Chapter Four

Jamie found Lila had run to Frank's bedroom, the former study where she used to play as a child. She was curled around herself, both arms protecting her belly as she sat on the old sofa along the wall. Jamie sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her, cradling her to his chest, "Ssh, it's all right, Kitten, don't pay them any attention at all."

Lila hiccupped and held her belly tighter, "They're my babies," she sobbed in her father's arms. "They're mine, not theirs. They can't have them."

"Ssh," Jamie sighed. "Listen to me." He moved her face to look at his. "No one is trying to take your babies from you. Maura and Joshua, I have no idea why they are acting this way, but they are just spouting their own frustrations. You and Steven will be terrific parents. If you can't afford things right now, you will. Mom and I were talking and we can help you with a down payment on house and some of the big money. I know you weren't expecting to get pregnant so soon, but trust me…" Jamie wiped her tears. "Those babies are a blessing from God. It's a blessing to get pregnant so easily…saves a lot of heartache."

Jamie kissed Lila's head, "So you dry your tears. No one is taking those babies or making you do anything you don't want to do with them!"

Lila sniffled, "I already love these babies, Daddy and I'm scared that maybe Steven will listen to his parents. He's not in here, you are."

Jamie laughed, "I told him I wanted to come. I had a feeling my Kitten need her dear old Dad to give her a big hug and chase all those bad feelings away." Jamie stroked Lila's hair, "You look so much like your mother, such a beauty. I feel pretty sorry for Maura and Josh out there with Mom, she was pretty mad. Maybe we should go out there and rescue them. They're not used to use Reagans, how we take care of each other, they know not what they do…"

Lila giggled, "Yeah, we should go rescue them. I'm sorry I lost it…"

"Lila, believe me, you will lose it over things much simpler than this. This was your maternal instinct developing. When you have the babies, it will come out more like Mom's but someone attacked your children, your family and you reacted. When you are crying because we ran out of red wine vinegar, then talk to me."

Lila raised her eye brow…

May, 2024

Little Joey Reagan was sitting on the floor in the living room play with his Tonka truck. His Mommy was in the kitchen making dinner, and his Daddy was going to be home any minute now.

When Jamie arrived home, he saw Joey sitting on the couch crying his little eyes out. He could hear Eddie sobbing in the kitchen.

"Joey?" Jamie scooped his son into his arms. "What's wrong little man?"

Joey sniffled, "Mommy crying. She said bad word and she's crying."

Jamie kissed the side of Joey's head and set him back on the sofa going to check on Eddie. She was almost seven months along with their second child and had been having some pretty crazy crying jags lately.

Jamie went to the kitchen and slid his arms around her from behind, "What's wrong with my pretty girl…"

Eddie turned in his arms, sobbing into his chest. It was so ridiculous she even batted and eye at this but here she was hysterical.

"Hey, hey it's all right," Jamie soothed. "It's all right, baby. I'm here. I'm home. Sorry I'm late, were you scared?" Jamie cuddled Eddie closer.

"No," Eddie sniffled. "I wanted to make you a salad…but we're out."

"Out of salad?" Jamie asked confused.

"Out of vinegar…" Eddie sniffled. "I wanted to make you that salad you like and I can't do it. I wanted to go out but Joey was playing…I'm sorry."

"She didn't!" Lila laughed at the story not feeling so silly about her own tears.

"She did," Jamie replied. "Mom was never very emotional except when she was pregnant and when she was having you, Joe was always so sensitive to her moods he'd be upset…"

Jamie put his arm around Lila, "Let's go, there are times to release your feelings and time to buck up and stand your ground, not is a buck up time…" Jamie kissed Lila's head. "Come on, Kitten. I'm right beside you."

Joe gently knocked on the bedroom door to his parents' room before walking in. His heart ripped apart seeing his mom laying on the bed curled in a ball amid a fit of sobs. He knew the wound of her father's death was still bleeding even if Eddie did a good job of hiding it from the rest of the family, even Jamie. The words uttered from Steven's mother and father just pour salt in it.

"Mom," Joe crossed the room sitting on the bed beside her, placing a hand on her back.

Eddie sat up slightly, knowing her Jamie was busy with their daughter, Joey was the next best thing. She shifted, but didn't speak, only to sob into her son's arms. "My Dad made mistakes but did it..."

Eddie choked again on her tears laying on her son's chest. "Granddad meant well and that is between you and him, not for them to bring up." Joey stroked Eddie's back, "Mom, if you want me to I'll go down there and toss those people out on the asses. Steven too for not speaking up for Lila. He and I are going to have issues."

