March 14, 2002

Ireland giggled as Randi blew bubbles on her belly. Dave glanced up at the noise and smiled. He continued to read the newspaper. Randi buttoned Ireland's onesie back up as someone knocked on the door.

"Get it, Dave." She said. He stuck out his tongue and opened the door. His heart stopped, "Who is it Dave?"

"Hi, Sweety." The middle aged woman smiled.

"Mom..." He said. Randi's head shot up. Lynn Malucci smiled softly at her son. "What...What are you doing here?"

"I got your letter." Lynn said as Randi walked up behind Dave. "This must be Randi." Dave stared at his mother dumbfounded.

"Yes...I am." Randi said. Lynn looked at Ireland then back to Dave.

"What are you doing here?" Dave asked.

"I left your father and had nowhere to go so I thought I have a new granddaughter and daughter in law.... So I should go see my boy." Lynn smiled. Dave ran his hand through his slowly fading blond hair.

"Come...Come in." He said. Lynn smiled softly and walked din. It was sort of tense in the apartment. Randi cleared her throat.

"Mrs. Malucci, this is Ireland." She smiled softly. Lynn smiled slightly.

"Ireland Malucci...an Irish first name and an Italian last name." Lynn chuckled softly, "May I hold her?"

"Oh!...Yes." Randi handed the baby to her grandmother. She glanced at Dave, "Want to help me with some drinks and her bottle in the kitchen?"

"Yeah....sure..." Dave mumbled walking into the kitchen. He gathered some glasses, "Dave?"

"What?"

"You're mother is in our living room..." She whispered.

"I'm aware of that." Dave said pouring cranberry juice spritzer into them.

"Why is she in our living room?" She asked.

"You heard her...She left Dad." Dave said popping slices of Lemons into the cups.

"So, she came here with no warning?" Randi asked.

"She does that." Dave said putting the cups onto a tray.

"Well, I don't like that." Randi said, "I should have had warning so I could clean my house and cook dinner and make a good impression."

"Who cares, Randi. She doesn't look at that stuff." Dave said walking back into the living room to find Lynn crying. He handed the tray to Randi and rushed to his mother's side, "What's wrong, Ma?"

"I left everything. I left everything back in New York." She sobbed; "I left that fucking bastard." Dave took Ireland away from Lynn and handed her to Randi.

"Good, Ma. It's about damn time you did." He said tucking her brown hair behind her ear. "He's an asshole."

"He h-hit me again...That was it." Lynn said, "I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't take another thirty fucking years." Randi bit her lip. She felt like she was treading on family territory. She walked into Ireland's nursery and laid her down for a nap.

"He hit you?" Dave asked. Lynn nodded.

"He w-was drinking again. I told him he had been drinking too much. He grabbed my hair...." Lynn started to cry again.

"Ma, it's okay." Dave said puling her into a hug. "You're here now. We'll make sure he never hurts you again."

"Promise Dave. Promise your mother you'll take care of me?" Dave looked at his mother.

"You can spend the night here. Tomorrow I'll set you up in a hotel." He said.

"Can't I move in here?" Lynn asked. Dave couldn't believe his ears.

"No you can't." He said.

"I gave birth to you and you won't even house me." Dave groaned loudly. His mother was up to her old games again.

"I'll give you some money for a hotel room, but you can't stay here for long" Dave said, "I have a family to raise. You should have called me. You should have given us some warning that you were coming."

"He'll hit me again if I go back." She said.

"Press charges, get him arrested, move somewhere else and start a new life." Dave said.

"Wh-What if I can't?" Lynn asked.

"You can ma." He said, "Randi and I will be here in Chicago to support you, but you need to do this. You cannot let that bastard win. You can't keep him in your life. If you do, you will never see Ireland." Lynn stared at Dave. She took this all in and nodded slowly.

"You'll help me?" She asked softly.

"I promise." He said.

Over the next few days, Dave helped his mother files charges against his abusive father. Randi got Lynn contacted with one of her friends in North Carolina and reserved an apartment for her mother-in-law. It hurt Dave to see his mother in so much trouble, but He knew if she was going to get on with her life, he would have to give her tough love. He wanted her in his life. He wanted her in Ireland's life. Maybe her new life in North Carolina would do the whole family good.