My phone rang with a familiar ring tone letting me know that my wife was calling. I quickly pressed the screen to send her call to voicemail. It was nearly dinner time and I knew Steph would be going solo for tonight's Plum family supper. I had taken Rosalina and the kids on a family outing to Point Plesant. They were having so much fun. No one was ready to go home yet.

"Please tell me that is not work calling you, Joe," Rosalina whined.

"It's nothing that can't wait, darling ," I said as I tossed my phone into the beach bag.

She leaned over and kissed me before getting up to go fill the pail with more water for the sand castle we were all building.

After we finished with the castle, everyone played in the surf. I could not help but to stare at the gorgeous woman that was with me. Even after having three children her body was amazing.

"Joe Morelli, what are staring at," Rosalina ask ?

"You, " I said as I took her in my arm and kissed her.

"EWWWWWWWWW,"chimed the oldest two children as the baby playfully splashed in the water.

After we left the beach we went out to dinner at a family-friendly place. Eating out at a restaurant was something I had avoided doing around the Burge with Rosalina and the kids.

"Joe, why don't we ever go out to eat when we are at home?"

"Why would we ever do that when you cook like a five-star chef ?"

Rosalina blushed and continued to stare at the menu.

By the time we drove back to Trenton it was well after 10:00 P.M. The kids were so exhausted that they had to be carried into the house. We put them all to bed without a bath. I took Rosalina in my arms and kissed her goodnight before leaving for my late night shift at the police station. At least that is where she thought I was going. Part of me wished I could stay. Another side of me was glad to be out of there. She had been hinting for weeks about us getting married. How could I tell her that I was already married ? That I still loved my wife. What was I going to do? I pulled into the garage and reclined against the headrest thinking about how I had gotten myself into this mess.

I had been sent out of town to work on a case, Gio was my partner. Things went wrong and he was killed taking a bullet aimed at me. When I saw his pregnant widow and children at the funeral, my heart broke for them.I found out that she had no family in this country. It was just her and the kids. Rosalina looked so broken. I felt responsible for her and those kids. When I first started coming around It was only to check on her. Then I started showing up to drive her to the prenatal appointment. Before I realized it, I was repairing things around her house and helping the kids their with homework. Then it was, "sure I would love to stay for dinner." Rosalina and the kids slowly began to feel like family. I don't know when, but at some point I fell head over heels in love with the woman. I was in the delivery room when Antonio was born , even got to cut the cord. Yeah, Rosalina and the kids were my family now. The only problem was that I still had a wife at home. A wife that I was also still very much in love with. Now that she had finished school, Cupcake would be less distracted. Stephanie worked at the precinct. How long would it take for her to figure out that I was not working during the hours I was M.I.A.? After completing her degree Stephanie had been offered a promotion. I convinced her that she should not take the first offer thrown at her. With her skills, experience, and education ,she needed to keep her options open. The truth was that her new office would have been right down the hall from me. Having my wife so nearby would have made my disappearing act far more difficult. Besides, I like having her working part time. As my wife, her place was at home.

Slowly I strolled into the house and found my wife sitting on the sofa. Stephanie's eyes were puffy and her tear stained face was red.

"I tried to call you, Joe , but it kept going straight to voicemail," she cried.

"Cupcake what's wrong?"

"It's Grandma Mazure. She went to Atlantic City with her friends. While she was at a strip club , she fell and broke her hip."

"Don't worry Steph, Edna is a tough old bird. She is going to be fine."

"My parent said that when she leaves the hospital, they are going to have to send her to a home to live," Stephaine shrieked.

"Your parents don't mean that cupcake. They are just upset."

"My Mother has already boxed all of grandma's things. They are sitting next to the door. The man from Senior Medows Living is coming to pick them up, Joe !"

"I'm sorry to hear that, Steph."

"Couldn't she live here , with us," Stephanie pleaded?

"Where would she sleep , this house is pretty small?"

"The guest room ,Joe."

"You mean the nursery? "

"There is no baby yet Joe , it's still a guestroom. "

"So is this your way of saying you don't want a baby with me!" I yelled.

Stephanie got off the sofa and stood on her tiptoes. She was giving me her best Burge glare. Her eyes narrowed.

"Why are so tan Joe? Where have you been today," she questioned?

"I was working."

" Then why do I smell perfume ?"

"Because ... you know what, you are being ridiculous Steph."

"Excuse ME !"

"Calm down Cupcake. I'll have a talk with your mother first thing tomorrow. Helen loves me. Steph, there is no need for you to worry about your grandma. she is not going to a home ," I told Cupcake as I turned on my heels and headed for the shower.