All familiar characters belong to Janet. Mistakes are mine alone.

"Hey, Dad. Do you have a few minutes for me?"

I stuck close and rubbed Steph's shoulders as she called Frank. He hasn't disappointed her once since our Caribbean vacation before the world was shut down, but I still prefer to be on hand in case I'm needed.

"For you, I have all the time you need," he replied. "Me, your Grandmother, and Aideen are playing cards, but I don't mind taking a break. They're winning all my chips."

"I hope you're not cashing those chips in for money," she warned. "We can't have a gambling ring on company property."

"We're using actual potato chips. Chocolate-covered chips for Aideen. You know how your grandmother is with those Barbecue ones. My classic chips are disappearing at an alarming rate."

"You don't normally lose," my wife pointed out.

"When I played at the lodge, I stood a chance. I'm up against two card sharks here."

"Darn tootin'!" Steph and I could both hear Edna say in the background.

"I'm glad you're all together. This will cut down on time and threats."

"You called at the right time for us both then since I've been wanting to discuss something with you. Come on down whenever you're ready. The door's unlocked."

"Uh-oh," she said, cutting a worried look my way.

"It's nothing bad or having to do with your mother," Frank assured her. "Everything's fine."

"Alright. Should we bring Olive with us? Or will she be too big of a distraction for us to hold a conversation?"

"You'd better bring her," Frank said without hesitation. "Not only will my guests want to see her, I want her opinion on the fish I'm going to get."

"Fish?" Steph asked. "You want a pet?"

"I think the cat of yours that ran away when you were little was the last pet I've been near since I was a child. It feels like a good time to change that … and Olive loves fish. Mary Alice seemed interested in keeping fish, but Valerie dismissed that idea pretty quickly. I'm currently in a position to make the three of us happy."

I put my face beside Stephanie's so I could warn him. "There's a very real possibility you'll find Olivia sinking a fishing pole into the tank. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

It still takes some getting used to, but Frank actually laughing - without being self-conscious about it - has been happening more and more often lately.

"I'll take my chances. Once it has a name," he reasoned, "I doubt she'll want to do more than just watch it swim around."

"I'd suggest something that has unicorn colors or most resembles a mermaid then," Steph added.

"I already thought of that. I'll see you in a few minutes."

We disconnected and Steph cut her eyes to me. "Did my Dad just say that he wants pet fish for him, Olive, and Mary Alice?"

I hugged her, knowing what a big step this is for a man who had zero say and interest in his life until he moved here.

"That's exactly what it sounded like," I told her. "Maybe we should also bring Mo and Gunny with us to remind him of what he's signing himself up for."

"No. Let's not scare him away from something he's excited about. Olive! We're going to go see Grandpa Plum! Do you want to come with us?"

I stopped myself from shaking my head. "You know there's little chance of leaving the apartment without her, don't you think you should stop phrasing everything into a question?"

"Nope. Our daughter is going to know what freedom of choice is from the inside out."

We both watched Olivia appear in the kitchen with the pink camo Teddy bear Tank had given to her when she was born.

"Wow, we're going back in time with the toy choice," my wife said.

"Bear gurl," was Olive's reply … whatever she meant by it.

"Yep, that's the girl bear GodTank gave you when you were just a teeny, tiny girl."

"I da baby?"

"Not so much anymore. You're getting to be super big, but Daddy and Mama will always see you as our baby girl."

"Big gurl."

"That too," I added. "Grandpa has company, do you know who's with him?"

"May May!"

"Yes, Great Grandma Mazur is there," Steph told her. "And so is Miss Aideen."

"May bean!"

"We're getting a lot closer with the names. Yep, Grandpa's friend Aideen has all those coffee beans you played with last week at her coffee shop. Are you ready to go see them?"

"We Mo."

"Guess that decides the dog question. Gunny, Mo, door!"

As if they were just biding their time until they were invited along, they immediately ran past us to stare at the front door, willing it to open all on its own.

"I guess we're leaving the doll behind since it didn't work as planned last time we used it to try to share our news," Steph said to me.

"Let's stick with just telling people from now on," I told her, causing our dogs and daughter to shift impatiently near our exit so I could kiss my wife.

"Got it. No more props. It's weird, I'm as excited to tell my Dad about this as I'm dreading my mother finding out."

"Focus on Frank, Edna, and Aideen. There's nothing your mother can do that I can't stop or redirect back onto her. Our children are just that … ours to love and protect as much as we want and need to."

"Thanks. I needed that reminder. I feel like I'm a Mama Bear stuck on high alert now when I can admit that I'm already pretty scary when it comes to Olive."

"You're not scary, Babe. Just formidable."

"I'll take it. Do you want to press the button for four?" She asked Olive. "Since you're getting so good at knowing your numbers."

"I didz it!" Our daughter replied before she had even reached the elevator or made contact with its number four button.

"Now who's psychic?" My wife teased. "Olive knew she was gonna hit the right one ahead of time."

"Funny."

"I thought so," she said, following our daughter to the elevator while I locked our door behind us.

"Bampa!" Olivia called as she slap/knocked on Frank's door two minutes later. "I's here! Moed and Gunny be in dere!"

The door opened a beat later and Frank stood looking down at her, fighting a grin. "I'm really glad you are here, Olivia. Come on in. I've got your coffee set already out on the table. I bet Great Grandma Mazur and Aideen would love to try some of your special brew."

