Burying Regina was the hardest thing they ever had to do together so far. Neither of them had really lost anyone in their life this way yet. To have it be the person who carried their daughter and then died giving her life killed a piece of their hearts.
As it turned out, Regina ended up throwing a blood clot that went straight to her lungs and blocked off her air way. The nurses had been checking her every hour but it happed right after her last check and she had been without oxygen for over forty minutes when Lacey discovered her.
After Regina's service, Lacey and Danny focused all of their energy on their new baby and to helping Jo through the worst heartbreak as she approached motherhood for herself—all alone.
"Johnny's closing the diner. He's moving to Seattle or something." Jo announced, painfully pregnant and due any day.
Lacey slid her a plate of eggs and began buttering a fresh round of toast.
"Fuck him." Danny said in a cutesy baby voice as he rocked his baby in his arms, "Isn't that right?" He asked and his daughter responded by spitting up all over herself, "Shit."
"I told you she needed to be burped." Lacey grumbled, irritated and feeling like she was doing everything by herself so far today.
"I'll change her." Danny ripped open the brand new package of diapers they still hadn't put away yet and laid her down on the living room carpet for a change.
"There were diapers already out in the diaper holder thing!"
"Okay, well, these were closer."
"But now the bag's open and they're all loose—"
"It's not like it's cereal or something, they don't go bad."
"That's not the point—"
"Guys, guys." Jo ran interference.
Watching the two of them lose their shit over the stupidest things made Jo terrified to do this all by herself. Sure Danny and Lacey offered to help her, but they could barely keep their own shit together.
"Thanks for coming with me today, Lacey. This will be my last appointment unless this turd decides not to come out next week."
"No sweat! What time is it again?"
"10:15."
"Cool, hopefully Danny will have the baby changed by the time we have to leave." Lacey took another shot.
"I can hear you, you know?"
"Good!"
"You sure you're alright taking her with you today?" Danny wondered considering they hadn't really gone anywhere with the baby yet outside of her own doctor's appointments.
"I'm not taking her, she's staying with you."
"No, I have to be at the high school today, I'm giving a speech."
"Are you kidding me?! It wasn't in the calendar!" Lacey screeched.
"Shit, I must have forgot—"
"Nice."
"Well look, maybe your mom—"
"No, Danny, this isn't her responsibility, it's ours! Just forget it, I'll take her. I have to get used to traveling with her anyway. It's just another doctor's appointment, it's fine." Lacey sighed.
"If you don't want to go—" Jo was about to give her an out, she felt guilty now.
"No, Jo, I really do want to go. It's fine, I promise."
"Okay." Jo smiled, "Thanks for breakfast. I'm going to take a walk and hope this baby wants to come out today. I'll meet you downtown around 10? We're taking my car so I don't get car sick."
"I'll be there." Lacey agreed.
Danny finished dressing their baby girl, put her down for a nap and hopped in the shower. He dressed up for his speaking engagement and then kissed them both goodbye.
"If you wake her up right now I'm going to kill you—"
"Text me what we need from the store and I'll get everything after my speech today." Danny said as more of a peace offering, "I want to know how Jo is doing too please—"
"Fine." Lacey said quietly, "I'll text you after her appointment."
"I'm sorry about this morning, okay? I'll make it up to you later." Danny grinned, damn him and his charm.
"I'm sorry too. Have a good day, I'll see you later." Lacey whispered and watched his fine ass walk away in that damn suit.
"Hey Ma." Jo greeted Tess as she walked into the pottery studio.
"Hey! You look—"
"Pregnant, yes. I'm so fucking pregnant."
"You have classes today?" Tess asked.
"No, I just had to make sure everything was unplugged and shut down before this kid decides to move out of my body."
"I'm sorry you have to close down for a bit." Tess said knowing that Regina was supposed to take over as the lead instructor when Jo finally had her baby.
Jo shrugged, "Shit happens—" She heard her text notification go off.
Lacey: Hey Jo, I'm so sorry but I am so tired. The baby is still asleep and honestly I think I need to take a nap too
"Shit happens all the fucking time apparently." Jo sighed deeply.
Jo: No worries I know it was a long night for you. I'll be okay I'll call you later
Lacey: Thanks, good luck today!
