Disclaimer:
I hereby incorporate all standard disclaimers as set forth in previous chapters to this story.
Chapter 25:
When Sloan returned home late that afternoon, he did so via the only route onto his property where Nicky couldn't see him arrive which was from the western entrance. He parked on the driveway in an area where the house blocked any view from the pool or Nicky's bedroom.
Albert pulled in behind him and he got into the Escalade and they made their way back to the garage and entered as if it were a normal return from an afternoon excursion.
"Thanks for the lift Albert." Sloan smiled as he alighted from the SUV.
"My pleasure Sebastian. I hope that she likes it. Winney and I will put the bow on it while you keep her entertained." He replied.
Everyone came over that night to celebrate Nicky's birthday and Winney had made a scrumptious dinner which included all of the celebrant's favorite foods.
After she had opened all of her gifts, Erin announced that one remained and would she please follow them outside.
Albert had placed the gift directly in front the house so the stage was set.
Sloan opened the front door and Nicky's eyes lit up as she saw a brand new ruby red 2015 Buick Enclave SUV with a big red bow on the roof.
"Oh My God." She yelled out. "It's beautiful" she exclaimed as she ran outside to look at her new ride.
Erin and Sloan went outside with her while the rest of the family followed.
"You're going to need some wheels when you get up to Ann Arbor so we felt this would be something you'd enjoy." Erin informed her.
"I love it, who picked the color?" She asked.
"Me." Sloan grinned. "It fits you." He said, tossing her the keys.
"I thought you were shipping me my Volvo?" She asked.
"We'll keep that in Brooklyn for when you come back to visit." Erin said assuaging her concern.
"I have one other bit of news for you. I filed a petition this morning to adopt you. If all goes well you will legally be my daughter before you begin the fall semester." He smiled as he hugged his girl.
"Thank you." She said, starting to cry as he held her.
"There's no crying on birthdays." He teased.
"I thought that was only in baseball?" She asked recalling Tom Hank's famous line in 'A League Of Their Own'.
"Heck, you should see some of the crybabies in that sport. Now in hockey, no player would dare to be caught crying." He responded.
After cake and ice cream, the rest of the family headed home while Nicky went upstairs to send photos of her new car to her friends and to inform them of Sloan's petition to adopt her.
Erin pulled him into the den and they sat down on the couch where she laid his head on her lap.
"Her father didn't call her today." Erin sadly noted.
"That won't be an issue by the beginning of September." He solemnly responded.
"You are one sweet man." She said as she ran her fingers through his hair.
"She's special, but you already know that. So, how are you holding up?" He asked.
"I'm okay. It's been a rough few days realizing that I have to let go of her but as you said, I raised her for this moment and it's just as unfair of me to keep her as it was for my father to bind me to him." She acknowledged.
"Correct. Practice what you preach." He teased.
"I'll be doing more than that once this basketball inside of me drops out." She teased back.
Sloan turned to his son. "Mommy has some interesting names for you lately. I'm surprised she hasn't called you a butterball yet."
"Give me time, I still have another two weeks until the thermometer pops telling me I can finally take him out of the oven." She exasperatedly said. "He's going to be a lot bigger than Nicky was."
Over the next few days they finished the nursery and hired a nanny who was a friend of Laurie's, who was well vouched for by her former employers. Lynne and Danny both ran background checks and she came up squeaky clean. Her name was Veronica and she was British, 28 years old and for Erin's taste, way too attractive but then again, her husband liked to surround himself with beauty no matter what form it came in.
Veronica would move in the day Erin came home from the hospital. She looked forward to her new charge and to the lifestyle of living in two cities not to mention future travels. She spoke four languages, (English, French, Italian and Latin) was very well read and particularly enjoyed a good debate on religion, philosophy or theology. Sloan would be in heaven.
"Just remember, it's the little baby we are hiring you to take care of. The big one is my headache." Erin teased.
They went shopping and acquired a Jeep Grand Cherokee for Veronica for when she had to transport Joey or run errands. Sloan made room in the larger garage for her personal vehicle and the new Jeep which he'd move into the main garage once Nicky left for college.
