Chapter five
Sunday dinner
Danny and Sean arrived at Sunday dinner and greeted everybody
"Hey what's up" Danny asked
"Erin made us a nice dinner" Henry smiled at him.
They all sat down at the table to eat
"Nikki will be coming back for Easter for a little while" Erin let everyone know
"Great it will be nice for her to meet her cousin Joe" Frank replied
"Me and Eddie are going to visit her mom on the weekend but we'll be back for the dinner next week" Jamie let everyone know
"It's been a while I'm looking forward to catching up with her"
"Me and Frank are making dinner next week." Henry let everyone know.
"I want to bring dessert" Danny told him wanting to do something special.
"Sean is a volunteer to organise a easter egg hunt for children over at the church" Danny said proud of his son
"Hopefully Jack can make it back from college to help me" Sean added
"Hope so son" Danny told him.
"Hey dad remember Jamie's easter egg hunt where he ate nearly all his eggs before we even got home and nearly got sick in the car"
They all laughed "Mom got so mad I was banned from sweets for weeks" Jamie told them.
Everyone laughed harder when Jamie told them about Danny's Friday night karaoke verison of 'Wanted dead or alive' by Bon Jovi.
Erin led them all saying Grace and they all settled down to eat.
A couple of days later Danny and Baez were at their desks sorting through paperwork as they had case that day
Maria got a phone call from Erin
"Hey are you and Danny free for lunch today there is something I want to discuss with you"
"Hi, yeah , the usual place?" Maria asked
"Yeah" Erin replied
"Ok sounds good, see you in ten" Maria let her know hanging up.
"Hey Danny, want to grab lunch with Erin? she wants to talk about something"
"Sure, it's slow today" Danny told her as they headed out
They met Erin at the cafe said hello and sat down to order some lunch
"Hi, sis everything ok?"
"Yeah everything is good, maybe even better for you actually" Erin said nodding towards Maria
"What's up?" she asked Erin
"The Judge has ordered the baby into your care as a foster parent"
"Really?" Maria asked amazed
"You will be custodial parent for a year and then have a chance of adopting her"
"Really?" Maria asked amazed
"Wow" Danny said happy for her
"Erin thank you for all that I can't believe it happened so fast" Maria thanked her
"Sure you ready for all this" Erin smiled hugging her
"I sure hope so" Maria said half jokingly
"I will need to get some things"
"Want a hand?" Danny asked.
"You sure you wouldn't mind" Maria asked shyly she did not want to burden him
"Sure, it's no problem"
Erin just stayed quiet and smiled at them.
Danny and Maria enjoyed a lunch and toast with Erin and both hugged her again as they headed out.
A little while later they pulled up outside Walmart
They started having fun walking around looking at all the cute things, but started with the basics like diapers and wipes, changing mat, formula, outfits and onesies, a few teddies and blankets. Pricey but Maria didn't mind. Danny tried to scare Baez by surprising her coming round the corner with a giant dinosaur teddy but Maria wasnt having any of it and they both could not remember wanting to laugh so much.
Danny helped take all the things back to the car and they headed towards Maria's place to take all the baby stuff before going to pick her up. She was now ready to be discharged from the hospital. They headed back out straight to pick her up.
Danny and Maria entered the hospital and soon the doctor came out to meet them.
"Hello detectives we got the judge's order come on through"
They both followers her into the nursery
"She's had a last once over, clean bill of health she's already to go" she smiled at them
"Thank you" Maria said picking her up
"Do we have a name?" the doctor asked
"Oh..I was thinking about Sofia..after my cousin"
"Oh that is a beautiful name, well have a wonderful life with your new parent" the doctor said saying goodbye to the baby.
"Thank you again for everything" Maria told her as Danny placed her into the car seat"
"Oh, you're most welcome thank you for taking her congratulations on being a new parent" the doctor replied smiling "or... parents" she thought smiling to herself as she shook both their hands and watched them head out.
TBC