"What's wrong?" Tess wondered, trying to connect with her, "Can I help with anything?" She asked tentatively.
Even after all these years they still hadn't grown back their relationship as closely as it was when Jo was younger. Now as Jo approached motherhood she was feeling more alone than ever, she felt drawn to Tess and felt compelled to check in with her more often.
"Are you busy right now?" She asked her mom.
"I am just prepping for my class tomorrow. Why, wanna do something?" Tess tried not to sound too excited.
"Can you come to my last doctor's appointment with me? Lacey can't come and I really don't want to go alone."
"I'd love to!" The joy on Tess' face made Jo's heart happy. She hadn't involved her mom in any of her pregnancy journey, so this was their first step back at this level of trust.
Danny's speech went well. For some reason the kids were more open to listening to his back story and asked a lot of questions at the end. Maybe they were stalling and just didn't want to go back to class, but either way he felt like he was able to connect with them much more than usual.
Whitney: Hey D it's Whit, got a new number
Danny stared down at the number he didn't recognize and the text, one he received from her this way every three months or so. He always offered to have Whitney come visit but she always had reasons why she couldn't come.
According to what he gleaned from his regular conversations with Mr & Mrs Yates, Whitney and Archie were now heavily addicted to drugs. Danny knew it was a losing game for Archie but the Whitney he had known would have never wanted this for her life long term. She would never admit to him that she had a problem either, forever making making it clear that he was not responsible for her issues.
He knew he couldn't save her but damn he tried every chance he got. Danny felt that if Whitney was lucid enough to remember his number and reach out to him every few months, he would always extend the invitation and be ready to help her the second she accepted. It was all he could do. He missed her in his life.
Danny: Again?
Whitney: Yeah I think someone ripped me off I can't find my old phone
Danny: You need to come visit and meet the baby
Whitney: CONGRATS DADDY!
Danny: She's beautiful Whit, looks just like Lacey but with my eyes
Whitney: Archie told me about Regina I'm sorry
Danny: Thanks. I can get you a ride over here any time
Whitney: I can't right now I have work and I was sick for a little bit and missed some time so I'm kind of on thin ice you know?
Danny: You taking care of yourself?
Whitney: I'm doing my thing
Danny: You still with that older lady?
Whitney: Sometimes ;)
Danny: Do you need anything?
Whitney: I'm good but thank you I'll keep in touch this time
Danny: Please do I love you Whit
Whitney: Back at you
Danny sighed in frustration. He let it go and moved on, checking for the text from Lacey with the list of the stuff they needed from the store.
Lacey: TP, eggs, limes, balsamic vinegar, wine and the coconut milk version of the whipped cream you wanted to try. Don't get regular whipped cream because I refuse to smell like old milk if you can't lick it off me fast enough. I love you
Danny: I love you too be home soon, miss my girls
Danny smiled down at his phone and drove off. He took the turn to head to the far side of town. The grocery store was about ten minutes away in the shitty strip mall that housed all of the more commercial and less charming stores in Green Grove.
He stopped for coffee, taking his time and enjoying a few moments to himself without crying, yelling or poop involved.
As he approached the old bridge that would take him toward the store, he saw chaos and lights everywhere. Fire trucks, ambulances and all three of Green Grove's police patrol cars. He didn't see Kyle in the mix but could see lots of frantic movements.
The bridge wasn't closed but it was down to one lane. The traffic in the other direction had the right of way at the moment so Danny sat there and stared just like everyone else, wondering what happened.
All of a sudden one of the ambulances roared away, siren blaring. He hadn't seen who was loaded in because it's back doors were facing away from him. He said a prayer as it flew by him.
When it was finally his turn to cross the bridge Danny felt compelled to look over to see if he could make out what the damage was. The traffic in front of him was doing the same thing and it took forever to get to where he could see.
The guardrail was broken and down at the bottom of the ravine was what looked like Jo's car. He slowed down even more and leaned to see. It was definitely Jo's car.
He stopped breathing, stopped his car too, right there on the bridge blocking traffic and got out. He walked closer and closer, the panic inside of him reaching levels he had never felt before.
One of the deputies at the scene recognized Danny and came running over.
"Danny, you shouldn't be here."
