Chapter Three

Josh and Maura Tenney sat uneasily in the Reagan living room. Eddie and Jamie had invited them to Wednesday dinner to celebrate Lila and Steven's announcement about the twins. "Eddie will be down in a few minutes," Jamie told them as he stepped off the bottom step and headed to the living room. "I hope you don't mind that we had dinner catered, Eddie's been in bed for a few days."

Lila looked up at her father, "I didn't know Mom was sick, we could have rescheduled."

"She's not sick," Jamie replied. "It's her hand. She's got another blockage but I've been forcing her to rest it and it's going down on it's own."

"Dad, if Mom is in bed who's been helping with Grandpa?" Lila asked.

"I don't need help," Frank griped. "I've been running Eddie's tea up to her and Joey's Molly is coming by to check on things. It's good having another nurse in the family. Linda's been by three times since Sunday."

Joey smiled, he was glad Molly was fitting in so well.

Joey looked at his sister and sat on the couch arm next to her. "You don't worry about this stuff, Lil. You have enough work to do making the babies…I want healthy babies for my nieces or nephews."

Steven smiled, "Healthy babies, that's our goal too, Joe. Mom, Dad, did you see the picture yet?"

It upset Steven his parents weren't more enthusiastic about the impending birth. "Yes, we saw…" Maura replied. "They are…It's hard to tell what they are like yet even on these new ultrasounds. Lila, are you going to have any diagnostic testing done?"

Jamie's back straightened but he let his daughter handle the odd query. "Yes, we plan to have the standards tests but unless the doctor thinks I need something more involved no. My mother didn't have any done and Joey and I were fine. In fact, there's never been a birth issue on the Reagan side of the family."

Joey started to laugh, "Sis, have you heard the story of your birth?"

"I mean I was born healthy," Lila laughed. Josh Tenney's eyebrows rose.

"Lila was born in the middle of Hurricane Megan," Jamie explained. "She was a breech birth and Eddie had a hard time for bit but Lila didn't have any ill effects. My Eddie on the other hand was advised not to have more children."

Maura sighed, "It's not that we aren't happy for you both, we are," she began. "It's just that we both feel Steven and Lila are not ready to have one baby, never mind twins."

"Well, ready or not, hear they come," Eddie retorted from the staircase. She had her arm and hand wrapped and had brought down her pillow like Jamie told her to do. He had really laid into her for not taking care of herself on Monday night and she did not want to upset him to that degree again.

"I don't mean to offend you by saying that," Maura jumped quickly. "But economically, they can't afford a baby or fit one into that little apartment. Lila insisted on living in Bay Ridge, even with Steven's salary…"

Jamie took Eddie's pillows and sat her in his recliner with her arm elevated. "They live in Bay Ridge because it's near Steven's fire station," Jamie replied. "And there's more than enough room here for them if they so choose."

Joey stood up seeing the situation needed to be diffused, "How about we go and eat. I'm sure everyone is hungry, then we can talk about this other stuff, but for now, let's eat and try to be happy that soon this family is going to grow by two."

Joey and Jamie served that night in spite of Eddie constantly insisting she wanted to do it. Frank said grace and the conversation shifted to Steven's latest fire and Joey's new case.

"Jamie, I remember you said at the rehearsal dinner you were planning to retire when the Mayor came up for election, is that still the plan?"

Jamie sighed, "We'll see. If this Mayor is reelected I might consider staying on but a lot of it has to do with my health and Eddie's health. Still, I think that if I do retire, the city will be in good hands with my nephew, Jack."

"If the Mayor appoints another Reagan," Joshua piped up.

"Why wouldn't he? The city has been in the hands of a Reagan or a Reagan trainee for nearly fifty years now," Frank replied. "And it gets safer by the year."

Eddie set her eyes on Maura, "I have to admit, I was thrown a little at the prospect of being a grandmother before I was sixty, but you're already one…Is it really as wonderful as Frank claims it is? Grandparenthood?"

"It can be," Maura replied. "But our daughter doesn't live so close by so we don't see the baby that much. I'm sure Lila will be here often when the twins are born. Was it that way for you and your mother, Eddie?"

"No," Jamie said quickly. The wound of losing Peter was still very fresh and he didn't wish to have Eddie upset. "No, Eddie's mother died when she was fifteen and she and her father were estranged for many years. We relied on each other when the children were born with my dad and family as back up. I expect nothing less of Lila and Steven, they will have one another to count on, but Eddie will be here for Lila and for that I'm sure we're grateful."

"Steven, when a baby is born in the NYPD family, all the guys at the precinct get together and throw him a little Daddy shower…do they do something like that for the firemen?"

"They guys throw you a little party, yes. My Captain is thrilled at expanding the engine company's family."

Steven looked over at his parents, pain flashing in his eyes. He remembered the day he called his parents to tell them about the baby.

"Hey, honey," his mother greeted on the telephone.

"Hey Mom, is Dad home? I have some really good news."