"Next time, I'm building a bigger primary garage." He joked as all five bays were now filled between the Enclave, the Escalade, and the three Jaguars.
"My hospital bag is all packed and ready to go and Albert has it sitting to the side of the back door on the shelf so we can grab it as we leave." She informed him.
"Then I guess we are ready for Joey who is taking his sweet time in making his appearance. Maybe if I tickle you it will induce labor." He speculated.
"I don't think that will work." She replied.
"How about if I smack your butt a few times? It may cause him to pop out the other end." He theorized.
"How about if I return the favor? I made sure we have some large wooden spoons in the kitchen." She threatened.
"It was just a thought." He innocently responded.
On the morning of August 12th Sloan awoke and leaned over to Erin. "Happy Anniversary."
She smiled. "You remembered."
"Of course, one year ago at 10:30 a.m. marks the moment when I first saw you." He replied.
"And one year ago tonight I made a bet that you accepted which landed you in my bed which I've never let you out of." She purred.
That evening he fixed her an exquisite meal and they ate poolside with some of their favorite tunes playing on the pool house's exterior speakers.
"I fell in love with you one year ago tonight and I have never fallen out." Sloan informed her.
"Nor have I. Thank you for everything but most of all for being the man of my dreams." She replied as they kissed.
The following night they took a drive downtown to watch the Detroit Tigers play the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sloan still had access throughout Comerica Park so it was nothing for them to find themselves standing outside of the visitor's locker room prior to the game.
Sloan knocked on the door and when it opened, he asked to see Mark Delmont.
"Sorry, but the players aren't giving autographs at this time." The guy replied.
"That's okay, I give enough of them myself so I know how it feels. Tell him Sloan Silver is outside." He replied.
"Sloan Silver?" He suspiciously asked.
"How about you and I go out there for some batting practice and if you can hit more than two of my pitches you'll know the answer to that question." Sloan retorted.
"I'll go get Mark." He excitedly replied.
Two minutes later Mark Delmont exited the locker room and came over to Sloan. To say he was surprised was an understatement.
"Mark, how are you doing?" Sloan asked.
"I'm doing great, what brings you down here?" He asked.
"Someone wanted to be sure you've been a good boy as today is the final day of your probation." He teased.
Erin stepped out from behind the wall column and smiled. "Have you been behaving yourself Mr. Delmont?" She asked.
"Yes Ma'am, I quit drinking and cleaned up may act and… and.." He stopped, his mouth hanging open. "Wait a minute, you're pregnant." He confusingly announced.
"Great peepers Mark. Now if only Verlander throws you a slider tonight you'll have it made. Remember, this park is a pitchers paradise." Sloan teased.
Erin showed him her ring.
"We wanted to thank you Mark." Sloan said as he put his arm around his wife. "It may have been the one time in your life when one of your screw ups led to something positive."
"When did you two get married?" He asked, still not believing that his attorney and the prosecutor in his case were hitched.
"January 17th." Erin answered. "We began dating the night you were arraigned."
"It was lust at first sight which became love by the end of the night." Sloan informed him.
"So the next morning when I plead guilty, you two had already?" Delmont tactfully asked.
"Yep. I had to climb out of her bed to be in court with you so consider us even." He smiled.
"So when is the baby due?"
"Any time now. I hope they have a really big catcher's mitt in the clubhouse." Sloan laughed as he punched his right hand into his left palm.
Erin leaned in and gave Delmont a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Mark, whether or not you realize it, you brought us together." She smiled.
"So you'll report back that I'm clean?" He expectantly asked.
"I would if I was able to but I left the DA's office after I married Sloan. I'm now a criminal defense attorney so if you ever get in trouble again either here or in New York, call Sloan's office and ask for me. I owe you one." She said. "But Mark? Try not to have to collect on that favor okay?" She said while giving him her best prosecutor's stare.
With that they parted company and went up to his firm's suite to watch the game and both Sloan and Erin had to laugh as Mark Delmont managed to uncork a beauty into the left field upper deck on his first swing of the night.
"Poor Justin, he never has learned how to keep his slider from hanging like soap on a rope." Sloan chuckled.
Erin looked out at the right field wall where she noticed her husband's last name and his number 31 along with the names and retired numbers of other former Tiger greats.
