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Frankie rolled over in the bed and eyeballed the clock. Jessie had crawled into bed with her sometime around 2 a.m. and was still cuddled up around the pillow.

"Francesca?"

"Yeah Mom, I'm awake…" she groaned out. She felt like ten shades of Hades and like, pardon the expression, hammered goat shit. She wasn't sure if she could endure this again.

"Francesca?" Deirdre walked into the guest bedroom and leaned against the door. "How are you feeling this morning? Better I hope. I have that courier coming by with the documents for you to look at while you're resting in bed."

"Thanks, Mom," she said as she sat up carefully, so as not to disturb the little angel next to her. Jessie murmured and squeezed her teddy bear tighter, one hand reaching out to touch Mommy. Frankie smiled and leaned back against the headboard as she curled her fingers around her daughter's.

"And the doctor put you on complete bed rest for the next few days? Frankie," Deirdre sat down on the foot of the bed and dropped the dishrag into her lap as she looked at her daughter. "Why won't you tell me what his diagnosis is?"

Frankie smiled tiredly and looked down a moment before looking up again. Deirdre really was concerned and if she found out she was keeping a secret, it'd hurt her feelings. For a moment, however, she just looked at her mother. She could see where Jessie got some of her features. Her hair had begun turning a russet color, like Deirdre's had been. Suddenly she looked so much older than she was. Faint lines marked the corners of her eyes and her mouth and silver threaded the rust color of her hair. Despite all that Deirdre had been through in her life, she looked remarkably well for her age. One could hardly tell that she was in her late fifties and sixty was creeping up on her.

"Stop that."

"What?"

Deirdre chuckled and patted Frankie's knee under the covers. "Stop looking at me like I'm some shriveled up old woman."

"I wasn't. I was marveling at how well you look for your age. I should look so good."

"You will. You've got your father's coloring, but my cheekbones, nose and chin. You've also got my most prized ability."

"And that is?"

"You're a fighter. You're going to fight old age every step of the way, I can feel it."

Frankie laughed and hugged Jessie as the baby crawled into her lap and laid her head against her shoulder. "Mom…"

"Yes Francesca?"

Frankie looked up, her lower lip caught between her teeth for a moment. "Have you thought about your retirement?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… you can't be Director Burkholtz forever you know. How old are you? 58? 59?"

"Pish. I know some of the Directors who were in their positions well into their seventies."

"And how well did they do?"

"Thinking back on it, not so well. Their minds weren't as sharp as they had been even five years prior to their retirement." She looked at Frankie for a moment, and then grumbled. "Oh goddamn it girl," she groused gently. "I'm not cut out to be a grandmother who bakes cookies. It's not who I am."

"Who said you were and would? I know there's other things you can do once you retire… like starting your own business.." she hinted carefully. In Frankie's mind, Deirdre would be perfectly suited for operating a private security agency. The kind that provided personal security - like bodyguards and such. She had the demeanor and ability - not to mention the balls - to do the job, do it right and not put up with the whining clients.

"I never thought about retiring before." Deirdre scooted around and leaned up against the footboard. She watched Frankie rubbing Jessie's back. She missed so much when Frankie was pregnant with her grandchild. She should have been there for her.

"Stop that. There will be other children for Jake and me."

Deirdre blinked. Damn that girl was getting good at reading her thoughts. "Sorry Frankie… just wishing for things gone by I guess. I better get something ready for breakfast. You're going to be hungry when you finally haul your ass out of this bed." She stood up and tousled Jessie's hair. "Oh, before I forget the reason I came up here. Shay called and said she wanted to talk with you. I think she also said it'll be over tonight and Jake should be back home tomorrow morning." She leaned down and kissed first Jessie's head, then Frankie's forehead. "I'll go see about breakfast."

As she turned to go, Frankie's eyes widened. "Mom!"

Deirdre stopped, a puzzled look on her face. "What is it?"

"Can you watch Jessie?"

"Well, I suppose so. Why?"

"I have to fly back to Chicago tonight."

"You're in no condition to fly at all! If the doctor said complete bed rest, then by damn you're going to follow his orders!"

Frankie climbed out of the bed and left Jessie curled up against the warm pillow. "Mom, I have to go back to Chicago, tonight. I want to surprise Jake."

"Baby, he's going to be exhausted and want to do nothing but sleep."

"I know… please? I can transfer my ticket to this afternoon after the courier gets here and you can fly Jessie back in a few days." She pouted a bit and gave her mother the puppy dog eyes.

Deirdre's eyes narrowed playfully and she got an odd look on her face. "Noo!! Not the puppy eyes…." She groaned and sighed. "All right. Call the ticket agent and see what you can do. If they can get you onto a flight back to Chicago this afternoon, then I'll fly Jessie back in a day or so."

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