A/N: Time to stop editing and post! I was glad to see a lot of people reacted so positively to the direction of the story at the end of the last chapter! Thanks for reading and reviewing.

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On Sunday, she met Madeleine for coffee. Well, Madeleine came by to pick her up and drop off Mimi for a play date. Not being able to hop in her car and go at any moment was an odd feeling. Patrick would drive her anywhere she wanted to go to be sure, but the problem was that she couldn't do it herself. Over the last weeks, that became something that grated on her more and more.

"Teresa, you're looking good and healthy."

She looked down at her lap...well, her belly that now protruded over her lap. It was strange, but of the things in her life that she spent time learning to cope with recently, that was not one that took much time. A growing bump meant a healthy baby.

Though, she realized Madeleine probably meant her floral sundress. In all of the chaos, she had not kept up with buying things to wear outside, and it was one of the few things that still fit to her exasperation. As Patrick helped her dress-again to her increasing chagrin-he kissed her cheek and told her they'd go shopping this week. He was a bit on edge considering they were less than five days from meeting his mother and her family. Well, his family. Their family.

Bringing herself back to the present, she thought she'd at least try to carry a good conversation. Madeleine wanted a girls' morning out for the two of them. In the past, they'd been a lot better at connecting out of the office as friends. But lately, so much of her life was about the lingering effects of the attack. She was determined to not let today go that way.

"Thanks. I think we're getting to the point where I am not entirely sure if there's much more room for Charlotte on the inside."

"She'll let you know when she's ready to come out."

"I'm sure she will, but I am open to the kid venturing outside as soon as she's ready." At least now that they were out of the danger zone.

"You say that now, but when she's ready to run off to sleepovers, I think you will be singing a different tune. They grow up so fast."

Madeleine looked over and grinned. She had such a beautiful, authentic smile. It was one reason they connected so easily during their early CBI days. Madeleine was always who she appeared to be: a really good, authentic person.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it!"

They both laughed as Madeleine pulled into the parking lot. Madeleine brought them to their favorite brunch space.

"So, are you sure you don't need me to do anything for the shower? I know we're a few weeks out, but…"

"It's planned! I told you that it was all fine."

"I know, but where is it? Do you need money for it? Patrick can help."

Madeleine waved her hand at her. "I've been in touch. We'll be doing it at your house, so we don't need a venue. Your house is an excellent venue for almost anything."

"Okay, but what about food? Can I help prepare food or something?"

"Teresa. I told you I've got it. This is a moment to celebrate a mother and her baby. This isn't a moment for you to practice your hosting skills. You're supposed to be relaxing."

She scoffed. "All I've been doing is relaxing!"

"As you should be!"

"Okay. I just wish that I could actually do something."

"You'll be doing a lot soon."

"I realize that I will have my hands full when Charlotte arrives. It's just that...I've not had much else to do recently. Patrick does nearly everything at home."

Madeleine smiled, but this one wasn't quite authentic. "Because your husband loves you. He wants to do things for your family. It's a blessing."

"It is, but I know you've all spent so much time doing things for me. I feel like I've become a weak link."

"You are anything but a weak link. I see you've kept your argument skills sharp, though."

"Please! I've not really done much of anything at home or doing a very good job checking in on my friends."

"What do you think you should be doing for your friends?"

"I don't know. Maybe I could ask you what's going on. You seem a bit off. Is everything okay? Is the commute to Sacramento grating on you?"

Madeleine fixed her napkin in her lap and straightened her back. Perhaps that was something she hadn't wanted to discuss. "The commute is terrible. I am actually looking for a house in Sacramento."

"You guys are looking for a house here? Is Mark transferring to a local hospital? I thought living in San Francisco worked best for both of you due to your work situations."

Madeleine smiled that smile again. Something was wrong. "Mark isn't moving with us. It's just me and the kids."

"Oh. Madeleine...is everything ok?"

