Gotta Love Extended Family

H was coming home early feeling like he was coming down with something. He didn't feel horrible but bad enough. He couldn't be at the lab sneezing and with a runny nose. A quick trip to the drug store for some Advil Cold and Sinus was in order before he headed home. The father of two was looking forward to quality time with his daughters. Maybe he'd even take them out to the park. The fresh air would be good for them.

Aimee had swollen ankles the past week. Neither was concerned. All of her tests had come back normal. Still Horatio thought it would be nice for her to be able to put her feet up like the doctor recommended. Daddy's little girls were not home when he got there. Poppy had stopped by and wanted to take them out for lunch, a movie and then back to their house for a while. Although Aimee had thought that Cheyenna was too young for a movie theater the little girl had cried to go with her sister and Aimee's dad. Trey said he could handle things so Aimee allowed both girls to go.

The recliner was Aimee's best friend right now. That was where her husband found her.

"I knew you were sick when you left this morning," Aimee said, not even turning around, hearing Horatio come into the living room. He didn't know what it was about his wife even if he didn't make any noise when he moved she could tell when he entered a room. He smiled, went over and kissed her.

"Where's the other two?"

"With dad. He wanted to take them out to a movie and back home for a bit."

Couple time sounded good to Horatio. When he came back downstairs from changing out of his work clothes Aimee was getting out of the recliner.

"Where ya goin'?"

"Bathroom. I expect a foot massage when I return."

His wife was only joking when she said that, although she wasn't going to deny she would enjoy one. Aimee had very ticklish feet, only a handful of certified professionals could give a foot massage without risking a kick in the face. Her husband was one of only two non-professionals who could do it without risking the same. Horatio took Aimee's hand and led her to the sofa when she came back downstairs. She laughed.

"I was only kidding, babe," she said.

"I know," Horatio replied. "But that doesn't mean I still can't pamper you," he said, putting a cushion behind her and propping her feet up on his lap.

Aimee lay back and let herself enjoy the attention. Horatio smiled listening to her heave a relaxed sigh.

"I like this time."

"Me, too."

Horatio enjoyed playing with his daughters but it wasn't selfish for him to like to have some quiet time with his wife as well. "How's the little man, today?" he said reaching up and touching her abdomen.

"Kickin' up a storm."

Horatio chuckled softly.

Trey had a good time with his granddaughters. As it turned out the movie theater wasn't a problem for his youngest. The two were filled up with sugar from ice cream and candy prior to the movie. Cheyenna crashed as Monsters Vs. Aliens started. Her sister stayed awake for the movie and munched on popcorn. She liked the movie.

"When did you get here?" his father-in-law asked when he dropped the girls off. "Did you sneeze yourself out of the lab?"

" Not long after you were here. You had impeccable timing," Horatio grinned. "I got to spoil mommy for a bit. Do you have fun, pumpkin?" He asked Cheyenna helping her take her jacket off.

Cheyenna didn't care much about missing the movie. She happily told daddy that she ate Baskin Robbins ice cream and saw a "birdie nest" with baby birds in it in poppy's backyard.

"Are you staying home, daddy?" Rachel asked.

"I am."

Rachel smiled. She liked spending time with daddy. The three-year-old couldn't wait to tell him how she saw her baby brother move inside her mommy's tummy earlier that day and how mommy put on her hand on her and let her feel it.

"It's very cool, isn't it, sweetie?" Horatio said when his daughter told him. "Mommy lets me feel that, too."

The parents hadn't told either of the girls what they had decided to name the new edition. They knew there was always the possibility they could change their minds and name the boy something different at the last minute.

"You're joking, right? How in the world did you get him to do that?"

Aimee was talking to one of her former schoolmates on the phone. Janie Tanner had also dated Aimee's brother's Andy for several years in their early teens. The two had become friends while Andy and Janie dated and remained that way despite the nasty break up Andy and she had. Janie was now engaged and the mother of six-month-old fraternal twins named Max and Olivia. "You got him to feed the kids dinner, clean the kitchen and now he's giving the kids a bath? What ya do? Promise him a sex marathon?"

Aimee laughed. "I got lucky. Some men are more trainable than others; besides look where the last marathon got me."