
"Right before, 'What does he care? He's never here anyway.'" Danny said softly as he hung his head and rubbed his hands over his face.
"He's just frustrated." Lindsay said as she wrapped her arms around his neck, getting as close to him as her stomach would allow.
"Yeah." Danny agreed as he rubbed his hand over his wife's stomach. "How's the little guy today?"
"Good, moving a lot." She whispered against his lips before kissing him. "Go to bed. I'm gonna check on Maggie."
"I already did, she should be down for the night." He said as he took his wife's hand and led her into their bedroom.
She sat on the bed, already in her pajamas, and watched as he moved towards the bathroom, taking his clothes off as he walked. She sighed and watched as he brushed his teeth. Jamie really needed something or he was really gonna start acting out.
"Dan we need to talk." She offered as she pulled the covers down on their bed.
"'bout what?" he asked as he spit in the sink and looked at her, already knowing what she was talking about. "Better not be about a dog."
"You like dogs remember." She said as he turned the light off in the bathroom and laid down next to her.
"It's not about liking them Montana." He said turning off the bedside lamp. "We live in the city, we already have a six year old and a two year old, with another baby on the way."
"That's my point Danny." She said stroking his cheek. "He'll get even less of our attention, Danny. The new baby is gonna demand so much, and he's six, he can do things for himself, he needs something, Danny, something constructive."
"I don't want a dog around a newborn." Danny said sternly.
"It's not like a dog will eat the baby." Lindsay growled at him. "I had a dog when I was born and ever since I moved to the city."
"You lived in Montana." He argued. "Plus dogs have nails, they scratch and bark."
"Danny, Jamie is six, he's already out of school for the summer, you've been working more because I've been out, Maggie's still small, we're gonna have a new baby in less than two months. He needs something Danny." She said frustrated by his stubbornness. "It's not like I'm talking about buying him a horse on speed that will be bouncing around, destroying everything."
"He has friends he can play with." Danny groaned becoming very impatient with his wife.
"And where do you think we're gonna find the time to drive him around the city and make sure he and his friend aren't getting into something. Besides you know his best friend's moving to Boston." She said squeezing his arm.
"Brian's moving?" Danny questioned.
"No Danny, Joey. Joey's his best friend." Lindsay said softly.
"Oh." Danny said upset.
"He's upset Dan. He remembers what it was like when Maggie was born, he's not stupid." She whispered moving her body closer to his, searching for warmth.
"I never said he was stupid." Danny defended as he started getting angry. "You know what? I'm done with this conversation."
"Fine." Lindsay huffed doing her best to turn away from him.
"Fine." Danny replied still moving closer to her and wrapping his arms around her, pulling him against his chest.
Outside their door Jamie, stood and listened but soon returned to his bed with his head hung in defeat.
"Jamie, get up, you're going to Grandma's today." Danny said knocking on his son's door before moving into his daughter's room. "Hey baby girl." He cooed as he plucked her out of her crib and settled her on his hip.
"Daddy." She clapped as she jabbered away. Danny brought her back into the kitchen where Lindsay was making breakfast and set her in her high chair.
"Jamie's not up yet?" Danny questioned looking around the kitchen for his son.
"Nope." Lindsay smiled as she kissed her daughter. "Hi sweetie."
"D get up." Danny said as he entered his son's room and gently shook him.
"Go away." He groaned pulling the covers over his head.
"Don't make me pull you out of bed." Danny warned pulling the covers away from his son, who continued to ignore him. "Fine." Danny said and stood and picked Jamie up by the hips and threw him over his shoulder.
"Dad, put me down." He yelled as his father held his legs from kicking him.
"Fine." Danny said and put the six year old in his chair at the table. "Eat."
"I'm not hungry." He replied looking up at his father, glaring.
"Jamie, don't talk back." Lindsay warned the boy, pouring milk in his cereal for him. "Danny sit down and calm down."
"Yeah." Danny agreed, taking a seat across from Jamie and next to Maggie's high chair. "Hi sweetie." Danny said kissing her hair as he poured milk into his cereal. "Go get dressed Montana, we don't want to be late."
"Okay." She said, throwing the dishrag on the counter. "I don't want to hear any fighting boys."
"Okay Mommy." Jamie said sweetly with a smile as he took a spoonful of his Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
"Don't charm me." Lindsay laughed as she disappeared down the hallway.
"What's a matter with you any way, D?" Danny questioned looking up from his breakfast. "You never act like this."
"Sorry." He mumbled as he continued to eat his cereal, avoiding looking at Danny.
"Look at me." Danny said softly dropping his spoon in his bowl, waiting for his son's brown eyes to meet his. "Jamie."
"What?" Jamie asked annoyed, finally looking up at his father.
"What's been up with you lately?" Danny questioned as his wife came back in the room.
"Nothing." He said and finished his cereal and stood to put it in the sink, before heading to his room to get changed.
"What was that about?" Lindsay asked looking down the hallway after her son, then back at Danny.
"He's pissed at me."