Chapter 25

"Wow, Dad's really sawing down the forest over there," Joey observed as she looked up from her laptop toward Brian spread out on the couch in front of the TV, snoring.

"Wait till I turn off the TV," Lorelei chuckled. "He'll wake up and yell 'I was watching that!' It's happened before."

"Next time, ask him what was happening on the show then," Joey suggested.

"That may not be a bad idea," Lorelei giggled. "Then again, I'm not sure of the consequences. His mother did mention a few times he was the biggest hell she ever raised. Given the loose cannon your dad can be at times, I'm inclined to believe her."

"Yeah, we shouldn't pick at him tonight. He did pull a double, after all."

"And it will be quiet for awhile, plus maybe he won't be so grumpy when he wakes up for dinner."

"Good point. So how did it go at the doctor today, Ma?" Joey asked.

"Your baby brother is coming along quite well, though there may be a chance he could make an early appearance."

Joey's face showed concern. "How could that happen? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course. Sometimes, babies 'drop' early than the projected due date. Be assured, we're both healthy. Actually, it's quite rare for anyone to deliver on their exact due date anyway."

"I can't believe it's getting close to you having it. It's like you and Dad just got married yesterday and then you came from the doctor and told us you were pregnant."

"Thank your dad for having me conceive on our wedding night," Lorelei joked. "The first time we did sleep together the whole time we'd been with each other."

"Must have been some strong swimmers. So you guys finishing up the nursery when Dad goes on vacation time next week?"

"Joey, you know that Daddy isn't exactly mechanically inclined," Lorelei laughed. "I might let him add a few touches here and there, but for the most part, I hired someone to put it together."

"Oh yeah," Joey remembered. "Kind of like him in the kitchen when he nearly set it on fire last week. Even I know to put flour and a lid over a grease fire instead of water. It's a miracle nobody got hurt."

"Which is why the kitchen is also off limits to him unless I'm out there. Lord knows how he ate before we met."

"I cooked, warmed up frozen meals, or we ordered out," Joey replied.

"I figured as such," Lorelei said with a chuckle.

"Wonder how he'll do with the baby?"

"I'm sure he'll be an old softy around his new son. Hard to believe Lieutenant Loose Cannon Tough Guy can be turned to mush when a child is involved, but as you know, he does."

Joey couldn't help but reflect for a moment, remembering back when she'd been a 'street kid' scraping for money by selling her body before the sleeping man less than a foot from her had come into her life to change it for the better. She would always be grateful to him even in the times they may disagree on things.

And now she was going to be a big sister; Joey had always dreamed of having a sibling to play with and share secrets as long as she could remember. Though there would be a large age gap between the two of them, Joey was looking forward to guiding her baby brother through the world, making sure he would have a better early life than she had had before Brian had busted her for soliciting up at The Tombs on that fateful day.

Meanwhile, Lorelei had gotten slightly annoyed with the TV still going while her husband dozed away on the sofa. She then flipped it to a news channel."

"Hey!" Brian grunted, quickly waking up. "I was watching that, you know."

"All right, smart ass, then tell me what was going on," she replied, remembering Joey's earlier suggestion.

"Uh……." he began.

"Yeah, thought so. Don't doze off again, sleeping beauty, dinner should be ready in twenty minutes."

"Jesus," he yawned. "You women are wicked."

"Especially one about to give birth," Joey piped in. "Step lightly, Dad, especially in these last few weeks."