CH. 12: She takes after her Daddy
With the Thanksgiving holiday over, things soon returned to normal. Frank with work, Jamie at school, and Mary trying to do as much as she could outside the home, knowing she would be spending a lot of time at home, once Danny returned to work himself.
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"Hey big brother what you doing?" Erin called walking into the front door of her parent's home with Nicki.
"In here Erin!" Danny called from the kitchen.
"What doing Uncle Danny?" Nicki asked, running into the kitchen.
"Washing bottles," Danny didn't at all sound enthused.
"I thought you got the bottles with the bags, so you wouldn't have to wash bottles?" Erin asked confused, before leaning over the table where Devon was laying in her bouncer.
"I did," Danny unscrewed another bottle lid. "But it turns out she didn't want to take those. So, we had to try a different kind."
"Pink!" Nicki yelled excitedly, pointing at the color lid Danny held in his hand.
"Mhmm," Danny gave his niece a half-smile, part of him considering, buying a set of blue ones, simply because he liked the color better. "The only kind she will take are the Dr. Brown bottles or something along that line. And those are expensive," he added, looking over at Erin. "Kid is high maintenance already," Danny grumbled.
"She takes after her father," his sister teased.
"Shut-up Erin," Danny turned the water off in the sink, finally finished with the last of the bottles.
"Shut-up Erin," Nicki echoed her uncle.
"Nicki Reagan Boyle!" Erin turned her full attention on her daughter. "You are not allowed to talk like that."
"He do it," Nicki pointed at Danny.
"And Uncle Danny knows better," Erin glared at her brother. "But he's older than you."
"So," Nicki didn't see the problem.
"It isn't nice Nicki, and Mommy doesn't want you to do it anymore," Erin tried to explain it as best she could.
"Okay mommy," the little girl surrendered, before running out of the room, and over to the toy box, her grandparents left in the living room.
"Would you please watch your mouth?" This time Erin turned her full attention on her brother, now that her daughter was out of the room.
"What?" Danny tried to pick up for himself. "I didn't say anything wrong."
"That's not the point Danny, I don't want my toddler, going around telling people to shut-up."
"Fine," Danny shrugged. "I don't want Devon to do it either."
"So, where's mom?" Erin noticed, she hadn't seen her mother around the house.
"Buying groceries, before she has to go pick Jamie up from school," Danny took a seat at the kitchen table, just as Devon started to fuss.
"Looks like somebody noticed that Daddy didn't have anything in his arms, and thinks that she should be," Erin laughed, at the exhausted look on her brothers face.
"All I do, is hold the baby all day," Danny moaned before picking up the baby.
As if Devon knew what he was saying, as soon as he picked her up she started to smile. "Look, she smiled," Erin squealed, in her brother's ear.
"Yeah, she's as cute as me when she does that," Danny grinned, proudly.
"No, she's way cuter than you," Erin laughed.
"See if you think this is cute," Danny handed Devon to her. "Check her diaper." Danny was already beginning to smell a foul odor.
Devon started to cry again, when Danny handed her over to someone else and Erin smiled at him confidently. "Do you know how nice a feeling it is, to see your brother get everything he deserves in the form of an infant."
"Shut-up Erin," Danny repeated.
"Ugh Danny, we talked about this."
"I don't see a toddler in here," Danny walked into the living room where Devon's pack n play was, so he could lay her down and change her."Hey Nicki," Danny looked over at Nicki, from where she was playing in the corner. "You want to help me change a dirty diaper?"
"Eww, no," Nicki immediately covered her nose.
"Thanks a lot," Danny started to look around for the wipes, when he remembered he left them in his room. "Erin! Do me a favor and go get the wipes out of my room. They are on the dresser."
Erin ran upstairs to get the wipes, and was back a few minute later.
"What took you so long?" Danny said sarcastically. "This baby, doesn't exactly smell like roses."
"It took me awhile to find your dresser. Your room is a mess."
"No, it isn't," Danny argued. "I know exactly where everything is."
"Danny, you have clothes, diapers, and just about everything else, all over the floor."
"It's not that bad," Danny ignored her.