"When did they retire your number?" She asked.
On the night of my last regular season game, the same as they did in hockey. I didn't want the big sayonara show they put on so after I threw my final pitch, they held a brief ceremony and that was it.
"Which sport was harder to give up?" She inquired.
"Hockey by far. I still miss it but I don't miss baseball." He answered.
"Why?" She asked
"Because I never loved this game the way I did hockey. Pitchers only pitch once in every five games. As a starter, I averaged about 25 games a year because I spent the beginning of most seasons in the Stanley Cup Playoffs so by the time I was in the regular rotation full time, it would be June and the season was one third over. In hockey I could play 60-65 games out of the 82 and that was because they benched me for the others so that the backup goalie could get some work in." He answered.
"Aww, they gave you a sixty minute time out. I'll have to try that sometime." She grinned.
That night he held his precious wife very closely to him while he continued to gently rub her tummy.
After ten minutes Erin had enough and pulled his hand away. "It's not a magic lamp." She complained.
"How do you know? Maybe if I rub it long enough a Joey will pop out." He teased.
"I wish he would." She replied.
"Maybe you have a defective toaster mechanism and it isn't popping when it should?" He laughed.
She turned and looked at him. "You did this to me and now you're laughing about it?"
"We did this to you and yes, I'm laughing at how silly you are acting. Within the next few days your discomfort will be over and you'll be beaming with pride at your newborn son so just lie back and relax and I'll rub your feet and legs for you." He responded.
"I feel fat, bloated and ugly." She huffed.
"Well you aren't. Other than the Christmas ham you're carrying in your womb, you're still a beanpole and a beautiful as ever." He assured her.
"The only two people I let get away with calling me that are my father and Danny so watch it." She warned as he began massaging her feet.
"Fine. I'll just call you Langer Lockshen."
"What does that mean?" She asked.
"Yiddish for tall and spaghetti like thin or in your case, a beanpole." He laughed, until he caught a foot in the chest which knocked him on his ass.
He got up and saw a very self-satisfied look on Erin's face.
"You do realize this means war?" He asked her.
"No, please don't. I'm sorry." She quickly apologized.
"Uh Uh, not now, but after Joey is born, I will get you back for that with costs, fees and interest, counselor." He grinned.
August 22nd came and still nothing was heard from Joey. Erin was now becoming miserable. "If he doesn't come out by Monday I'm having the doctor induce labor. My oven is at maximum and can't cook him anymore.
"Maybe you've set it for browning and it's putting a nice top coat on him." Sloan teased.
"Just wait until I can get my hands on you again. All of your jokes at my expense will be repaid in full." She groused.
Frank, Jamie and Danny had each called for a progress report and Erin was equally short with them all. Sloan smoothed their feathers afterwards and declined their offer to head for Detroit.
"She's simply reached the end of her rope. She wants her active life back and at this point, she's pretty much confined to bed or the pool which helps to take the stress off her frame." He advised Frank.
"You must be catching six kinds of hell from her." Frank empathized.
"Nothing I'm worried about. The minute the doctor smacks Joey's ass, Erin will instantly change from a raging shrew into a doting mommy and back to being a loving wife." He replied while the subject of their conversation stared daggers at him.
"Call if you need us, I mean it. We're on pins and needles here." Frank advised.
"I will Frank, keep your phone on. If Joey hasn't checked out of the Roach Motel by Monday she's going to evict him." Sloan chuckled as a pillow sailed at his head missing by inches.
"I see you're keeping your sense of humor. It's the only way to survive a grumpy Erin." Frank giggled.
Sloan hung up and looked at his wife who was now cooing to him. "Come here sweetheart, I want to snuggle."
"Fat chance on that one after you just launched a projectile at my noggin." He responded.
"You are so going to get it when I'm back in form." She warned.
"Probably, but I'll worry about it then. Right now, let's work on keeping you relaxed and bitchy free." He snickered as the second pillow hit him square in the face.
Monday had come and gone and now the entire family was in waiting mode with Sloan, Nicky and Albert all fielding phone calls, emails and text messages.