"Yes...well, no." Her soft voice broke a bit before she tried to put her mask back into place. She slid her left hand across the table and placed it on top of Madeleine's.

"What's going on?"

"Mark and I are getting a divorce. It's just best for us to go our separate ways...partly because I made it that way."

"What do you mean?"

"When I told him that I am coming back to Sacramento full time, it was something that he wasn't ready to commit to. And things have been rocky for a while now. We're just in separate directions...with separate people."

She blinked. She was being vague. That was a lot to pull apart...and they would...but was that something she was supposed to know? "What do you mean separate directions with separate people?"

Madeleine's brown eyes met her own. They held...shame. "Mark has had a couple of different affairs over the last few years. Each time I found out, I just did what I could to try to put a bandaid on our marriage, to fix whatever it was that I was giving him. Maybe it was my fault for not spending time at home. Maybe it was my fault for not being...feminine, or desirable, enough for him. Last week, when I caught him again, he just shrugged. I was ready to ask him about coming back to Sacramento because maybe that could be a new start for us, but the look in his eyes told me what I needed to know before he ever spoke. He wasn't even sorry. It's like I wasn't even there. We've always tried to make things work for the kids. We did therapy and whatever we could to rebuild trust between us...but it's just not there. We don't want the same things. I'm just not what he wants."

She didn't say anything. How could she after such a heartbreaking confession? Worst: where the hell had she been for her friend when all of this was going down?

Rather, she leaned in and hugged her friend. "Maybe...but if that's the case, that's his loss. And from everything you've just told me, he doesn't deserve you. I'm so sorry. I can't believe you have been holding all of this in."

"Well, it's not something that I know how to talk about. Not exactly good brunch conversation to talk about how my husband routinely prefers other women over me. It's embarrassing really."

"Not embarrassing on your part. Besides, if this leave has taught me anything, it's that according to the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, this is precisely good brunch conversation. Leave his sorry ass!"

Madeleine snorted as she continued to cry softly into her shoulder. Their poor waiter wasn't sure what to make of them when he returned with their drinks, but she didn't care.

Her friend needed her right now. She chided herself once more, feeling guilt over how much she didn't see Madeleine needed to talk. What had she said on her wedding day? It was nice to have a real partner? God, was he cheating on her even then? Did she miss the signs because she was all wrapped up in herself?

Wait. What was that other thing Madeleine said? Why was she moving back to Sacramento?

She tapped her on the back. "Hey, Madeleine?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you moving back to Sacramento?"

She felt Madeleine go still in her arms before pulling back a bit.

"Well, I have been offered a spot here at headquarters."

"Oh. That's nice. It will be great to have you nearby! Are you taking Ray Haffner's position?"

Madeleine looked at her for a moment longer. "I wasn't supposed to say anything yet."

"About what? I think it's great that you're coming back full time."

"To replace you in your unit."

Her heart fell to her stomach. Madeleine was replacing her full time? "You're my full time replacement? Not just for maternity leave? But indefinitely?"

"Yes, but it's not what you think."

"Oh no! Madeleine, I'm happy for you! You deserve to lead your own team. It's beyond time for you to have your own team."

Madeleine wasn't supposed to tell her that she was no longer Supervisory Special Agent Teresa Lisbon. She was just Special Agent Teresa Lisbon now...if she had a job at all.

Madeleine nodded. "Okay, but I have to tell you the other part. I can't leave it there for you to worry."

"It's okay. They'll tell me. I understand."

She would hate losing her job—the one that she hadn't thought a lot about returning to until this very moment she learned she'd been demoted or possibly fired—but it wasn't Madeleine's place to tell her. At least her team would be in good hands. That was all she could hope for because they were all good agents with promising careers. She was the one who screwed the pooch on McAllister-not them.

Madeleine shook her head before straightening in her seat and smoothing down her dress. "Minnelli is retiring in October."

"I heard that."

"No you didn't and you also didn't hear this part. The reason Minnelli is waiting until October to retire is because he's waiting for you to come back."