"That's Jo's car—" He pointed.
"Danny—"
"Lacey was in the car too. Lacey and my daughter, please. Where are they?!"
"I'm so sorry Danny—"
"No, no, no, no—" He fell to his knees.
"The passenger didn't make it."
Lacey, Danny assumed. He knew Jo always drove so she wouldn't get car sick. Lacey was gone? He began sobbing, he felt sick to his stomach and dry-heaved a few times.
"The driver was sent to the hospital, their condition is unknown."
"What about my baby?!"
The deputy looked at Danny in confusion and radioed to ask about a baby.
"Baby is also en route to Green Grove General." Was the response.
The ambulance. Danny ran to his car and leapt inside, throwing it in gear and roaring off toward the hospital. He cried like a baby. His whole heart, the love of his life, she was gone. He screamed, he punched his steering wheel.
Once he took a few breaths he wondered what the hell happened? How did they get to the bottom of that ravine? Why had he and Lacey been fighting over diapers and other shit lately? He felt awful they had squabbled this morning and thankful the last thing he said to her was at least an apology and the I love you text.
He checked his phone, she hadn't read his response. He cried harder. Danny's mind wandered to his daughter. Her life had only just started. He didn't want to go through life without them. He prayed for her.
Danny parked at the emergency entrance and ran inside.
"Do you need to be seen? Allergic reaction?" The lady at the front desk asked him as she assessed his face.
Danny eyes were red and puffy from crying, he had hives all over.
"No, my—my daughter was just in an accident, they brought her here in an ambulance." Danny said, his voice cracking as he tried to explain.
"Last name?"
"Desai."
"I don't have a Desai in the system."
"The ambulance just got here, they were in an accident—"
"Oh, do you mean the Masterson baby?"
"Masterson baby? I—I guess so, yeah. My partner didn't survive so my baby came in with Jo Masterson, maybe that's how they've identified her." He said without really thinking about what anyone was saying, himself included. He just needed to get to her.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Come this way."
The woman led Danny through the maze of rooms and left him in at the family waiting area. He recognized it as a place where one would get bad news. As he pushed the door open he found Kyle inside, his face equally as red and puffy.
"Chief." Danny almost ran over to him.
"Danny—" Kyle blubbered, the two men broken and clinging to each other.
Lacey: Hurry up with that whipped cream ;)
Danny heard the chime notification he used exclusively for texts from Lacey come from his pocket and his blood ran cold. He paused his embrace and almost threw Kyle off of him while he yanked his phone out of his back pocket.
Danny: Where are you?!
Lacey: Feeding this beast again. Where are you?
The relief he felt flooded his body in a wave he had never experienced. They were alive, they were okay. Just as soon as his life made sense again he watched Kyle head into a fresh set of heaves. Danny shoved his phone back in his pocket and held him.
"What happened?"
It took a long time before Kyle could compose himself enough to talk again.
"We got the call, some deer darted out across the bridge. Jo swerved to miss them and they went over—" Kyle sobbed.
"Who's they?"
"Jo and Tess."
"Oh no—"
"The guys called me and told me not to come, they sent me here. Tess wasn't wearing a seatbelt. She was crushed when the car rolled down the hill—"
"Is Jo okay?"
"I don't know yet."
Just then the door to the waiting room opened and a doctor made her way inside. Danny pulled a chair over quickly and sat Kyle down, kneeling down beside him and holding him close while he continued to whimper.
"Chief Masterson, I'm sorry, Jo did not survive. She had too many injuries, internal bleeding."
A guttural wail came from the depth of Kyle's belly at the news. He collapsed against Danny and held onto him like it was the only way to make it through another second of another minute of his life.
The doctor remained standing patiently in the room until Kyle's cries faded into a dull roar before adding the rest of the news.
"Jo's baby survived and is in the nursery."
"The baby—" Kyle's face lit up a bit.
"Would you like to meet her?" The doctor smiled.
"It's a girl?" Kyle sniffled and wiped his eyes.
"Yes, come on, I'll take you."
Danny dragged Kyle along behind the doctor. They were brought into the nursery and sat in the comfy rocking chairs that were all lined up against the far wall.
A nurse picked up one of the newborns and made her way over to them.
