"Yeah," Jamie said, very casually. "Marianne Romano."

"Marianne Romano?" Erin repeated. "She's still around?"

"Yeah, like a bad cold you can't shake," Linda responded, disgust lining her voice.

"I remember her," Frank declared. "Very pretty."

Linda glared at her father in law.

He nodded, correcting himself. "I'm a cheap sorta way."

Henry nodded in agreement, along with everyone else.

"I mean, they only dated for—"

"A month." Danny quickly interrupted.

"Uh, longer than that!" Erin protested.

"No," Danny said, wishing they would all stop. Was it their life mission to embarrass him?

Changing tactics, Erin asked, "how is she looking?"

"Her age."

"Older." Linda raised her eyebrows a bit. Would they just shut up?

"Hey, didn't she go to LA right after you guys graduated?" Jamie wondered.

"No." Danny protested.

"Yeah, and then someone swore they saw her in a Guns 'N' Roses music video out there, too."

Chuckles could be heard as his older brother protested, "no, that was someone else. Okay?"

"What?" Linda wondered, why didn't she know any of this?

"Wait. Who are we talking about?" Nicky asked, totally confused.

"Nobody!" Danny was very annoyed with his family.

"An old friend of Dad's," Jack explained simply.

"But not of Mom's," Sean added, getting a few giggles.

"Marianne the car wash girl?" Henry wondered aloud.

"Oh no," Erin giggled.

"Oh come on. Come on, gramps." Danny complained, embarrassed. He put his hand on his forehead.

"Linda, did you make this pie from scratch?" Frank wondered, hoping to direct the conversation. "It sure is good."

Disgusted, Linda looked at her husband. "She worked in a car wash?"

"No, no, no, no," Henry went on, explaining the story. "They were just raising money for the school prom or something. And being good grandparents, Betty and I drove the Buick over. Marianne was all wet from washing cars."

As his siblings giggled, Danny his behind his hand. Linda nearly stared at Henry, scared of where the story was going.

"And Betty thought I should arrest her for indecent exposure."

The table laughed, much to Danny's dismay.

"Well, you probably should've." Linda stated, very annoyed.

"Y'know, fourteen years ago tonight, I kissed a girl. On the corner of tenth and university place. And my life was never the same. " Danny said, stabbing his green beans and giving a sideways glance to his wife.

Nicky smiled at her Uncle, wondering where the conversation was heading.

"That was tonight?" Linda asked, surprised Danny remembered that.

"Yup. We went to the movies, we saw The Cedar House Rules, we had slices afterwards, and I even saved the ticket stubs." Danny hoped this would get him out of the dog house.

Linda chuckled, "you kept the stubs?"

"Yes, I did." Looking at her, and putting an atom around her he proclaimed, "I knew I loved you that night, and I've known I loved you every night since." He said as he kissed her cheek, finally kissing the crook of her neck.

"That is so sweet." Nicky smiled at the cute story.

"Nice save," Erin praised her brother.

Smiling, Linda declared, "I'm gonna need to see those ticket stubs."

"My thought exactly," Frank agreed, the table laughing.

"Okay, Mr. Hotshot. Let's see those stubs." Linda held out her hand.

Danny smirked and handed her the stubs. He grinned when she smiled softly, fingering the tickets. "Y'know, I don't even remember what the hell that movie was about. I was too busy basking in your beauty."

Linda's smile turned into a grin when he kissed her cheek, "see, everyone says you're a hard @ss, but you're adorable!"

Danny chuckled, "only three people have told me that."

"Who?"

"My Mom, Nicky when I pull out a cute story, and you." He nuzzled her neck, beckoning giggles.

"Wanna know something?" Linda dropped her gaze to the floor. "I was jealous. Marianne was..." she sighed, "She's something else. And I thought..."

"Linda, you're the only one for me. Marianne may be prettier, but you're sexier."

"Yeah, but-"

"But what?"

"She has everything I don't have."

Danny furrowed his brow, "not everything."

"What do I have that she doesn't?"

"Me."

Linda's lips slowly cracked into a smile. "I love you."

"And I love you more."

"I love you most." She kissed Danny lovingly. Nibbling his ear, she stated, "I might just have to repay you for being a good husband."

Danny smiled wickedly, "and I might just have to obey."

A/n

Growing Boys, one of my fave episodes