Erin sits at the dinner table in an awkward silence. Her family members whisper among themselves as they file in. Finally Danny arrives, and addresses the elephant in the room.
"So you miss a couple of Sunday dinners, and then you have the nerve to come in here, and just casually bring this guy with no explanation? What the hell, Erin?"
"I don't owe you an explanation," Erin counters.
Frank groans, "Would it be possible to get through a dinner without world war three?"
"I just want to know when all of the sudden we started inviting random people to dinner."
Henry chimes in, "Abetmarco is hardly a random person. It's not like she drug him in off the street."
"You don't see me bringing my associates to dinner," Danny argues.
Frank clears his throat, "Well your associates aren't family."
"Since when is Abetemarco family?"
Erin breaks her silence as her hand leaves her lap, and comes to rest on the table, "We got married two months ago."
"What are you talking about? I heard some rumor that you're off on leave, or some such nonsense. What's going on around here?"
Jamie chimes in, "Danny I think you should skip the overtime roster next go round. You are really out of the loop."
"What do you mean?"
Erin scoots her chair away from the table, and rises from her seat.
"Whoa! When did that happen?"
"Quite some time ago. My due date is in two weeks."
Danny's nostrils flare, "And none of you knuckleheads breathed a word of this. What the hell?"
Jamie clears his throat, "She asked us not to. She said the look on your face would be so priceless we could get out of buying anything for the baby."
"So let me get this straight. My sister had a shotgun wedding because she got knocked up by this guy?"
Eddie shakes her head, "I think they got hitched because they're in love."
"Am I living in some alternate universe? I mean what the hell?"
"Should we tell him?" Anthony nudges Erin.
She offers a subtle nod. Danny's face is noticeably red, "Tell me what? Is this where you say that you're getting me back for all the missed opportunities that you've had to prank me?"
"No. We thought that you might want to represent as God-parent," Anthony responds.
The room is tense as everyone waits for a response. The red slowly disappears from his cheeks. The pulsating vein in his forehead retreats. His lips part, and he grins from ear to ear.
"Yeah, of course I will."
"Great. I'm glad we've got that settled," Anthony exhales a sigh of relief.
"Me, too. Just in the nick of time," Erin adds.
"We certainly cut it close," Anthony admits.
Frank who is sitting right next to Erin. He shakes his head in disbelief, "I think we're going to have to cut dinner short."
"We're just getting started," Danny argues.
"Either you sister has just peed herself, or her water broke."
Hours later most of the Reagan clan waits at home due to Covid-19 visitor restrictions. Danny waits in the lounge. Eventually Anthony comes to retrieve him.
"She's here," he grins.
Danny hops out of his seat, "Can I see her?"
"Yeah. She's the most beautiful think I've ever seen."
Seconds later they make their way into the hospital room. Danny approaches Erin, and finds a brand new baby wrapped in her arms.
"My niece. You know this is a lot different than how I remember it going the first time around. You were just a scared kid back then."
"I certainly wouldn't have guessed we would be back here."
"I guess there is at least one good thing that came out of this pandemic. Guys she's beautiful. I don't think you know how much I needed this."
Anthony taps his shoulder with his palm, "I don't think any of us knew how much we needed this little ray of sunshine."
"So give me all the details. I'll update the troops so the two of you can get some rest."
"Eight pounds fifteen ounces, and twenty two inches," Anthony beams with pride.
"What's her name?"
Erin smiles, "Danielle O'Shea Reagan-Abetemarco."
Danny shakes his head, and clenches in an effort to maintain his stoic exterior. His efforts are futile. Tears start to roll down his face.
"I get why you would want to pay tribute to Linda, she's an angel. Why would you want to name your precious little girl after me?"
"We didn't have a named picked out when we got here," Erin explains, "Then we saw her, and she was screaming."
Anthony chuckles, "And I said that she had the same pulsating vein in her forehead that you have when you're pissed."
"And so we agreed to call her Dani."
He shakes his head as he holds his brand new niece in his arms, "You two have made a huge mistake. She is going to be hell on wheels."
Erin smirks, "I guess we'll just have to take our chances."
Danny smiles at the newborn, "Happy birthday, princess. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into. Uncle Danny always has your back. If mom, and dad aren't in line all you have to do is give me a call, and I'm right there. I'll be on them like white on rice."