"Mom used to make you keep your room clean, what happened?" Erin remembered the countless battles that were fought over the condition of her brother's room.
"It's a work in progress. I'll get to it, when my daughter gets over her colicky stage, and gives me a moment of peace. Now what are you doing here anyways?" Danny hated when she went on and on about something. Making him think how much she was turning into their mother.
"This is my parents' house too," Erin sounded as if she was prepared to argue.
"Yeah but they're not home, and I am. And as their oldest, I feel it only right, that I take on the responsibility to keep the riff raff out." Danny gave her an exceptionally large grin.
"Shut-up Daniel," Erin was mad enough to chew nails.
"Augh," Danny corrected her. "Remember the toddler."
"Ugh!" Erin said frustrated, trying to keep her temper in check, in front of her niece and daughter. "I was going to see if you wanted to do something today, but I'm beginning to change my mind."
"Seriously," Danny looked at her confused, knowing they didn't hang out very much. "Since when have you and I ever spent time together. Aside when we were kids, and forced."
"I just thought, since I'm always at home with Nicki, and your home with Devon, I thought we might as well spend a little time together."
"Okay," Danny shrugged. He wasn't really mad at her, he just enjoyed ribbing her about things. And considering all he did was sit at home with a newborn, he saw it as one of his only opportunities to have a good time. At least until his brother got back home, and he switched targets. "Do you miss not working?" Danny changed, almost one front of her. His voice turning serious. He felt a little bad about saying it, or even thinking it. Knowing he should enjoy the time he was getting to spend with his daughter in getting to know her, as she discovered the world. Yet, when you were the type of person who bled blue, like he was, it was easier said than done.
"Yes," Erin admitted solemnly. "But I will be out of it a lot longer than you," Erin was calculating the years in her head, till Nicki started school. "You go back next week."
"Yeah, I know it sounds wrong, but I'm looking forward to it," Danny shrugged. "I will miss Devon, but when Dad comes home and talks about the job, it makes me wish I was working. Not to mention I need the money, my daughter needs formula. And I need to find a place for us to live. The thing is, there wasn't much left to my paycheck by the time I paid bills in the past. And that was when it was just me, with a one-room apartment. This time, I'd need two. Not to mention the added expenses Devon brings. I'm just tired of sitting at home. The last time I spent so much time at home, was when I was a kid and got grounded."
"You should be used to it then, because you were grounded all the time," Erin returned all his comments with her own sarcastic grin.
To both of their surprise, the siblings had a relatively good time. They watched a Jets game, Devon allowed Erin to hold her for a while, and Nicki even took a nap. Sure, it was from sitting on Danny's lap, but at least she took a nap, they figured, causing them to both count their evening as a win, since both their daughters behaved.
Erin was just preparing to leave, knowing she and Nicki needed to get home, thinking her husband Jack would be going home soon. When she came up with an idea for the upcoming week. "Me, you, Joe and Jamie should do something Friday."
"Like what? If you remember, I'm a single parent to a newborn."
Erin ignored her brother, as she continued, making plans. "We could do it Friday evening, after Joe and Jamie got out of school."
"You forget one thing Erin, I have a baby," Danny repeated, his same problem as before.
"I'm sure mom would keep her," Erin didn't see the problem.
"I have to go back to work next week Erin, and moms going to be watching her enough then," Danny knew that if he started to take advantage of his mother, she would come back, with an exceptional long lecture, regarding responsibility.
"Then we'll ask Dad to watch her," Erin shrugged, knowing Frank would enjoy it.
"Really Erin, it's the same difference."
"Do you want to go or not?" Erin was getting the feeling he didn't want to go.
"Are you kidding, I'd go anywhere, if it would get me out of the house."
"Then its settled, I'll call Joe on my way home. And you can tell Jamie." Erin handed Devon back to Danny, so she could get Nicki loaded in the car, and head for home.