"I see. He feels responsible for me, so he's going to dismiss me himself."

Seriously, this all sucked and her head was swimming, but at least their family was secure. If she'd learned anything over the last several months, a happy and healthy family was the best currency anyone could have. Though, that thought shamed her a bit in light of Madeleine's news.

"Dismiss you? No. See, that's why I can't leave it there. Teresa, when you return, you have both a commendation and a promotion waiting on you. You're Minnelli's successor."

"No fucking way!" A second too late, she covered her mouth, realizing their classy location and the inappropriateness of that response.

"He has hand picked you-with full support from the top brass-to be his successor. That's why I'm coming in to run your unit. You're the new Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento Office."

"I...what? I'm sorry. I don't...what about Sam? What about the other guys?"

Madeleine nodded. "From my understanding, this has full support from everyone in the office. The way you handled the situation put a lot of confidence in your ability to manage. From what I know, Sam has been the one most vocal about his support."

"Oh my God. I just...Madeleine, can I be honest for a second?"

"Yeah."

"Until this very conversation, when I thought I was being fired, I hadn't put a ton of thought into returning to work. When I thought I'd lose my job, I started to panic a bit, but I thought at least we're financially secure. Is this really what the CBI wants to put its confidence in? I'm not the same person I was before."

"None of us are, Teresa."

"No, but I have a family-and I will do whatever I have to do to get back to them. The CBI needs someone to put the needs of the organization above all else."

"Above what else, Teresa? Humanity? The very things that the CBI stands for preserving? Just because people who look like Bosco or Minnelli have always led things with a certain outlook on life doesn't mean that your outlook being different is a recipe for disaster. And besides, everyone has a bit of self-preservation in them."

She thought about her words for a bit. She was unsure about this. She had a family to care for, and if nothing else, the attack made it clear where her priorities lie above all else. Being cleared of wrongdoing was one thing, but that didn't stop the crisis of her conscience knowing she'd do the same thing again if necessary. Madeleine couldn't understand what it felt like knowing, not just hypothesizing, that you could—and would—kill if it meant protecting your family.

Madeleine tapped her hand, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Just do me a favor and act surprised when Minnelli tells you?"

"Of course I will! I'm sure it will still be a shock even then!" They both laughed before she took Madeleine's hand again.

"Just let me know what I can do for you and the kids right now. You know, I still have the old house. I've not been able to get over and put in the work I wanted to do on it, and it's small, but you and the kids are more than welcome to stay there until you are able to find something permanent. We still have some furniture there, and I can get Patrick to go over and replace what needs replaced."

"I appreciate it, but I couldn't take advantage of your generosity."

She shook her head. "You're not taking advantage! I can't imagine what you're going through right now, and if there's anything I can do to make it even a bit easier, I want to do it."

Madeleine smiled. "I really appreciate it. Just tell me what a fair rental price is."

"I have no idea what a fair rental price is. How about you get settled in and we can talk about it in a few months?" She would absolutely not be charging her friend for crashing in an empty house.

As they ate, she revisited their conversation about work. Madeleine had a point. To be sure, she'd become a wife and a mother over the last year. And she was still a CBI Agent.

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On Wednesday, they took a family trip to the shopping mall to shop for their upcoming trip. They were just going to Vegas to meet family, but Patrick's nerves were starting to get the better of him. Nothing made that clearer than his sudden fixation on wanting their family to put on their best appearance. After all, that was his tell.

As they sat and watched Annie in the play area, he started to fidget a bit. He'd been doing that a lot recently. Though he seemed happy about how things turned out on the phone with his mom, his mood only improved as they exchanged text messages several times a day.

"What is it?"

"I think I should get a new suit! I have time to get it tailored before the trip."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't think you need a new suit. Maybe you could just wear jeans?"

"Meh. I'd like to make a good impression! They're high class people."

"They're your family. You're not attending a society event." How would anyone see her husband as anything except a good man?