By now, Erin's hospital bag was in the back of the Escalade and Sloan was considering taking her by helicopter to the hospital in order to get her there as quickly as possible.
When Tuesday brought no further results Erin was at her wit's end and called Dr. Feldman begging for labor do be induced. She responded that if Erin hadn't delivered by Friday she would do so, but the one week late factor hadn't yet been reached.
Wednesday and Thursday came and went and Erin was beginning to lose it.
"He's like Punxsutawney Phil." Sloan advised. "Face it, Joey isn't coming out of his gopher hole until he's damned good and ready."
The look he received from Erin would require Beelzebub to begin issuing ice skates to all of his guests.
Sloan was peacefully asleep on Friday morning when he felt Erin shaking him.
"Wake up, my water just broke." She smiled.
"Hallelujah!" He shouted as he jumped out of bed and began helping Erin get dressed before donning his own garb.
Albert and Winney had just arrived and he announced the good news.
Nicky heard the commotion and came downstairs.
"Your brother is ready to make his grand entrance." Sloan cheered as he kissed her. "I'll call you when I have more news and Lynne or Paige can bring you to meet him once he's ready.
Erin came downstairs and kissed Nicky. "Remember, you'll always be my first born and I will always love you." She said reminding Nicky of their earlier conversation. "Please call your grandfather and let him know that we're on our way to the hospital."
"I know Mom, I love you both. Bye Joey, see you later." She grinned and ran upstairs to alert her friends and relatives.
Sloan had called Lynne and asked her to notify Dr. Feldman.
"Can you hold on for twenty minutes or should I fly you in?" He asked Erin.
"I can make it. Let's go." She said and they hopped into the Escalade and headed out.
Exactly twenty minutes later Sloan pulled in to the emergency entrance of William Beaumont Hospital in suburban Royal Oak, Michigan. Erin was placed in a wheel chair and the attendant wheeled her directly to the obstetrics ward while Sloan parked the SUV and went in to fill out the paperwork.
An hour later, Erin was in a delivery room and still no Joey, though she was dilating.
"I'd say at least another two to three hours." Dr. Feldman informed him.
It was now 9:00 a.m.
He called Frank with the news. "It looks like your grandson is in the process of planning his liquid lunch at Restaurant Mommy."
"You have such a way with words." Frank laughed.
"It keeps me sane."
"How are you holding up?" Frank asked.
"I'm fine. I'm a dead man once she's back to normal, but until then I have a short lease on life." Sloan responded.
"Maybe she'll go easy on you, though I doubt it." He empathized.
"Send Danny to protect me."
"He won't go near her either if she's after you because she'd take it out on him. Danny may be a lot of things but stupid isn't one of them, especially when it comes to surviving Erin's temper. I'll send Jamie instead."
At 11:00 a scrubbed and garbed Sloan entered the delivery room singing. "Do not forsake me oh my darling."
"What are you singing?" Erin asked.
"Gary Cooper from High Noon, which is about when our son is expected to enter this world dans le temps pour le petit de jeuner à son mésange de mère." He replied causing Dr. Feldman to begin giggling.
"What did he just say?" Erin asked her doctor, knowing that it was something at her expense.
"Sorry, but I'll let him explain it later, preferably on his way out so that I won't have to admit him to the orthopedics ward for a fractured nose." She smiled before turning to Sloan. "Your sisters definitely do not have your sense of humor."
"You can only imagine what I put them through growing up, especially the oldest one." He chuckled.
"Lynne did warn me that you were one of a kind." She smiled.
"Is this going to be a slow delivery or should I go home and put on my hockey mask and trapper's mitt and see if she can shoot him past me and into the net?" He asked.
"Shut up Sloan." Erin yelled.
"Now there's that lovely Irish temper I've become so fond of." He grinned.
At 11:45 a.m. Erin went into full labor and for all his earlier teasing, Sloan shifted gears as he held her hand and helped her breath through it. He wiped her forehead and leaned in to kiss her repeatedly, speaking to her in his softest and most gentle voice. She smiled back knowing that his earlier antics were designed to take her mind off the pain and she loved him for it. She bore down as directed and recalled that Nicky was a much easier birth so this had to be a jumbo sized baby she was about to drop.