"Okay," Danny shrugged, looking down at Devon who had woken up, after being moved. "You took a good nap on Aunt Erin, didn't you?" Devon yawned again, and started to wriggle her lips around. "I take it, Daddy's girl is getting ready for a bottle." Danny glanced at his watch, trying to remember the last time she had one. "Two hours ago, exactly." He shook his head. "You certainly work, around the clock." Danny set her back down in her bouncer. Unfortunately, in response at being put down, Devon started to fuss again. "This colic is driving Daddy crazy kid," Danny ignored her, as he poured the appropriate amount of powdered formula, into the already warmed water. Devon continued to cry, but by now Danny was used to her impatient behavior. "A bottle isn't made instantly Devon," Danny sighed, thinking of how great a set of lungs his daughter had. Picking her up, didn't seem to help matters, as Devon continued to scream. Danny took a seat in his usual place in the den, as he tried to get Devon to calm down enough to eat. "You see what happens when you work yourself up like that. You don't even know that I have a bottle in your mouth."
"We're definitely in the right house. There's a baby crying." Jamie said walking through the kitchen door, overhearing his niece cry.
"What's wrong with her?" Mary asked her eldest.
"Colic," Danny finally managed to get his daughter calm enough to realize her needs were being met in the form of a rubber nipple. "She's mad because I put her down, and didn't have a bottle ready the second she wanted it."
"She takes after her Daddy," Mary smiled.
"Why does everybody keep saying that?" Danny had already heard it from Erin that day.
"If you have to ask that?" Was all Mary said, laughing as she walked out of the room and into the kitchen, where she could start unloading the groceries, Jamie was carrying in from the car.
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Devon sucked her bottle down in only a few minutes and Jamie laughed, when Danny walked into his brother's room. "Devon finished already? Looks like she takes after her Daddy in that way too. Woofing down her food in just a few minutes."
"Hey," Danny pointed Devon's empty bottle at him. "Reagan rule number 1, protect your food at all times."
"You took that one to the excess when you were growing up," Jamie remembered.
"That's because I lived with Joe."
"What do you want anyways? I'm trying to do my homework? And I want to do it, without the help of a colicky baby."
"If that's your way to tell me to leave, you can forget it." Danny stretched out on his kid brothers bed, laying Devon down beside him. "I'm the oldest, and I'll be making your life miserable for the rest of your life."
"Don't you mean the rest of your life? What happens if you die before me?" Jamie asked clarifying.
"I come back to haunt you." Danny replied with a mischievous grin.
"Lucky me," Jamie mumbled, closing his math book, and shoving it back in his backpack.
"Anyways," Danny remembered the real reason he went up there. "Erin wants all of us to hang out Friday evening?"
"Why?" Teenage Jamie, figured he spent enough time with his siblings, and the last thing he wanted to do was spend time with them on the weekend, when he should be free to spend it with his friends.
"I don't know?" Danny was just as confused as he was. "So, do you want to go?"
"Like to," at this point Jamie would be willing to hang out with anyone, if it meant he wasn't grounded, and could go somewhere other than mass and school. "But Dad grounded me, remember." Jamie started to say again.
"I'll handle Dad," Danny took his kid brothers afflictions light.
"You are going to handle Dad?" Jamie couldn't believe it. "This I got to see." Jamie glanced out his two-story window when he heard a car door. "And it looks like I'm about to get the opportunity," Jamie turned away, to look at his brother. "Dads home."
"Alright Devon, it's time to work your magic." Danny picked her up, and started for the stars. "Smile at grandpa, so Daddy can work his magic." "Hey Dad," Danny hurried down the stairs. Jamie being sure to hang back, and just listen in.
"Hey son," Frank sounded tired. "How's Devon today?" Frank smiled at his little granddaughter.
"She was okay this morning, but she woke up on the wrong side of the bed after her nap, and it's been return of the colic ever since." Danny didn't sound as if he was looking forward, to the coming night, he figured to be difficult. At least if she continued to be unhappy with everything.
"She takes after her father," Frank remembered coming home, to Mary complaining about the same thing when Danny was a baby.
Danny was about to say something about hearing it for the fourth time, but he gave up, figuring it wouldn't do any good, and instead moved on to the reason he hurried down the stairs. He really wasn't certain if it was a good idea, he ask so abruptly, but considering Devon wasn't fussing, he figured he better do it, while he could get a word in. "So, Dad," Danny followed his father around. "Can I have Jamie Friday night?"