"No."

"You'll charm them the same way you did me: with your kind, genuine heart."

He flashed her a warm smile. "I thought that involved body parts too. I won't be doing that with my family."

She swatted him with her right arm. She couldn't believe how much she was improving. Still, they'd been looking into slings she could wear when Charlotte arrived. "Hush! See, this is why I can't tell you sweet things too often!"

"You definitely can tell me every sweet little thought that pops into your head. I love hearing my pocket rocket, dynamite, sometimes heavily armed, cute as a button Special Agent Teresa Lisbon Jane tell me her thoughts, even the more salacious ones." He paused, tapping his chin. "No, especially those ones."

"You know what? I wish I was heavily armed right now!"

"Ah! No you dont! You think I'm charming. But this reminds me. We've not done an event together."

She looked at him. "An event?"

"Yeah, a charity event. For social status, rich people just throw their money around to get lousy food, watered down cocktails, and lackluster company for the night."

While she recognized they were always comfortable, she sometimes forgot about that aspect of his life. Besides the Christmas party at his office, he hadn't asked her to go anywhere with him in that capacity.

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Oh, you probably don't. I rarely do. I usually spend my time cold reading people. The rich are…fascinating! But to your point: it's nice to announce you as my wife."

"Announce me as your wife?"

"So people can put a face to your name."

"More like talk about me behind my back."

"And what will they say? Teresa Lisbon Jane: a bold, brave, beautiful woman who caught the eye of Patrick Jane before stealing his heart?"

She paused for a moment before looking up at him. "You know, for your next career you could make greeting cards."

He laughed deep from within his belly before squeezing her shoulders. Really, he had stolen her heart. And that was okay. She was happy to give him that.

In the end, they left with new clothes for all of them. Frankly, she was glad to have some dresses that fit and were somewhat flattering.

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As promised, his step-father got the plane tickets once her doctor cleared her to fly. They agreed to stay with his family...but she knew her husband. He'd been eyeing hotels and looking to book one to have on standby just in case things didn't go well.

For her part, she called in a favor and had Sam run a background check on Paul and Patricia McDonald. She wanted to be sure they were who they appeared to be. No way were they walking into that situation blindly. Everything checked out fine. They didn't seem to be grifters or anything like that—the thought immediately made her feel guilty.

Patrick only recently opened up to her just a bit about his past. He obviously felt shame for acts he'd done as a child under his father's direction—and she certainly couldn't judge him for that. There was a time that she tried like hell to please her own father. Still, it couldn't be hard for him to talk about a past that he rejected and tried to leave behind, especially one that involved criminal acts with his wife who was also a cop.

Even with her heightened sense of security, it would not bode well for meeting new family members with a mentality that might make her husband think she thought less of his family and, in turn, him.

If his sudden focus on appearances and constant fidgeting didn't give it away, the fact that he didn't sleep a wink on Thursday night showed just how nervous he was about this. On Friday morning, he was rather quiet.

Once they got settled on the plane, and Annie had her window seat and snacks, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. She didn't mind. They were usually close during flights, but she always initiated that contact.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes." No. She could hear his heart practically hammering out of his chest.

"It will be a pretty quick flight."

"Yeah, I know."

"She's going to love you. She already does."

He grinned slightly. "Maybe, but my siblings are 24, 21, and 19. I don't know what I have in common with them."

"You'll find something to talk about. Just give it time. You'll be fighting like sworn enemies!"

"And I don't know. Paul. It's going to be weird seeing her with a different husband." His cheeks were slightly pink. Of course, he had trouble thinking of his mother as a woman.

"It's been a while since you've seen her. She's lived an entire life just like you have. What do you think she's going to think when she sees me? In her mind, you're probably Annie's size."

"That's probably true. I just…am I supposed to have some kind of relationship with him?"

"I think that's up to you guys. I think you just have to check it out. He certainly seemed eager to meet you." After all, he encouraged their visit and paid for their entire trip.