On the final push she squeezed Sloan's hand so hard she thought she had broken it but he just stared at her lovingly while he wiped her forehead and soothed her.
Then she heard the crack of a hand smacking her son's bottom and his first cry of life. She looked up at her husband and beamed with joy and pride. "I love you sweetheart."
"I love you too." He affirmed.
"Would you like to come over and cut your son's umbilical cord?" Dr. Feldman asked.
"I'd be honored to. The sooner you separate a Jewish boy from his mother, the better." He joked, earning a scowl from both the doctor and his wife. He cut the cord and waited as his son was wrapped in a blanket and handed to him.
"Note time of birth as 12:00 p.m., Friday August 28, 2015." She called out. "What's his name? She asked.
"Joseph Solomon Silver."
He carried Joseph over and handed him to Erin. "Meet your mommy." He told his son.
"He's beautiful Sloan. He looks like a tiny you." She softly cooed.
"Probably will act like it to." He teased, amazed at the wonderful child they had created together.
He quickly took out his cell phone and took photos of his son and wife and then a few of Joey. He had some emailing to do and fast.
Dr. Feldman came over and took a couple of the three of them together and a couple more of just father and son.
"We're going to take him now and weigh, measure and clean him up and then bring him back pour le petit de jeuner." She smiled.
Sloan quickly packaged the photos and sent them out to all the family members. Thanks to the technology of Nicky's era, everyone would be viewing their new family addition within five minutes.
Next he leaned in while the nurse readied Erin to take her away to be cleaned up. "I love you more than you can ever know, and while I know I can be a pain in your ass, know that I do it out of love." He told her.
She pulled him to her and kissed him. "I've always known that which is why we are still married and I am seeing rather than viewing you." She responded.
"I'll see you once you and Big Boy are settled in your suite."
Sloan walked out of the delivery room to find all three of his sisters waiting for him. As they hugged him he began to tear up at the joy of finally becoming a father.
"Mazel Tov big brother." Paige led off. "It's about time." She said hugging him.
"I think Erin got her wish. He looks just like Sebastian did." Lynne smiled.
"You're going to be a terrific father Sloan." Karen finished.
"And he has three wonderful aunts who have done a fine job with his cousins to help me." He told them all.
His phone began ringing. It was Frank. "Hi grandpa." He answered.
"Congratulations Sloan!" Frank responded. "He's a handsome devil, looks like his dad."
"That means he'll have Erin's personality." Sloan laughed.
"How's she doing?" Frank chuckled.
"She's fine. Once Joe popped out it was like a light switch was thrown and she became enamored with him. They are both being cleaned up and taken to her suite. Tell everyone to plan on being at the Downtown Heliport on Thursday by 4 p.m. The Bris is one week from tomorrow."
"Will do and we look forward to seeing all of you. I'll call later when Erin can talk." He stated and disconnected.
Sloan fielded calls from his parents who were on their way as well as Danny, Linda, Jamie, Henry, Casey, Alex and Michael.
Lynne had left to go pick up Nicky so Sloan sat with Karen and Paige, one arm around each as he hugged them.
"What's going through your head?" Karen asked.
"It's all a blur right now Sis. It doesn't seem real to me." He said.
"Wait until you have to wake up at 3 a.m. to change him. You'll get a dose of reality if you aren't careful." Paige teased.
"At least you or Lynne never peed on me when I changed your diapers. Karen would have if she could have." He teased.
"Damn straight." His oldest sister shot back.
The nurse returned. "I believe you have two relatives who are very anxious to see you Dr. Silver." She smiled.
"Thank you, may I bring my sisters with me?"
"Of course."
"My third sister, step-daughter and parents are inbound. What room number are my wife and son in?" He asked.
Paige texted the information to Lynne and Shelley and they went upstairs with Sloan to meet their new nephew.
"Give us a couple of minutes?" He asked his sisters.
"Of course." Karen smiled.
Sloan entered to find Erin feeding Joey. She looked up with an expression of utter bliss and love.
"Joey, Daddy's here." She cooed.
"You do beautiful work sweetheart." He praised as he kissed her.