"No," Frank said immediately without thinking. "And since when do you want to do something with your brother?"
"It isn't exactly me," Danny admitted. "It's Erin, she wants him."
"Then why are you asking me?" Frank thought it odd, that Erin wasn't that one asking him.
"Because she's asking Joe. So, can we have Jamie?" Danny cut to asking the question again, considering Devon was starting to fuss again.
Frank thought about it for a minute, but shook his head no after coming up with a decision. "He's being punished."
"I know," Danny shrugged. "But it's just for one night."
"So was the party, you told him he couldn't go to." Frank reminded him.
"So, you have a point," Danny admitted. "But it's only one time, trust me. There is no way I would volunteer to spend time with my siblings if I didn't have a baby at home."
"I said no Danny. I'm trying to teach him a lesson, and the only way he's going to learn it, is if I stand firm in my decision."
"Frank," Mary interrupted. "I know I normally agree with standing firm on discipline. But let's think about it for a minute. Our children actually want to spend time with one another."
"Perhaps you should rephrase that one," Danny interrupted. "Want is such a strong word, when it comes to me and spending time with my siblings." Danny pointed at himself.
"Shut-up Danny," Frank looked at Danny. It becoming apparent to their oldest that he was being shut out of a conversation that he started.
"But Dad," Danny of course, wasn't willing to just back out of any conversation, even if it wasn't exactly focused, on what it started out to be.
"I wish everyone would quit undermining my authority when I make a decision, regarding my children." Frank started to take control. "I may have to take it from your mother. But I do not, and will not take it from my own son."
Danny was about to drop everything he was about to say like he did, when he just got taken down a notch when he was a kid. Until he remembered he was no longer a child. "You know, Dad."
Frank stopped talking and turned his complete attention on his eldest once again. Making Danny feel as if he was younger than Jamie at the moment. "He's been doing really good at contending with your wishes," Danny tried picking up for him. "A lot better than I ever did," he admitted.
"That's because he's smarter than you." Frank combatted.
"That isn't very nice to say in front of your granddaughter," Danny shook his head.
"Well then get her out of her." Frank pointed at the stairs.
Danny took his exit, and met up with his brother on the stairs. "You sure told him."
"Shut-up Jamie," Danny shoved him with his free hand.
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Danny wanted to lay down in his room, but considering when he tried, Devon got upset, he had to return to standing up again. With his nap thrown out the window, Danny decided to call Erin and give her the bad news. "Hey Erin, there's no way I'm going to be able to get the jail bird out. I tried, and dad yelled at me for fifteen minutes, about his authority being undermined."
"That's okay," Erin was a little disappointed, but she knew that once her father made a decision, there was no changing it.
"I can't believe I tried to get him out of trouble. I was the one that was always blaming him for things. So, I wouldn't get in trouble." Danny was beginning to rethink his life, and try to figure out just when he became a responsible adult. He thought about it for several minutes, until Devon started to cry, and he suddenly remembered how everything changed. He was no longer that young hothead ex-marine and police officer. Now he was a young hothead police officer that turned into a father.
"I guess we could all stay at mom and dad's place and hang out," Erin suggested. "It could still be fun," Erin thought about it. "We could play poker or something."
"I don't know," Danny wasn't sure. "Jamie isn't supposed to leave his room."
"Maybe we can talk to Dad," Erin suggested.
"Not me," Danny was quick to deny his services. "I'm already in the dog house."
"I'll do it," Erin laughed.
"Good luck, because there isn't any room in the dog house," Danny hung up.