"Baby Masterson?" The nurse smiled. Danny nodded yes, "Are you the dad?"
"No, she's my niece." Danny said proudly, eyes welling up with tears. He couldn't believe Jo was really gone, "This is her grandfather."
The nurse handed the baby to Kyle and he laugh-cried as his emotions overwhelmed him. He had visited Danny and Lacey after their daughter was born, filling the grandfather role like a pro. But nothing could have prepared Kyle for losing his only child and meeting her daughter on the same day.
She looked just like Jo, staring up at him like they had known each other for years. Kyle started talking, telling her all about her mother and her favorite things until he got himself crying again and he passed the baby over to Danny so he could recover.
"Hi there. I'm uncle Danny." He introduced himself, "Your mom was such a badass. That's really all you need to know." Danny's tears streamed down his face, "I'm sure that wherever she is she's pissed she can't be here to hold you."
The two of them took turns holding her for a while, feeding her and just being general saps. Danny's phone chimed again.
Lacey: Where are you? Are you at the hospital?! I just heard.
Danny: I am. I'm with Kyle and our new niece.
Lacey: Oh my god Danny. I left the baby with my mom I'm on my way.
Lacey arrived about twenty minutes later and sent Kyle into hysterics again. She had come prepared, complete with a few Xanax for him courtesy of her mother.
"Tell Judy I said thank you." Kyle said vacantly, completely zoned out in his recliner.
Lacey took her turn fawning over Jo's baby.
"Wow, she doesn't look like Johnny at all." Lacey decided, the longer she looked her over the more pieces her mom heart shattered into, "Look at all this blonde hair!" She gushed.
Danny couldn't help but think about what the outcome would have been if Lacey had gone with Jo to the appointment instead. He began crying again.
"I thought you were in the car." His voice caught in his throat, "I thought you were gone." He cried like he did when he skinned his knee in the third grade and knew no one was going to come and console him, it wasn't fair and it hurt.
"Oh! I'm not though, baby. I'm here, we're fine." Lacey rubbed his leg and then kissed the baby's sweet little face, that new baby smell doing so many things to her.
"I can't do this." Kyle said to them from the corner he remained sitting in, "My baby, she's gone. Tess—" He looked down, "I can't start over again. I'd just like to be grandpa if that's alright."
"What are you saying?" Lacey asked.
"I'd like you and Danny to raise her."
Lacey and Danny looked at each other skeptically, they had thought that they were so prepared for their own daughter to be born and none of it had mattered. They were worn out, exhausted. Lacey tried to imagine having another newborn to care for and couldn't wrap her mind around it.
Danny took the baby from Lacey and held her for a while, inspecting every inch of her little face, every finger and every tiny fingernail. She was perfect. She didn't ask for any of this, so tiny and innocent. She deserved a family too.
"Johnny signed away his rights two months ago." Kyle added grimly.
"You really want us to adopt her?" Danny knew this would be so hard.
"Yes. I think Jo would have liked that."
The nurse returned and took the baby for more scheduled tests. They all walked together back toward the waiting room, still sad but too overwhelmed to cry anymore at the moment.
"Kyle, Lacey and I need to talk. Are you okay if we take a walk?"
Kyle just nodded and sat down with his head in his hands.
"We'll be right back." Lacey said as soothingly as possible.
They walked outside and around the sidewalk loop that ran around the hospital. They were quiet at first, lost in their own thoughts.
"I'm so tired Danny." Lacey confessed, she wanted to help but she had to be honest.
"I know." He agreed, "Do you want to do this?"
"I don't know, I can't imagine having two newborns—"
"People have twins, it's not like it's never been done before."
"Do you want to do this?" Lacey asked.
"I think we can work out a firmer schedule, get some more help from the grandparents, get a nanny—anything we gotta do so we can actually get some sleep and not completely lose our minds—"
"You want to do this." Lacey said to herself, smiling at her man who had the biggest heart.
"Kyle can't do it." Danny face crumpled again, "I can't believe all of this is happening." He began to cry again.
Lacey stopped and pulled him in for a hug. The two of them holding each other up in a swirling mix of another round of grief, exhaustion from being new parents and the overwhelming thought of adding another child to their family so soon.
"Let's do it." Lacey said, "We can do this. I want her."