"I just hope I live up to their expectations is all."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You will."

She drifted off to sleep holding his hand tightly.

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As promised, a car was waiting for them at the airport. While Annie marveled at their new surroundings, they remained mostly quiet.

His family lived in a rather nice gated community. Jokingly, she wondered if this is the kind of luxury mafia money could get you. Though, he was much too tense for that joke to work, and the neighborhood resembled their own.

As they pulled into the drive, she felt him go still at her side. A woman stood from her chair on the patio and smoothed down her dress. She clasped her hands and remained still, seemingly as nervous to see her son as he was to see her. She didn't approach as they got their bags, but Paul and his son were out immediately to help with their bags.

"Hi! I'm Paul. It's so good to meet all of you!"

The soft spoken man was probably in his late 50s, and it was clear that his once thick dark hair had started to recede. Nonetheless, he flashed them all a kind smile as he pointed to the boy next to him. "This is Jason."

"Hey." He flashed a quick smile, and she immediately caught just how much he resembled his older brother.

"I'm Annie!" Everyone laughed. Patrick had grasped her shoulders as she swayed from side to side and wanted in on the introductions.

Paul grinned, his smile meeting his eyes before he reached in to ruffle Annie's hair. For some reason, he had a presence that reminded her of a good natured man she knew-one who was very soft spoken and kind until one of his agents created a mess that took a bit of finagling to clean up. Briefly, she wondered if she could ever fill those shoes, but she quickly packed that away. Now wasn't the time. Nothing was official and she certainly hadn't told Patrick about that part of her conversation.

"It's nice to meet you, Annie! Let's get you all inside. There are fresh cookies inside!"

At that proclamation, Annie was suddenly eager for them to get inside.

When they got onto the patio, she could tell he was hesitant to keep going. His mother was silent as well. She was quite a beautiful woman. Though her pulled back hair had prominent silver streaks in it, she could tell she shared Jason and Patrick's blonde curls. And her eyes were like staring into her husband's.

Finally, he spoke. "Mom."

She reached for her son. "Paddy!"

As they stood there embracing each other, she felt her own eyes getting wet.

Patricia leaned out and placed her palm on his cheek. "My boy! And who's this you have with you?"

Hearing his mother speak made her smile. It felt…like an old comfort. One she hadn't had in years.

"This is my wife Teresa, and…"

"And I'm Annie!" Once again, she got a round of laughter.

"Well, Annie, you are certainly full of energy!"

She released Patrick from her grasp, and before she knew what was happening, Patricia was embracing her. At first that was a weird sensation, and she could see her husband tensing up a bit again. Though, she quickly recognized the warmth of her hug and that old, but familiar, feel of a mother's love.

"And Teresa. My new daughter!"

"Thank you for having us here, Mrs. McDonald."

"Please! It's Patricia. And thank you for coming, dear. I know travel must be hell on you right now. How far along are you?"

"Almost 30 weeks." She noticed that she caught sight of her boot. Right. She would probably have to explain that somehow.

"Well, at least you're in the home stretch!"

"Um, excuse me. I don't know what to call you, but I heard there are cookies inside."

The woman knelt to reach Annie's eye level. It reminded her of the day she and Patrick brought Annie home to live with him and how he had always approached speaking to the little girl. "Well, I'm your grandma. And this is your Grandpa Paul and your Uncle Jason. Your aunts are inside."

Annie smiled widely as she looked up and caught her gaze. "I have aunts again?"

She nodded. "Well, you still have Aunt Karen."

"Yeah, but she's different."

"She married your Uncle Stan."

"But she's not like his sister."

"Well, she's my sister now. That's how marriage works."

"That sounds ridiculous. I want to meet my new aunts."