That evening, and Danny spent most of his time cleaning his room, and staying out of his parent's way. At least as much as he could with an infant who cried anytime he put her time. He couldn't really fold clothes with one hand, so he settled on playing basketball with them, and tossing them into a clothes basket. Thinking that at least he was getting them off the floor. He had music playing, making the clean- up not so bad, then again, he figured anything would help, with the diaper changes, he didn't care for. The music was doing a pretty good job, until Danny tried changing a dirty diaper, only to find out that in the middle of the change, he discovered she wasn't finished filling her diaper yet. "Awe Devon! No!" Danny wasn't yelling, but his voice certainly held a hint of distress. He was holding her legs up with one hand, and was in the middle of trying to get another diaper under her, when she decided to keep pushing. He tried to catch it with another diaper, but even that didn't help, as it got all over his hand, before falling out onto his bed. "Augh!" Danny started gagging. "My kids pooped on me!" He yelled, while running into the bathroom, carrying a smiling Devon in the process. Danny plopped her down onto her baby bath mat, without even realizing it might be cold from her previous bath. Devon responded, by screaming in protest, as the cold wet material touched her skin. "Augh Devon," Danny felt bad, as soon as he realized what he had done. "Daddy's sorry," Danny picked her back up, just as soon as he washed his hands. It wasn't like it mattered anyways, because just as soon as he picked her back up, he didn't have a choice but to place his hand back under her dirty diaper less bottom, while he ran the water into the bathtub. She was still upset over the cold bath mat, making the bath a little more difficult. She continued to cry, as he ran a soapy hand over her head. She was starting to grow a little hair, but it still wasn't very much. It looked blondish, brown but at that point, he figured it was a little too early to tell. Devon had wriggled around on the mat so much, it made Danny stop in the middle of washing her up, so he could keep her from falling off and directly into the water. "I know you don't like this Devon," Danny started to wash under her neck. "But I don't want you to stink from the formula running down your chin." Devon hated anytime he had hold her neck up, and run a wash cloth under it. Then again, Devon hated just about every part of bath time. And Danny couldn't help but hope, she learned to outgrow it eventually. "This bath would be a whole lot easier on both of us, if you learned how to cooperate," Danny looked down at the dinosaur tears that started to run down her cheek. "It really isn't that bad," he tried to convince her. "But it has to be done." He proceeded with rinsing her off, the part she hated worse than the actual scrubbing. "Why must my child, be difficult with almost everything I try to do for her?" Danny questioned himself, thinking how much she hated being set down, getting her diaper changed, as well as the bath. "Never mind I know," he answered his own question. "You take after your daddy."
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He finished up with her bath as soon as he could, despite the fact she cried the entire time he both bathed and dressed her. She finally started to calm down a bit, after he picked her back up, and nestled her in his arm. Knowing she would be getting hungry soon, and hoping to avoid another meltdown. Danny headed down the stairs where he could get her dinner ready.
"What was all that yelling and fussing about?" Mary asked as soon as she saw her son and granddaughter.
"This is the best kind of birth control a person could have," Danny said on his way to the kitchen. "And I'm definitely not having any more kids." He pushed the swinging kitchen door open with his foot.
Considering her crying had settled, Danny decided to make the bottle while he held her, just so he could forgo another drastic complaint from the newborn. Danny was about to slump down onto the sofa, so he could feed her, when Frank stopped him.
"I'll feed her," he offered.
"You can have her," Danny readily agreed, knowing he needed to get his bedspread in the wash machine, after his daughter dirtied it. She wasn't quite finished with her bottle, after her Daddy finished in his room, giving him the opportunity to take a quick shower. He had just stepped into the shower, when he realized her ran out of the soap he used. "Great," he mumbled, when he noticed the only soap left was his daughters baby soap.
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That night was miserable for the eldest Reagan, not only did Devon refuse to sleep. But she also fussed the entire time he wasn't walking with her. "This colic thing is getting hard Devon," Danny paced the floor of his bedroom, for what seemed like an eternity. Getting afraid, he was going to walk a whole through the floor, he retreated down the stairs for a change of scenery, and a television. "Daddy loves you and everything, but just so you know, you can't keep doing this to me. I have to go back to work next week, and I'm going to need some sleep." Father and daughter yawned simultaneously, and Danny smiled. "Please go to sleep," he tried taking a seat in the chair that he had spent the majority of time in since he became a father. It was his own fathers chair, and the one Danny figured he slept in, more than he did in his actual bed, at least lately with Devon. Danny started to count silently in his head, knowing that Devon could usually tell if he stopped walking within ten seconds. Just as expected, Devon's cries started up again, causing Danny to stand back up, and start the pacing all over again. He had his phone in the pocket of his pajama pants, but he had no idea, he hadn't had the chance to even check his emails or call into the precinct for the past three days. Then again, it could have been longer, considering he wasn't even sure what day it was. To his surprise, his cell buzzed in his pocket and he noticed it was Erin.