After Erin finished feeding her son, Sloan picked him up and burped him. "Not bad, give him time and he'll sound just like me." He bragged.
"That isn't exactly a trait I want you teaching him." Erin commented.
"Daddy has so much to learn you." He joked as he kissed his son. "I think you have some visitors."
Sloan handed Joey back to Erin and let in Nicky who couldn't wait to see her baby brother.
"Mom, he's so adorable." She crooned.
"He is sweetheart, and he's your little brother." Erin smiled at her big girl. "Here, hold him." She offered, remembering herself how she felt when her mother had handed her Joe and Jaime for the first time.
Nicky gently cradled her baby brother in her arms as she leaned in to kiss his forehead. "I'm your big sister." She smiled.
Sloan went and let the rest of his family in and had Paige take a few quick photos of the four of them together plus a three generation shot of Joey, Sloan and Nathan.
"He's beautiful Erin." Shelley informed her daughter-in-law.
"Thank you. Does he look like Sloan did?" She asked.
"Very much so. He's his father's son, and his grandfather's grandson." She smiled.
Lynne couldn't believe how much he looked like Sebastian when he had been born. "I'd swear it was almost the same baby."
"So, what's the official height and weight?" Paige asked.
"Seven pounds, fifteen and a half ounces and twenty three and a half inches in length. Nicky was six pounds five ounces and nineteen inches." Erin replied.
"Well, you kept saying you were carrying around a bowling ball." Sloan observed.
"Your mommy said a lot of things about you. Someday I will tell you them all." Sloan teased his son, and wife.
"Not if you value your life." Erin replied.
"Ninety minutes from giving birth and she's as fiery as ever. God Bless the Irish." He stated.
"How long are they keeping you here?" Karen asked.
"Two more days, due to my age they want to be sure I'm healed enough to leave." She replied.
"That means for the next 48 hours our brother is off his leash." Paige teased.
Sloan grinned.
"Wipe that smirk off your face." Erin warned.
"I'll make sure he's locked in for the night." Lynne jestingly offered.
"Just make sure he can't sneak out of his bedroom window like he did when he was sixteen." Erin smiled.
Nathan and Shelley immediately looked at their son.
"I used jumper wires on the alarm magnets on my side window and hopped down onto the garage where I had a rope ladder tied up." He smiled. "All a function of engineering."
"I'll potch him when I get home." Erin offered.
"Please do." Shelley responded.
"Schterer." He directed at Erin who smirked back.
Sloan and Nicky remained after everyone else had left. Erin fielded phone calls from her family and Sloan transmitted live video of Joey as she held him. She looked forward to everyone's arrival next week.
Sloan slept the sleep of the departed for the next two nights, realizing how wonderful it was not to have someone else kicking, snoring and moving around in bed. Of course, he slept in one of the second floor bedrooms because if Erin found out he stayed in their bed without her, he'd wind up a eunuch.
Finally on August 31st he pulled up to the hospital entrance and watched as his wife and son were wheeled out. He held Joey while Erin climbed into the front seat and then he carefully placed his newborn son in his car seat in back before covering him with a lightweight blanket and insuring the belts were all tight.
"Okay Joey, it's time for your first ride." He smiled.
Twenty minutes later they were home and showing him off to Albert and Winney who couldn't get enough of the cute baby.
Erin took their son upstairs to the nursery to feed him and then placed him in his crib. Veronica had arrived the night before and toured the room with Erin who showed her where everything was.
Finally, Nicky entered and took a photograph of her baby brother sleeping.
"I can still remember the first time I placed you in your crib." Erin said as she hugged her daughter.
"You don't need to worry about me Mom. I'll be fine at Michigan." Nicky replied.
"I know sweetheart, it's just hard to lose you, especially now when I have my two precious children with me."
"I'll come home on weekends and for holidays, it's not like I'm leaving you forever." Nicky responded. "Besides, I want to be around Joey as much as I can. He's so cute." She smiled.
"One day, and it better not be too soon, you'll be placing your first child in his crib and you'll remember how you felt at this moment, and you'll understand my feelings for both of you." She sadly smiled.