"They won't have to worry about spilling it at least," I said to the group.

"All the best coffee is imaginary," Steph told me, narrowing her eyes in warning not to burst Olivia's bubble. "It doesn't keep you up at night either."

"Trying to convince yourself why you won't miss caffeine?" I teased.

Knowing Stephanie's love and need for coffee, that comment had Frank pausing.

"Why would you miss it?" He asked. "Are you doing one of those cleanse things I keep hearing about during commercials?"

"No. It's pretty much the exact opposite of restricting food," Steph answered.

"What's shakin'?" Edna asked when we moved into the kitchen where the cutthroat game of poker was being held.

"Stephanie's giving up coffee," Frank told the women.

"What? Why on God's goobers would you do that?" Was Edna's question. "You just got done convincing everyone that Aideen's coffee's the best in town."

"It is," my wife assured Aideen. "I'm just gonna say it this time instead of trying to make a big production out of it. Ranger, me, and Olive came down to tell you that … I'm pregnant again. We're having another baby."

Unlike with the men, no fighting or swearing ensued. Absolute silence greeted our news. Though Gunny and Mo were happily whining for scratches from everyone in the kitchen.

"Go ahead and pour everyone a cup," I encouraged Olivia, who was holding the coffeepot that came with her party playset. "Your customers clearly need a jolt of something."

And just like that, the screams happened but from Aideen rather than Edna, which was a surprise. "Oh, my Goodness. I'm getting a brand-new grandbaby!"

When she realized what she'd said, silence filled Frank's apartment once again.

"I mean … it doesn't matter what happens or doesn't happen between me and your father, I will always be here for you and your family, Stephanie. That's why I'm so excited. Whatever your future holds, I plan on being a part of it. It's as I always say, strong women create the strongest bonds."

We all know that it's too soon for Frank to consider getting married again. But I have no doubt that Aideen will be there for him whenever he's ready if that's in his future.

"I'd like that," Steph told her. "Our kids couldn't have a better role model after their Daddy."

"What about me?" Edna asked. "I make a darn fine role model. You turned out okay."

"You are the first person I'd send them to," I assured her, "if our kids ever need to break out of prison or learn how to make a casino pay out."

"Damn skippy! I'll give 'em all the pointers they want. Are you really carrying baby number two?"

"Yep," My wife said, covering my hand which was already resting on her stomach.

Every time I wrap my arm around her waist, my hand always ends up covering where our baby is growing. She's not showing, but I swear I can feel the change in her body.

"I'm so happy for you, Stephanie," Frank said.

"Thanks. I'm happy for me and us too. I wanted you guys to know but we'd appreciate it if you keep the news quiet for the moment. If you can do that for another two weeks, Grandma, I'll let you tell everyone however you want to. Everybody here in the building knows, but we're trying to keep the Manosos focused on Celia right now."

Watching the way Edna's bony body doubled in size with importance, and an uneasy amount of excitement, was worth the price of admittance.

"Once Celia and Arlen's wedding is over, this doesn't have to be kept quiet. I do want to say though, that this," Steph said, tightening her hold on my hand protecting her stomach, "doesn't change anything when it comes to Mom. She's not welcome here even when/if she hears the news."

"I'm sorry," Frank said, looking up from the plate Olivia had put a piece of plastic cake on for him.

"Don't be," Steph told him. "We've all made our choices and I don't regret mine. I hope you don't either because me and Val really appreciate what you've done for us. Which reminds me, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Not a thing now except this new baby."

"But there was something before we showed up."

"Yes. I was going to tell you that I'm thinking it's past time I think about moving out of this building and finding my own home. But this baby changes everything."

"Wait, you don't want to leave our building because I'm pregnant?"

"Yes. I missed so much of my granddaughters and daughters' lives, I'm going to be here for the start of this one's life. I had been saving for a trip to California when Valerie first announced she was pregnant, but as soon as your sister told your mother she didn't need to come, that ended all discussions of us being there for your nieces' births. I've always regretted that. My guilt was only slightly alleviated when I could help as Lisa was about to be born."

"You did get Val's bag and the car pulled around while we were all busy totally freaking out," Steph said.

"But that wasn't enough. I can do what I want now, and if it's alright with you, I'd like to be an active part of this pregnancy. I want to see all of your sonograms. I'd like to be one of the first people you and Ranger tell when you find out what you're having. And I want to be here in case you need anything when you can't do things yourself."

Steph smiled. "That's exactly what we told Jaxton to give him a 'job'," my wife teased to dial back the emotion a little. "I really can do everything I normally do, except apprehensions, while I'm pregnant."

"Still … we'll come back around to my moving out well after this baby arrives."

"You mean that, don't you?" She asked him.

"Yes. Not only do I recognize what I've lost, I understand how not to repeat the mistakes that kept those moments away from me."

"Look at you, Frank," Edna said, "you're sounding like one of them modern dads who stay home with the kids."

"He does," Aideen agreed. "And it's a very attractive trait."

Steph's face twisted. "Please, I don't want the throwing up to start earlier than it needs to. But thanks, Dad. I appreciate that you want to stay on here because of us, but I don't want you putting your life on hold for me ever again."

"I'm not putting it on hold, Stephanie. I'm pausing to enjoy certain aspects of it even more."