"What are you doing up so late?" Was the first thing Danny asked.
"Your niece is being difficult," Erin sounded annoyed at the toddler.
"So is yours," Danny sounded tired.
"I talked to Dad," Erin let on to the real reason she called.
"I already told you Erin, there's no vacancy in the dog house. Not with me and Jamie both in it." Danny had a feeling he knew the answer.
"He said yes," Erin laughed.
"What?" Danny was, in any case surprised.
"I'm his favorite," Erin sounded pleased with both herself, and the fact that she was able to out due her brother when it came to their father.
"I'm beginning to believe it." Danny mumbled, just as his daughter started to whine.
"Listen Erin, as much as I'd like to listen you gloat. My daughter is demanding my attention."
"So is mine," Erin grumbled, hanging up the phone.
"Thanks," Danny smiled a small smile at the infant. "I owe you for getting me off the phone with my obnoxious sister."
Devon smiled at him in response, and Danny tried to return to his bed away from bed. Aka, his father's chair. "Then again, I change your diaper. I'm pretty sure I've overpaid any debt I'll ever owe you." After what seemed like an eternity, Devon exhausted herself enough to fall asleep. The sleep was restless, and as much as Danny wanted to lay her down in her crib, he refrained, and instead settled her, in her favorite place on his chest, while he spent another mediocre night of sleep in a chair.
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Friday evening came, and just as planned, Erin and Joe showed up for a night of Reagan sibling rivalry. Mary and Frank, had agreed to keep Devon with them, and basically leave their children alone. Which was something, they were quite looking forward to. Not having to be parents for once, and just grandparents, which they had to admit, they enjoyed better. Being a grandparent was easy, all you had to do was care for them a few times when their parents were away. But aside from that, you could basically sit back, relax and watch your children go through everything you had already gone through. Joe had picked up a pizza, and Erin had brought cheesecake, making Danny to think the evening was partially worth it. Sure, things were getting better between the siblings, now that they were grown. At least most of them. But that didn't mean, they still didn't argue. In fact, he figured he and Erin would spend their entire lives, trying to make the others life miserable. At least he had sworn to it, ever since his sister was born, and started driving him crazy.
"I still don't know how you convinced Dad to free me from my jail cell." Jamie had started referring to his room as a cell ever since he was forced to spend so much time there.
"Like I told older brother here," Erin nodded at Danny. "Sometimes you got it, sometimes you don't." Erin smiled at her three brothers, happy to be the only girl in the family.
"Oh, come on Erin," Joe shook his head. "We all know, Danny's the one that can talk his way out of anything."
"That may be true," Erin took a sip from her wine glass. "But even that can't compete in being a parent's favorite."
"Are we really going to get into this?" Joe didn't believe her, while he reached for a bottle of beer. "Mom and Dad don't have favorites."
"Keep believing that Joseph," Erin was more than pleased with her position of holding the upper hand.
"Do you really believe this Danny?" Joe looked at his older brother for answers. Knowing his brother was one of the only one, that could stand up against their obnoxious sister.
"Listen Joe, it's time for me to explain the cold hard facts of life. Erin is Dads favorite, because she's his only girl. Jamie is Moms favorite, because he's her youngest." Danny paused, watching his brothers face expression. "Do you know where that leaves us? Somewhere in the middle."
"As long as they still feed me, I don't care what position I'm in," Joe shrugged, serving himself another slice of pizza.
"Don't worry Danny," Erin teased. "Dad likes you too Danny, even if you do drive him crazy sometimes."
"How can you like someone that drives you crazy?" Jamie was confused by the entire conversation.
"It's because Danny is the one that reminds Dad the most of himself," Erin interpreted.