"I'll always love you mom and I don't feel as if you are pushing me away to make room for Joey. Just the opposite, I asked for a sibling and you and Sloan gave me one. I couldn't be happier or more grateful, Thank you." Nicky responded while leaning into her mother's hug.
Thursday evening was filled with the joy of the newly arrived Reagans who at last were able to meet and hold the newest family addition and convey their personal wishes to the happy parents.
Jaime grinned from ear to ear as he held his new nephew. "Erin, he's perfect."
"Thank you. Watching you hold him reminds me of the day mom first put you in my arms and here you are about to turn 40."
"It's like a part of Joe is back with us." He noted.
Danny came over and put his arm around his sister. "So when can we expect some nieces and nephews from you kid?" Danny asked.
"First I have to get married and after that, give me some time to get settled in life and then I promise, I'll start living up to my part of the deal."
"I think he'll make a great dad, don't you Danny?" Erin asked.
"Definitely." He replied.
"Well don't put any ideas in his head you two. First I want the other part of my ring and then a two year honeymoon before I start pumping out kids." Casey matter-of-factly stated.
Frank came over and claimed his newest grandson from Jamie.
"He's going to be special." Frank smiled.
"And he's probably going to be a big man like his daddy and grandpa." Erin smiled.
"How are you feeling sunshine?" He asked.
"I'm feeling overwhelmed with love. For Joey, for Nicky and for Sloan." She answered. "Part of me is also thrilled with having a new baby and the other part is sad that Nicky is beginning her life as an adult."
"Remember what you told me about letting your children get on with their lives." He recalled.
"I do Dad and I'm not a hypocrite but like you, it doesn't mean that I have to like it." She answered.
Frank smiled. "Then we understand one another."
The next day Sloan arranged to have a photographer come over and spend a few hours taking a variety of outdoor family portraits.
First and foremost, he wanted one with both families together. Everyone huddled together on the back lawn with Henry, Shelley and Nathan seated with all the adults and kids piled around. Shelley, seated in the middle, held Joe.
Next was the Reagan family with significant others followed by the Silvers.
Then all the cousins grouped together with Samantha holding Joey followed by the individual family versions with Jack, Sean, Nicky and Joe for one photo and Sloan's nieces and nephews with Nicky and Joe for the other.
Next he had each set of grandparents with their grandchildren and one of Henry with his four great-grandchildren.
There was a three generation photograph of Shelley with Paige and Alison and one of her with Karen and Samantha, followed by Nathan, Sloan and Joe and then a four generation of Henry, Frank, Danny, Jack and Sean.
Finishing up there was a wonderful photo of Sloan with his sisters and one of Erin with her brothers followed by each individual family which he broke up into one of the parents with and without their children. The last series was Joey and Nicky followed by Jason and Samantha, Jack and Sean, Matthew and Sebastian and lastly Allison alone.
Joey was a trooper through the entire event and as soon as the last photo was taken, Erin immediately took him back up to the nursery and fed him before putting him down for a well-deserved nap.
Later, Frank and Erin were sitting by the pool. He could detect a certain sadness emanating from his daughter and he knew what it was.
"It's coming up on ten years." He said referring to her mother's passing.
"I know and I really miss her. She would have been so proud of the woman Nicky has become and overjoyed with her grandson, but most of all, I think she would have really liked Sloan."
"Me too." He said hugging her.
"So what about you, how's your love life?" Erin inquired.
"Touch and go. I've been dating, nothing serious but I promised I would get out there. I'm meeting some very lovely women." He answered.
"I'm glad. I want you to be happy Dad." She smiled.
The next morning everyone attended services where the name of Joseph Solomon Silver, son of proud parents Erin and Sloan was announced to the congregation, officially presenting him to the Jewish community.
When they returned home Sloan explained the Bris to Jamie, who seemed to turn green at the thought of watching his nephew undergo the procedure.
Sloan took out a cigar and a cutter and held it up to Jamie while he snipped it. "The Mohel works for tips." He joked, earning an eye roll from Erin.
"Did you hear the one about the Mohel who made a wallet out of the foreskins he collected during his career? Every time a beautiful woman walked by it would turn into a suitcase." He chuckled.