She rolled her eyes softly. Sometimes, she had no idea where Annie got these things from-but the underlying implication had pained her a bit. Annie was always Aunt Teresa's girl to spoil when she called her or was able to travel to Chicago. As she gained a daughter, their relationship changed a bit and that particular part of their bond was severed. Being the "fun" aunt gave way to the more serious matters of Annie's upbringing. Though, she liked to think the type of home they had was one where at the very least their girls knew they were loved, supported, and well cared for.

Patricia looked to her and to Annie with a look of curiosity, but she said nothing. She and Patrick hadn't really anticipated the types of things they might have to tell his mother. Well, maybe he had. He had just been so nervous about making the trip that they hadn't discussed some of the details about their family that others already knew that they may have to share again.

The older woman smiled again, placing her arms on Annie's shoulder. "Okay, let's get you all inside. I'm sure you're ready to relax." As she stood, she reached for Annie's hand to lead her inside.

She grinned as she watched them go inside. To her side, her husband was starting to lighten up a bit as well as he touched his chest. "Once again, my girls outshine me."

"Oh please!"

"That's okay though. I'm rather proud of my girls."

She nudged his shoulder softly with her own. "Sure. You didn't tell me your mom is Irish."

He narrowed his eyes in confusion. "My mom is Irish?"

"She's definitely Irish."

He shrugged. "I remembered her having an accent, and it's a lot softer now, but she's never said that she is."

"That you remember."

"I was young, and besides, how can you possibly tell that?"

"The fact that she sounds just like my mom."

"Your mom spoke with an accent?"

"A light one. And she also had one of those medals."

For a quick, fleeting moment, she considered telling him about the Saint Patrick medal that his mother wore with her crucifix, but the dual meaning of the woman wearing that medal hit her. While he was the Patron Saint of Ireland, there was no way she wore that medal without also thinking of her son. But maybe that was something for a mother to explain to her son.

He shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You should ask her where she's from. Though, I'd hate to find out we are cousins or something like that. It might really kill the vibe."

He snorted loudly as he started laughing. Patricia re-appeared at the door. "Is everything okay? Why are you still outside?"

Admittedly, it was a bit suspect, if not rude, that they were still standing on the patio once she invited them in.

He waved his hand. "Teresa is afraid we might be cousins now."

Patricia furrowed her eyebrows. "Why would you be cousins now?"

"Are you from Ireland, mom?"

She touched the cross and medal at her neck. "Of course! Did you forget? You asked me once where your name came from, and I told you about our home."

He shook his head. Her eyes looked pained for just a moment before her mask slipped back in place.

"It's ok! We will catch up! Come inside!"

Patricia waved them in, and this time they followed her. Though, a sharp pain hit her own chest. She recognized that brief look in Patricia's eyes. It was one she felt often, but in reverse. Over the years, and especially more recently as she approached child birth, she wondered what connections and important stories died with her mother. In that brief moment, Patricia wondered what connections her son had lost.

Inside, Annie was already settled on the sofa with cookies and milk.

"Mommy, this is Amanda. And that's Maisie. They're my new aunts."

She grinned. "That's great to hear. I think we should let them introduce themselves though."

Annie shrugged and kept eating. The two women were sitting near each other on the other sofa. They all had Patricia's tell tale blue eyes, but the girls had darker hair. The one with the darker hair spoke first.

"Hi, I'm Amanda!" She nudged her sister with her elbow.

"I'm Maisie. I didn't think you were real."

"Mais!"

That level of honesty must also be a genetic trait.

Patrick only laughed softly. "I can assure you that I am real."

Amanda grinned. "Don't worry about her. It's just how she is."

He shrugged. "It's absolutely fine because I didn't know about you guys either. I can understand the shock."

Patricia seemed slightly embarrassed until Paul took a seat next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She seemed to lose a bit of tension at that contact, almost like he provided her a layer of security. She smoothed her dress down before she spoke.

"So, Paddy, tell us about yourself! We want to know more about you!"

""There's not a lot to tell."

She narrowed her eyes at her son. "Of course there is! What do you do for a living? How did you meet Teresa? What do you like to do for fun? There's lots to tell!"