"Which means Dad must have the tendency to drive people crazy too," Jamie came to the realization, by putting two and two together.
"You said it," Danny laughed.
The other three siblings started to laugh, when they realized that perhaps they were right. Perhaps their father did have that effect on people, the same as their brother.
Noticing, neither of his siblings were paying much attention to him, Jamie reached for Danny's beer bottle. He had just pressed the bottle to his lips, and was about to take a sip, when Danny smacked him in the back of the head. "What the hell are you doing kid?"
"I just wanted to try it," Jamie admitted.
"Well don't Mr. Underage," Danny shook his head at his brother's stupidity.
"Come on Danny, you did it," Jamie rubbed his head.
"Yeah, and I got my ass, handed to me by Dad." Danny remembered. "Which will be what happens to you, if you do it again." He warned.
"Fine," Jamie mumbled. If even all he wanted to do was taste it.
"Listen to big brother here," Joe clapped Danny on the back. "He's talking like a father now."
"No," Danny argued. "I've just lived and learned."
"Danny was the one always in trouble," Erin couldn't believe she was agreeing with her eldest brother.
"That's because I was trying to keep their life interesting," Danny swore by it, for at least the billionth time since he started being pestered about always being in trouble.
"Have you ever thought what your life is going to be like if Devon is going to be just as bad as you?" Erin started to think about it.
"I'd say Lord help her," Danny nodded, seriously.
Unbeknownst to the four siblings, their parents had been ease dropping on their children's conversation for the past several minutes. They had to stifle their own laughter many times, in order not to give themselves away. And as difficult as that was, they never retreated.
"You know we shouldn't be doing this," Mary was thinking how unethical it was, for them to be spying on their children.
"Maybe not, but it's very informative." Frank admitted.
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That Sunday morning, and Danny decided to go, where not many dared to go, at least not with a colicky newborn. He decided to take Devon to mass. He had no idea how to dress a baby for church, so that was his first challenge of the morning. He knew his parents always dressed him nice when he was little. But that went without saying, Mary ordered everyone in her family to look nice, when they went to the house of the Lord. He remembered sitting uncomfortably on the hard pew in between his mother and brother, and yanking on his tie, while he pretended to listen to the priest. At least until, he received the mom look from his mother, making him sit up straight, and immediately drop his hands to his lap. "At least I have awhile, until you start complaining about the clothes you have to wear." Danny looked at his daughter, as he carried her around the nursery, pulling out several different sets of clothes. He knew she was only going to wear one of them. Yet at the same time, he knew she had a tendency to dirty her clothes in the means of a leaky diaper or spit-up. "While we're in church, please keep everything inside of you," Danny gave her a worried smile, his voice indicating begging. "So, what do you want to wear? Because Daddy's coming up blank." Sometimes he thought, that if he would have had a son, things would be easier. At least on the clothing department. While she was little, having a daughter wasn't hard, he figured the hard part, would come later when she was older, and he was raising her as a single dad. "The green and yellow flowery onesie it is," Danny settled on one. Sure, it wasn't very decorative for her first church service, thinking she should at least wear a dress, but the weather had been exceptionally cold lately, and the last thing he wanted was a sick baby, on top of the colic. It didn't take him long to get her in a clean diaper, before getting her dressed, even if she did fuss while he did it. He planned on wrapping her in one of her baby blankets before carrying her into the church, but that could wait until the dreaded ride in the car seat she would have to endure. Finished getting his daughter ready, he carried her into his room, so he could get himself ready. He already had a pair of dark blue slacks on, but aside from that he was walking around in an under shirt. "You did so good picking out your clothes. Maybe you can help Daddy pick out his." Danny walked over to the closet, Devon still in his arms. With his free hand, he selected three different button ups. One solid light blue, one white and blue checkered one, and one solid gray one. "Well, which one do you like Dev? Daddy's wardrobe rests entirely in your little hands." Danny looked down, and noticed the little girl was asleep, making him settle on the one that was easiest for him to pull out of the closet. He hated to put her down, knowing she would probably wake up. But after glancing at the clock, he knew his father would be yelling at them, that they were going to be late if they didn't get going. Deciding to forgo the tie, Danny buttoned his shirt, picked Devon back up, and hurried down the stairs, knowing he still had to pack the diaper bag. He looked into the almost empty diaper bag, and struggled with wondering what all he needed to pack. There were already a few diapers packed, so that was easy enough. He hoped he didn't need any wipes, but he threw one of the smaller packages in, just to be on the safe side. He had already tossed in the extra outfits he had brought downstairs, and figured that was all he needed. He was just about to fasten Devon in her car seat, before carrying it out to the car, when Mary came down the stairs.