Maura called Joshua to the phone. "We saw the news of your rescue on TV. Are you getting a commendation son?" Joshua asked.

"Uh, no but I do have really great news," Steven was beaming and holding Lila's hand. "Lila and I are going to have a baby, Lila's pregnant."

The silence on the end of the line was shocking. It lasted nearly a minute before Steven prompted, "Mom, Dad, say something."

Maura sighed, "Well, we expected this eventually but not quite so soon. It's too soon, Steven. You two have barely been married…"

"Mom, that doesn't matter. I love Lila and Lila loves me. We're going to have baby, your grandbaby. She's due in September."

"Well, if you are happy with this Steve, then we are," Joshua replied. "But your mother and I both feel that this is a little too soon."

When Steven hung up the phone he sighed, "They aren't happy for us, Lila. I don't understand why."

"It's always a joy when one of my officers becomes a parent, and when we had these two then that was a party because it was expanding the Commissioner's family."

Another uncomfortable silence fell over the table. Lila was feeling very uneasy and upset. She didn't like feeling like she was being examined. She played with her food more than eating it.

Frank smiled at her, "If your stomach is bothering you, I will wrap up your food and you can finish it later."

"It's fine, Grandpa, thanks." Lila forced herself to eat more.

When the dinner wound down, the conversation ramped up. Maura Tenney was short in stature, not unlike Eddie, but very long on opinions. She glanced between Steven and Lila, watching Lila's interaction with her grandfather before speaking up again. "It's just we're concerned about you two having to struggle because you couldn't wait. How long can the babies live in a small apartment? What about food? Have you thought how you're going to feed them? This isn't just one baby we're talking about; you need double the diapers, the clothes, two cribs and it all adds up. Who's going to pay for it? Steve doesn't make a lot of money to pay for all the necessities plus rent and food for both of you."

Steven gripped his fork sensing the conversation escalating when it should be a joyous occasion. He knew this was going to be a bad idea, and if his mother didn't stop going on the attack, he knew his father-in-law was going to lose his temper. He tried to keep things calm, "We both will mom, we'll work it out." He scowled at her hoping that would end the conversation. Unfortunately Maura didn't have enough say yet.

"Well I'm just saying, Lila you are still in school, and it's social work school so that isn't going to bring in a lot, you are going to need to find other things. Our Steve won't be paying for everything, fire fighters don't make a lot to start until they become captains. We would love grandbabies, but now just isn't the right time for you. You're both still so young, what's the rush? Wait a few years, give these up for adoption. If you can't provide for them, it'd be selfish to keep them."

Steven stole a glance at Lila, her lip was quivering. He snuck a look at Frank and Joey, both were staring at their plates but Joey looked ready to jump if needed. Finally he looked at Jamie's whose gaze was fixed on Lila watching her reactions. He didn't date look at Eddie. Steven was about to speak up again when his father cut him off.

"We're just trying to look out for you son; for your future, before you end up on the street with nothing," Joshua began. "Your mother is right, give the twins up, you can always have more when you're ready and more responsible. You two can barely take care of yourselves, what are you going to do with two babies? You can start saving now, there's a great trust fund I saw on TV for parents to start collecting towards their child's futures. I can send it to you in an email later so you can look into it for your future children's education."

"You may send it to me…" Steven began. Lila looked up at him, horrified before letting out a sharp sob and running from the table.

Steven stood up to follow but Jamie cleared his throat, "I think under the circumstances I would be the best person…" Jamie stood and looked over at Joey, sending him a silent message to keep things under control.

Eddie lifted her head and pinned both of Steven's parents with her most piercing Serbian gaze. "How dare you?" she bit out through clenched teeth. "How dare you even suggest it! Steven does well enough at the fire department and my daughter will not be going to work carrying twins! She has an inheritance from her granddad that can help until the babies are older! We will help them if they need it. That is what parents do!"

Joey sighed, "Mom…calm down."

"No, Joseph, and if you plan to side against your own blood, you can get out of this house!"

Joey knew to shut up when his mother got that tone and just let her go. However, his claws her unsheathed when Joshua fired back at Eddie, "What would you know about what parents do? Your daughter is a spoiled brat, your son only has success because of his name and you…Our son won't be taking your father's dirty money!"

That stung, Eddie's eyes filled with tears, the shot at her parenting and her father's memory cutting her to the core. Eddie pushed back from the table, knocking her chair over as she went. Joey rushed to follow his mother leaving the Tenneys with Frank.

He looked at the two of them, his standard fatherly stare making them squirm, "Well…it seems we've lost a few diners…Steven, would you care to set out dessert…You're folks and I, we're going to have a chat…"

A/N: Uh oh – Frank is going to have his say, lol. The Tenneys don't know the depth of family loyalty their son has married into. Thank you so much for your reviews and staying through this series. I mapped it out the other day and there will be thirteen stories in this series. I hope you stick with me through this saga.