"Okay, I sell luxury cars."

"You're a car salesman?" Amanda crinkled her nose in distaste, but Patricia intervened immediately.

"Paddy, that's a good, respectable career! I'm proud of you!" Paul nodded.

"But mom…"

"Amanda, not everyone is a doctor. Not everyone can be a doctor. There is no need to pass judgement."

She guffawed as she twisted a piece of her dark brown hair behind her ear. "Okay. Years of lectures about making something of yourself and studying, and you're so proud of a car salesman? It's just strange is all. Apparently, your standards just aren't the same for all of your kids."

Paul intervened now as Patricia clasped her hands together, suddenly finding the most interest in her hands. "Hey! Amanda, that's not very kind to your brother or your mother. We are trying to get to know each other better, and you're not doing a great job. Really need to work on your bedside manner, kid."

She flopped backward on the couch as she huffed. "Okay, tell us more about selling cars."

Patrick stiffened beside her. He'd feared this judgment from his family, and it must have been like his fears were becoming reality before his own eyes. She thought to add something to the conversation to try to move it to a different place, but suddenly, Patricia's raise voice startled her.

"Amanda! I've never shown you my disapproval until right this moment. He didn't have the same opportunities as you, and I won't let you sit here and act so disrespectfully. Your brother and his family are our guests. This is our time to get to know them and for them to get to know us. You're making an awful impression!"

Amanda exhaled loudly, but in the end, she simply folded her arms and remained quiet. Patricia, who had been red faced moments before, smiled politely and spoke in a calm, even voice. "Paddy, do you like your job?"

"I should say so. I own my own business. We sell high end cars. I've been doing car work since I was 16. I got into it through mechanics. I learned to work on motors of...the machines. I did that work for a while to get by...after I left...I'm sorry. I don't really know how to talk about this."

Paul nodded receptively. "Well, whatever you want to tell us, Paddy. It's okay. We're your family."

He rubbed his chin and shrugged before continuing, as though he was giving himself permission to speak. "After I left home at 17, I worked on cars for a while to get by. It was good, honest work which was how I wanted to make my money. At first, I was small time: finding and fixing up cars to sell. Then, I met a friend who helped me get into the business side of things. I built my dealership from the ground up. I employ 20 people now, and since Teresa has become pregnant, I promoted one of my best workers to management so that I could be hands off."

He reached for her hand and smiled at her. Just telling his story helped him gain some confidence. She understood why appearances was one way he could manage being nervous. At least he could control how people saw the exterior when sometimes the interior was quite messy.

"That's wonderful, son. You've done quite a lot in your young life. I'm truly proud of you." Patricia smiled at him, eliciting a smile from him. "So, how exactly did you come to be married to a cop?"

That was rather abrupt. She inhaled sharply. How did she know that? Meanwhile, he started laughing from deep in his belly as everyone else in the room also looked on in confusion.

"I'm sorry, but how did you know that?"

"Oh, honey. I can spot a cop from miles away. It's a training that never leaves you. Even though you are heavily pregnant and dressed up, you still have that air about you."

Patrick, still laughing, rubbed his face. "We met a few years ago. She caught my eye because she's a pool cheat."

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry. I meant pool hustler."

"And you adopted little Annie when you married?"

He nodded. "We did."

She furrowed her brow in confusion. "Oh, I see! Annie is your niece. Because of the resemblance, I thought she was your daughter."

Once again, everyone in the room except Patricia and Patrick had no idea where she got that from. He really did get that skill from her.

Before she could respond, Annie answered her. "I was her niece, but now, I'm her daughter because the judge said so. My parents didn't want me."

Suddenly, Patrick removed his hand from hers and reached out to tap Annie's leg. "Hey."

She rolled her shoulders. "It's true. They didn't want me anymore, but it's okay because I got to come live in California. I like my school, and Riley is my best friend! Then, mommy and daddy got married after mommy told daddy on Christmas that Charlotte is coming. He said it was the best Christmas gift ever."