"Danny, are you ready?"
"Just about," Danny said, tying his shoes.
"Did you pack her diaper bag?"
"Yes Mom," Danny rolled his eyes.
"Get the diapers?"
"Of course."
"The wipes?"
"Yes," he muttered.
"The formula?" Mary looked into the bag.
"Augh," Danny raised a brow. "That's the one thing I forgot."
"Mhmm," Mary carried the bag into the kitchen with her.
Jamie came running down the stairs in a hurry, still trying to tuck his shirt in as he went, when he noticed his brother strapping the fussing infant in her car seat. "Are you going to church?" He noticed his brother was dressed in his usual church attire.
"Going to try," Danny tucked the blanket around the baby, before standing.
"Okay," Jamie wasn't certain. "But if Devon starts screaming in the middle of the service I'm walking out. That would be embarrassing."
"You do, and you'll regret it," Frank said subtly.
"Yes Sir," Jamie understood the silent threat.
"I have to do it sometimes Jamie," Danny understood his teenage brothers point of view. In fact, taking a colicky baby to church, scared him more than just about any situation he faced as a police officer. And that was saying a lot...
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Devon was surprisingly pretty good throughout the service. Sure, Danny didn't dare leave her in her car seat, or even hand her over to another member of the family. He was too busy experiencing his own set of worries similar to his brothers. What if she started crying in the middle of the service? Sure, he knew people had been taking babies to church for centuries, but they were probably used to it. Him on the other hand, was still getting used to the crying, and the time, it took to get her settled again. Normally he wouldn't have been concerned, but the colic threw in a variable that he still wasn't certain how to deal with. Sometimes she would be fine, and other times it she turned into a baby that had an attitude to match his own. And he had, had years to master his attitude. She on the other hand, had barely had a few weeks. The problem was, her temperament tended to change so quickly. It was like the flipping on of a light switch. With how nightmarish, her behavior could change. Frank and Mary kept insisting that she was only behaving the same way he did when he was a baby. Making Danny regret even more, getting involved with Devon's mother, or any other woman for that matter. For Danny to think that, that was saying a lot. Considering how carefree he had been in the past, with having dates almost every Friday and Saturday night. Or any other time he wasn't working. Before, he had every intention to settle down one day and raise a family. But that was before. His intentions had now changed. He was settled down that was for sure, but it was only with a newborn that was helpless, and couldn't do anything for herself, and that needed everything from him. This changed his perspective on everything, even life in general. He still wanted to form a relationship with someone, yet he didn't think it was possible. He was no longer interested in just having an on again, off again relationship with someone. Yet he knew he wasn't ready for a steady relationship, then again, he didn't think he would ever be ready for that. Not since his life changed so drastically with one trip to his parent's home. Even if he was ready, it wasn't like he had time anyways. He was set to go back to work the next day, and he knew that from now on, anytime he wasn't at work. He would have to be a Daddy at home with his little girl. He was trying to focus on the sermon, as well as pay attention to any signal his daughter was giving off, to when she might have a meltdown. But his thoughts were busy flooding with reasons why he couldn't, especially anytime his eyes fell on the nurse that was sitting on the aisle across from them. The nurse, that made his brain say stop, but his heart say go. Devon started to squirm, bringing Danny back to reality. And for once, he found himself grateful for the cry she let out, even if it did cause his brother some embarrassment. Just because it made him get out of the church, and away from his thoughts. "Devon," Danny stood outside with his daughter, while making her a bottle. "Daddy owes you big time."
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