A/N: Hello everyone! I'm sort of back in the game! It's been about a month and a half since my last update. We got so busy at work and I ended up getting covid in the last half of September! Don't worry, I'm alright now :) At any rate, I hope you are all doing very well while I was away~ Here's a new chapter to fill your days for a while. Luv ya'll! Mwah! :*
Chapter 15: Welcome Back to the Big Apple
JFK International Airport - Terminal 4 Domestic Arrival Area
"Are you comfortable over there, mijo?" Alisa asked when Christopher decided to sit on their luggage that was neatly stacked on the trolley.
"Very! I'm very thankful we have these hard suitcases instead of the usual ones. Those aren't fun to sit on." Christopher thoughtfully replied, hugging his crutches to his person.
"You're not wrong and you just prefer these hard ones because your mother and you just love placing stickers on them." Eddie chuckled, pushing the trolley out of the baggage claim area.
"Of course!" Alisa and Christopher chorused, "It's the best thing to do when travelling apart from eating local food!"
The family of 3 were cleared to exit the baggage claim area and proceeded to the arrival area. Their eyes scanned for any of the New York-based Strands and managed to find an energetic TK jumping up and down when he saw them. "Uncle TK! Uncle TK!" Christopher waved at him, "Daddy, push faster, please! I want to hug Uncle TK!"
"You got it, cowboy." Eddie's Texan accent slipped as he walked a little faster and it sent a warm feeling in her body.
"Christopher! Oh my favorite nephew!" TK met them at the end and immediately got Christopher from the trolley and twirled him around in his arms, "I missed you so much!"
"I'm your only nephew, Uncle TK!" Christopher's laughter echoed in the hall as others watched in amusement at their reunion.
"Welcome back to the Big Apple, guys!" Gwen appeared behind them and engulfed her daughter and son-in-law in a hug, "Excited?"
"Oh, very. It's nice to be in the cold for the summer, even for a bit!" Alisa grinned and hugged her back, "LA summers are much too warm for my liking!"
"The AC in the house is turned up on full-blast. Buck and Alisa have been relishing it." Eddie chuckled.
"Pennsylvania and New York are cold!" Alisa pouts and smacks his arm playfully.
"Well, thank you for putting up with my daughter's shenanigans as always, Eddie." Gwen teased and he winked back, "Now, we just have to wait for your father and Enzo."
"Ohhhh, Papa Enzo's picking us up to?" Alisa tilted her head in curiosity.
"Well, he has the van so, yup!" Gwen chuckled, "Before we disperse, your grandparents wants proof you've arrived."
"No problem." Alisa went to get Christopher from TK after poking his side, "Mom wants to take a photo for Gramps and Nana."
"Gotcha." TK handed Christopher to her.
"Mommy, Uncle TK is silly." Christopher giggled and nuzzled her neck, "He made me tired."
"Awe," she kissed his temple, "Well, let's just get this photo done and wait for the van. You can sleep during the drive."
"Si…" he yawned.
"I can carry him, mi amor." Eddie offered, knowing that Christopher wasn't so little anymore.
"No need, I got it." Alisa smiled up at him, "Thank you for offering though." Eddie kissed her cheek.
"Ready?" Gwen took out her phone, "Join them, TK."
"Yes!" the older Strand twin went to stand beside his twin.
The family of 3 posed with TK and gave huge smiles as Gwen took their photo. Eddie placed one of his arms around Alisa's waist and pulled her close while TK placed an arm around her shoulders and snuggled up to Christopher, the males sandwiching Alisa and Christopher. Gwen took a couple of photos with a huge smile on her face, happy that they were all together again. "Okay, this is good. Mom and Dad are gonna love this." Gwen admired the photo, "Too much pretty in the photo, actually. I'm going to frame this!"
"Hey, kids!" Owen's voice was heard and they whirled around, "Nice to see you've arrived safely." He hugged them, "Superman's all tuckered out, too. TK?"
"TK." They replied and TK rolled his eyes playfully.
"Well, let's get going then. The van's out there already." the Strand patriarch pointed towards the door he came from, "Need help with the trolley, Eddie?"
"No, it's alright. Thanks, Owen." Eddie smiled back, "I got this."
"His arms speak for itself." Alisa and TK chorused and they looked at each other before giggling causing Eddie to turn red. Owen and Gwen shook their heads in amusement at their kids.