Suddenly, she felt her own cheeks growing extremely warm as Patricia's gaze shifted to her. She could tell Patricia was at least moderately religious. People knowing she was pregnant before they married never seemed like quite a big deal when it was just their friends. Now, she felt the guilt creeping up her body under her mother-in-law's gaze.

For his part, her husband chuckled a bit. "We really have to work on how we talk about that in front of others."

"But they're family!"

Patricia reached out for her hand. "It's okay, dear. No need to be embarrassed. Children are very honest."

She smiled nervously. "Well, basically everything she just said is true. Annie came to live with us last summer, and we adopted her this spring. We got married on New Year's Eve because Patrick told me that he couldn't think of a better way of starting our new year off. I was afraid he wanted to get married so quickly because I was pregnant."

"So quickly?"

She looked at her husband. His eyes were glowing as he wore a smile on his face. His hand found hers again. She looked at her husband as she answered his mother's question. "We had each planned for a big Christmas. He proposed to me by letting me find the ring in the bottom of my stocking. In his stocking, I'd put our little girl's first sonogram."

"With a onesie that said 'daddy's little riding buddy.'" His voice was quite soft. Of course, he liked that little touch.

Amanda leaned forward, suddenly interested in the conversation again. "You pulled a wedding off in a week?"

"Yes. We kept it simple. We married in our backyard and took a quick honeymoon trip up the coast."

"Wow. That's crazy!"

He shrugged. "Well, I knew I wanted to marry her months before I even asked her. As far as I was concerned we could have done it that night."

She laughed. "Yes because there are a lot of ministers readily available on Christmas Eve to conduct weddings on the fly."

"That's so sweet, Paddy...but how long did you two date?"

"Just 7 months. But I didn't need that long to know that I wanted to share my life with her. She's remarkable. She actually took me in when I was homeless."

"It's not like you weren't looking for a permanent home, and I wanted you to stay with me because I liked having you around."

"A beautiful, smart, kind woman invited me to live with her because she liked having me around. How could I not love her?"

Until Maisie cut in, she temporarily thought they were having a private conversation. "That's not very long. How could you possibly know?"

"When you find a gem, you know."

"Well, Maisie, your father and I only knew each other a few months before we married too. And we've been happily married for nearly 26 years now. Your brother is right. When you find a gem-the perfect mate-for you, you just know." She looked to Paul who squeezed her tightly. They were quite sweet.

"Yeah, sometimes you have to sift through bad relationships to get to the good ones." Patricia went still, which Patrick must have caught immediately. "I was talking about my ex-wife."

"Oh. You were married before?"

"Uh yeah. We met after I separated from my first wife." He straightened a bit in his seat. He always felt the need to keep the record straight on that matter. "But I was married to Angela Ruskin for almost 15 years."

"Ruskin? You married a Ruskin?"

"I did. We both wanted to leave, and I think that mutual goal and youth sort of blinded me to the realities of the situation."

"Please! That's your way of saying she used you, isn't it? God! I never liked that family! A bunch of cheats and master manipulators-all of them! I'm glad you got away from them and found a decent woman."

She tilted her own head down and smiled. She only knew one person from that family, and that was her impression as well-but she would leave that alone.

"That's true, but it was one of those things that sounded good at the time. I like to think that I've learned from my mistakes and that Teresa has shown me what love really looks like." She laced their fingers together. "I'm proud of the family that we've built, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. The best thing that's ever been mine."

Their eyes met as she gave him her silent agreement. That was all true, and she wouldn't trade her family for anything either. They would see him for the kind, decent, loving man he'd become. How could they see anything else?

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A/N 2: Thanks for reading! If you're worried about not seeing Patrick meet his mom from his POV, no need to worry! That will happen in the next chapter. Also, I wasn't terribly convinced about the song for this chapter...until I wrote the chapter and listened to the song a few times. I think this works better than I thought lol.