That afternoon was Joseph's Bris. The Mohel arrived at 2:00 p.m. and everyone gathered around. Erin announced that she and Sloan wished Jamie and Lynne to be his godparents.
Sloan entered carrying a bottle of 50 year old Macallan scotch.
"We'll open this bottle today and give Joey a little taste to numb him for his Bris. He'll drink from it again at his Bar-Mitzvah and on the day of his wedding. The rest he'll put away for his son, and so on.
Erin placed Joey into Jamie's arms and he sat down on the throne chair in the middle of the living room.
The Mohel gave a blessing and as Sloan and Erin watched, their son became joined to the one and everlasting covenant of the Jewish people. The family then said a prayer. "Even as this child has entered into the covenant, so may he enter into the Torah, the nuptial canopy, and into good deeds."
After the Mohel left, Sloan gathered his family around for an announcement.
"I know that you have all come over today to witness Joseph's first rite as a Jewish male, however today is not only about our son, but about our daughter." Sloan announced.
He reached into his suit coat pocket and removed an envelope which he handed to Nicky. "It gives me great pleasure to inform you that by order of the Probate Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit for the State of Michigan, you are now legally my daughter." He smiled as everyone clapped and hugged Nicky.
She hugged her father. "Thank you dad." She smiled as he picked her up in a bear hug. "I love you Nicky." He said as he kissed her cheek.
"Nicole Leann Silver. I like that a lot." Frank stated.
"Me too." Erin grinned as she came over and joined the hug.
"Amen to that. I never have to hear the name Boyle again." Danny announced.
Nicky looked to her mom. "I guess we just found out what he'd say." She laughed.
Erin was the last to head to bed that night as she sat in her son's room giving him a late feeding. Once she had him tucked in, she kissed him goodnight and exited his nursery. She walked over to her daughter's room where the light was still showing through the door, so she knocked, waited a moment and then entered.
"I know that you're an adult, but classes start in three days. Time to get back into your school routine. Lights out in ten minutes." Erin informed her.
"Okay Mom." She smiled.
"Goodnight Nicky."
"Goodnight Mom."
Erin closed the door went up to the third floor where she entered the Master Suite to find her husband reading a book.
"Bedtime sweetheart." She announced as she went over and closed the windows which had been allowing the crisp Michigan autumn air to gently waft its way into their boudoir. Then she walked over to the alarm panel and entered her code, setting the system for another night.
She went into her bathroom where she undressed and appraised herself in the mirror. "For 43 years old and just having given birth, not too bad." She smiled to herself.
Finally, she slipped on a silk robe, turned off the bathroom lights and padded across the floor to their bed. She pulled down the blanket and top sheet, removed and folded the robe, placing it on her nightstand, and climbed into bed whereupon she pulled the sheet and blanket up and over her and snuggled into her husband.
After kissing him goodnight, she lay back onto her pillow and began thinking the same thoughts she had a little over a year ago.
Erin realized that she was still in the prime of her life but now she wouldn't have to face her future alone, without love, without passion and without the companionship she had at one time so desperately desired, and now more than offered in return to her special someone.
No, her prayer that night had been more than answered and she had her special man.
Her career had certainly taken a major shift and she was actually excited to be practicing law, something she could not have said a year ago.
She had left a repressive church and now felt spiritually fulfilled in her new religion.
Her family were all secure and doing well on their own without her to take care of them.
Yes, Erin admitted to herself that she had broken free of all her restraints and the ones she now chose to bind herself with were of her own choosing and will.
Her children were both happy and healthy, one just starting out while she had well prepared the other to face the challenges of life. They were both loved by many grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins but most of all by their parents.
She had only recently brought home her son while her daughter would spending just one more night under her roof before leaving for college. The cycle of life would continue as Erin handed off one child to the world while starting over with another.
She looked over at her husband who was still her number one love and couldn't wait until she had healed and could begin physically loving him again as she ached for that part of their relationship to resume.
Just before Erin dozed off to sleep, she reached over and felt the opposite side of her bed and where for a long time it had been empty and cold, it was now warmed and occupied by her precious Sloan.
Erin finally succumbed to sleep, dreaming of new wonders and adventures that were waiting for them to share and explore.
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