When they finally got to the van, Alisa's eyes sparkled when she saw her mom's longtime partner, 2nd husband, and the 3rd parent to her and TK. Dr. Lorenzo De Luca a.k.a Enzo was also an important figure in their childhood when Owen and Gwen divorced, he was a pediatrician and surgeon at New York - Presbyterian Hostpital, plus a former army doctor. He was doing rounds when bumped into a distressed Gwen in the children's ward when Alisa and TK fell ill when they were 8. They hit it off right away and the rest was history. "Papa Enzo, mi sei mancato!" Alisa greeted him and kissed his cheeks.
"Stellina," the male with sun-kissed skin and bright green eyes cupped and kissed her cheeks, "it's been too long! Mi sei mancata."
"Well, we're here now." she grinned, "I brought the family this time!"
"Your bambino is so big now." Enzo stroked Christopher's head who smiled sleepily at him, having fallen asleep on his mother's shoulder, "Eddie, it's very nice to see you again."
"Same to you, Enzo." Eddie hugged him, after putting the things in the trunk with TK and Owen, "I hope you're doing well."
"Oh, I am! Thank you!" he smiled happily, "There's so much we must all catch up on. Also, I have crazy stories to tell this time when someone decided to bring a military dog to the hospital!"
The two males caught up for a bit while the rest got ready to go in the van. Owen had engulfed his daughter in a bear hug but was careful with Christopher. Gwen and TK had to remove him from her to enter the van first. She decided to sit in the back row so Christopher could lie down while TK and Owen took the middle row while Gwen rode on the passenger's seat, "If you two are done trading army stories, shall we get going?"
"Oops! Sorry, Gwen!" Eddie hustled in the back seat with Alisa and Christopher, placing Christopher's legs on top of his.
"Andiamo famiglia!" Enzo climbed in the driver's seat and drove off.
LINE BREAK
Diaz Residence
"Buckaroo, what are you doing?" Carla was in a mother hen position when she found Buck in Alisa's office, sitting on the seat Eddie and Christopher normally sat at.
"Uhhh… Alisa and Eddie said I could use the desktop here and keep myself entertained?" Buck looked like he was a little kid who got caught stealing candy, "And uh, I'm helping you pack some of her orders that need to be sent out this week?"
Carla smiled and shook her head, "Fine, fine. That'll be our little secret but please, for the love of all that is precious, stay off that leg!"
Buck laughed out loud, "I sure will!"
The blonde firefighter grinned when Carla sat across him, in Alisa's chair, and continued to carefully pack the stickers and stationeries the current order requested. Alisa had a particular way of packing and she showed it to him before they left on their trip, along with announcing on her IG business account that he and Carla were helping her ship out the orders for the time being until she returned. Needless to say, her loyal customers attained new customers and fans of Buck and she told him that he could personally write notes on the thank you cards, too. "You seem to be enjoying this a lot." Carla pointed out, sticking a waybill on the order Buck finished packing.
"I didn't think I would honestly until Christopher and I started packing orders together." Buck confessed, "I was scared too since this seemed to be a family business…"
"Oh, Buckaroo, you're part of this family just as much as I am. I don't think anyone will say otherwise." Carla smiled, "You're an honorary Diaz with Christopher's Seal of Approval!" she got a stamp from one of the drawers and stamped his hand, "See?"
"Whu–?" Buck blinked when he saw it was Christopher as a chibi with the words 'Christopher Approved' around him, "Oh man! Love this! Do you think you can stamp that on my cast, too!?"
"When we finish here, I will." Carla winked, "Then, we are going to eat!"
"Roger that!" Buck grinned and they went back to work while chatting here and there about anything and everything.
LINE BREAK
Brooklyn, New York
"Mijo, wake up, we're here." Alisa cooed when the van stopped at their AirBnB rental apartment building.
"We're here?" Christopher sleepily said, rubbing his eyes.
"Uh huh." Eddie reaffirmed her statement, "Time to get up, mijo."
"Si…" he adorably blinked at them causing Alisa to coo at him some more.
"Oh man, how is a human being so cute?" TK said with his phone out, taking photos of the family.
"Well, it's Christopher after all." Alisa proudly replied, "Mijo is too cute for this world!" Cuddling her son in her arms while the boy nuzzled her back, sleepily. Eddie looked at them with so much love in his eyes.
"Alright, time to get out and settle you guys in." Owen clapped his hands, "Once you've rested enough, we're going to get some food."
"We're eating wherever Christopher wants to eat, Owen." Gwen pointed out, "I hope you're prepared to stop your diet for today." Enzo and TK giggled in their hands at Owen's pout.
