The ride to the family home

Danny didn't speak all the way back to the house. He parked the car, helped both Pops and Linda out of the car and walked up the front walk with them. He used his key to open the door and stood to the side while they walked in. Linda decided to go upstairs so Danny walked inside and pulled Pops into the kitchen.

"How did you guys get over there, Pops?"

I'm sorry Danny, I thought it might be a good idea, but I can see it wasn't. She wanted to see the house. I had no idea she was gonna start rearranging everything but being a woman, guess she couldn't wait. We called an Uber and I had hoped we'd be gone long before this. Why aren't you at work, anyway?"

"I had taken two weeks off for our trip and I planned on canceling it and just going into work like I do most days. Dad told my boss to kick me out and I think he was right. Tell him I'll call later when I'm finished then I'm going back to the house to put things away. I just wish there was some way I could talk to Maria."

"Why can't you?"

"There's an order of protection keeping me away. When Dad told her about Linda, she asked him for a few things. Seems she took the sergeant's exam and was in the top ten. She asked to be moved back to patrol as a sergeant, has a new phone, and will soon have a new address. I'm not in the loop. I want to be part of my child's life, but I don't want to have to sue her to get that. I want us to handle this like two mature adults. The worst part is the lawyer she used for the order to keep me away from her is Jack Boyle, my sister's ex-husband. Sorry, Pops but I gotta go. Tell Linda I'll be here tomorrow. Thanks." Danny headed out the front door and Pops returned to the kitchen to check on dinner. Linda waited a few minutes after hearing the door close before going downstairs.

She walked into the kitchen and sat down. "Guess I really messed up, didn't I Pops. But I wanted to see where Danny and the boys ended up and then I couldn't stop myself from putting things where I thought they belonged and then I couldn't stop myself and I started removing clothes that I knew couldn't be Danny's. Is he coming back for dinner?"

"No, said he wasn't sure how long his appointment would be but he'll be here tomorrow. How about helping me make that casserole you used to make. I think I have everything you need." Together, they gathered what was needed and prepared dinner.

Danny ran up the stairs to the doctor's office, walked into the waiting room and knocked on the office door. Danny paced back and forth waiting for Alex to open his door. It seemed like hours but it was only a few moments. "Hi, Danny, come in." Danny walked inside and sat on the sofa.

"I know something is really wrong; last time we talked, you were getting married and going out of town for a week or so? Start at the beginning."

Danny talked nonstop for more than ten minutes. "Wow, I don't think I've ever had anyone with a story like that. I'm not sure where to start." He stood up and paced for a few moments. "Danny, what do you want?"

"I don't know. When the house burned down, and I lost Linda I was totally out of my mind. I had no idea how to raise the boys, find a house for us, make it into a home. Linda did all that for us. For four years the three of us struggled and then someone helped me see that I could live again. I could enjoy my family and my job. And that person had been there with me through everything. She held me when I cried and helped my sons when they cried. We'd been friends for years but only recently I began to see her in a different light. I took her out for dinner and things changed. We started spending most of our time together away from work. We'd go visit my older son at his campus. She joined the family dinners, and we even made a few together. We got pregnant even though she had been told she could never have a child. She's in the second trimester but she's not allowing me to be part of her life anymore since Linda returned. I don't know if I want to resume the life I had with my wife or I want the life I was going to have with my best friend and partner."

"What are you feeling right now about Linda?"

"I'm angry that she went to the house that I lived in the last four years and started rearranging things to be her way. Then, she went into my closet and took out all my fiancée's clothes and was going to throw them out. And, right now, I'm not sure I want to be her husband. Does that make me a rotten husband? That I don't know if I want my wife back in my life?"

The next day

The next morning Linda had an appointment with Doctor Bennet. She had seen her several years ago, but she couldn't get Danny to cooperate and attend sessions together. Jamie was off and would act as chauffeur for his sister-in-law. They arrived early and Linda filled out the paperwork. "Jamie, I don't have any insurance cards or identification cards. What should I do?"

"Let me make a call, don't worry about it for now. We'll work it out." He stepped out into the hall and placed a call. "Danny, it's Jamie. I'm with Linda at the psychiatrist and she has no ID or insurance card. Do you know if you've added her to your insurance? I've got my credit card so I can use that to pay if necessary. Call me." Next, he called the HR office, but they couldn't help due to regulations. His third call was to the commissioner. "Sir, this is Sergeant Reagan and I need some help." He explained the situation and Frank promised to get him an answer forthwith. He stepped back into the office, but Linda was already with the doctor. Jamie sat down and waited. Fifteen minutes later he had his answer. Danny had never added Maria to his insurance before the wedding, so it was easy for Linda to be added to his policy. Deductions would be started with the next paycheck. The account information would be sent shortly, and copies of the insurance card and ID would be faxed shortly. Jamie spoke to the office manager who promised to monitor the fax machine and would add the information to her account.

Maria had just spent time with her OB/GYN discussing doing an amniocentesis. She was considered older for a first-time pregnancy and therefore there could be abnormalities that would require further discussion and possible intervention. She wished Danny could have been part of the discussion but that was not possible at this time. She had promised to call her doctor within a week and left the office. She didn't appear to notice the vehicle following her back to her home. The driver made note of the make, model and plate on the car and then returned to the office building and determined that Maria had an appointment with a doctor specializing in pregnancy.