Once Christopher was more awake, they all got out of the van and went up to the AirBnB with the Diazes' luggage. The apartment was a 2-Bedroom with 2 bathrooms along with a small laundry room, perfect for the family. Christopher walked around the apartment to explore and they could hear his excitement when there was a small library in the den. "While Christopher is exploring," Alisa opened the biggest suitcase, "time for presents!"
"This is from Bobby to Owen." Eddie took out a box, "He made you some keto snacks and jam the night before our flight."
"Oh, gimme gimme!" Owen snatched the box as his son-in-law handed it to him, "I miss his cooking!"
"While dad eats his way through his snacks, anything for me?" TK leaned on Alisa's back.
"Well for you, we got you some new clothing." Alisa hands him a bag, "Hope you like them!"
"Ohhh!" TK opened the bag, "These look awesome! Thanks, sis!" He got printed polos and a new hooded jacket in an emerald green color, "Emerald green? Really?"
"Well, if you don't like it, you can tell Christopher." Alisa teased.
"He picked it out?" TK's smile widened.
"Si! And he has one to match you on this trip, too." she smiled when he went to find his nephew while putting on the jacket.
"Gwen, this one's for you." Eddie handed her a bag.
"What's this?" Gwen tilted her head, "Candles! These smell divine! Where'd you get these?"
"Adri decided to open up a candle store." Eddie replied, "Let us know if you'd like more in the future so we can order and send you some. Her online store just opened so they don't do out-of-state deliveries yet."
"I'd like that. These are going in my office!" Gwen grinned, "Please let her know I will be her favorite customer!" Eddie chuckled and nodded his head.
"Did you bring me tea?" Owen asked.
"Yes, dad. I was getting to that. Here you go." Alisa pulled another big bag, "The ladies at the store say hi by the way. They also gave us your facial products at a discount."
"Tea!" the statement seemed to fly over his head when he saw the bag, "This is the only tea I like, sue me. Marlon Blendo will kill me if I get anything else!"
"He still asks nonna for his coffee beans." Enzo said conspirationly and they all burst into chuckles.
"Enzo, this one's for you." Eddie handed him a medium-sized box, "We heard about your new promotion and thought these would be great."
"Grazie!" Enzo gratefully accepted and opened it, "Che bello! A customized stethoscope and my name's on it!"
"I think that's their way of saying your stethoscope's ancient, dear." Gwen teased.
"Oh, the children at the ward are going to love this. It's got the milky way on it!" he placed it around his neck, "You're just jealous." he teased back.
"Thank you for the gifts!"
"Mommyyyyyyyyyy, Uncle TK's being a potato!" Christopher exclaimed.
"I'll check on them." Alisa got up from the couch, kissing Eddie's temple as she passed him.
When Alisa disappeared from their view, Eddie gulped when all 3 parents critically looked at him. He cleared his throat and regained his composure before addressing them, "Is there something you'd like to ask?"
"Exactly how long are you staying on this trip?" Enzo asked.
"Just a week, why?" Eddie replied, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Are you due back to work right after?" Gwen asked.
"Uh… I have another week off since I was able to accumulate some furlough during my probation year." Eddie answered.
"Okay, great." Owen took out his phone and began texting someone, "That's 2 weeks vacation in total."
"Yes?" Eddie blinked.
"Anyway, after we eat, Gwen and Enzo are dropping us off at the 252 before heading back to New York proper." Owen put his phone away, "The station wants to see you guys already."
"Oh! We're going to see the station already!?" Christopher reappeared with an excited grin on his face, "I miss them too! Are Auntie Violet and Uncle Andy going to be there?"
"Yup, they're on shift so hopefully, they won't be on call when we visit." Owen replied, smiling.
"Where's your mom, mijo?" Eddie asked as Christopher sat beside him.
"Uh, she's still talking to Uncle TK. Something about a boy?" Christopher tilted his head.
"A boy?" Eddie raised an eyebrow.
"... uh oh. He hasn't told her I take it?" Gwen looked at Owen.
"Maybe not. I mean, it's still kinda fresh?" Owen had a thoughtful expression.
"It's been more than 3 months." Enzo pointed out, "I'm surprised he hasn't told her yet."
"To be fair, she'll be meeting him in person… with Eddie." Owen added.
"Who?" Eddie asked.
"TK's new boyfriend." they replied in unison.
-
Translations:
mi sei mancato - I missed you
Stellina - Little Star
Andiamo famiglia - Let's go family
Che Bello - How beautiful