Eddie laughed a little, she was so proud of how protective Joey was of her and his sister, but the hateful words kept replaying in her mind. "The money he left for you kids..."

"Mom," Joey soothed. "Stop worrying about that. It was that women being stupid. Give the babies up for adoption, who says that about their own grandchildren? They are not nice people, Mom." Joey rocked a little bit, "Now, I want you to just lie down for a few minutes. Put your arm up on the pillows to make Dad happy, and when you feel better, you can come back down."

"I know I've been crying a lot lately, but Joey, I'm not some shrinking violet that needs fussing," Eddie admonished her son.

"I know, but maybe I need to fuss over you a little' Joey arranged two pills for Eddie's arm. When you feel like you won't get so upset come down, I'm pretty sure that by now Grandpa has taken care of the problem."

Eddie laughed, "Can you check on your sister for me? She was so upset, I wanted to go talk to her but…" Joey nodded. "I'll check on her. Rest your arm…"

Joey galloped down the steps but stopped when he heard his grandfather's gravelly voice.

As soon as Steven left the room, Frank offered Joshua and Maura his trademark smirk. "I didn't want to say this in front of the boy, he's going to have his hands full with my granddaughter when he gets home for not shooting you down immediately."

"Listen…" Joshua began but Frank cut him off.

"I'm talking now, son and it's only by the grace of God and my son that you're both still sitting at this table. Believe me if this was still my house, I'd have had you both removed bodily, but it's not, it belongs to Jamie and Eddie now so I'll give them that honor if they so desire it. Now, indulge and old, sick man…I'm going to spare you the Catholic dogma, you sit in church every Sunday, I don't have to go through the whole spiel about children being a blessing and Lila and Steven making a vow to accept whatever babies God granted and all that nonsense…you know it. I'm just going to say this…when you are as old as I am…and as sick as I am your grandchildren are the ones that are going to take you to doctors, they are going to play cards with you, and do all the things you did for them as kids. Your children, too busy or in my case, older and some sick themselves…it's the grandchildren!"

Maura sighed, "We never said we didn't want to have grandchildren, all we said was our Steven can't afford to support that family on his own while Lila follows in her mother's footsteps…"

"Thank God for that," Frank spoke up. "Eddie was a wonderful Mom, both of those kids grew up into loving, caring individuals that know how to think for themselves. I'd caution you to refrain from those kinds of comments. Bottom line is this, you're getting a gift, two for the price of one from your son that you love very much and good solid woman that he chose to be his wife. As for the money, Peter Janko earned a lot of honest money too and he's left that money to his grandchildren…I'm not long for this world, I'm 94 years old with a lung disease, I'm going to kick the bucket sooner rather than later and they will have an inheritance from me. The money isn't the issue, so…what's the real reason you're against this?"

"Those are the reasons but…" Maura sighed. "You've alleviated most of our fears. You are right, if our son is happy then we should be grateful…We aren't in a position to help them much of course. The Fire Department didn't fare as well under Mayor Poole as the NYPD did and well that stretched out budget a bit."

It suddenly clicked in Frank's head what this grudge was all about. There'd been an article in the Daily News recently that discussed how hard Jamie fought for his stress and EDP training programs during the fiscal analysis. There had been references to Frank doing the same thing regarding his stress training and how it affected the fire department and other services during that budget year. Joshua and Maura were holding that against their own unborn grandchildren.

"So that's what this is about?" Frank glared at them. "Well I'm sorry you were negatively impacted but I do not regret it and if the fire commissioner had such programs for his men, I'd have gladly let it cut into salaries on my side if it meant saving lives. That said…this is a pretty lousy way to get back at me! You want me, I'm here…don't you dare use my daughter-in-law or my granddaughter to do that again!" Frank stood up from the table, his cane clicking as he exited to the kitchen. "Steven, please see to your parents. I don't wish to see them again tonight or for a while. This was all about me and something I did as Commissioner, it had nothing to do with you and Lila. I'm so sorry."

Steven rubbed Frank's back, his trained eye noticing that the older man was struggling. "Frank…Pop…Where's your inhaler?"

"Drawer," Frank wheezed feeling his chest locking up. The entire family was insane tonight and it had taken it's toll. Steven grabbed it for him and helped into a hard chair. "There you go, try to breathe in…I'm going to get Jamie."

Before Steven moved, Jamie and Lila headed out of the study. Both immediately ran to Frank's side, "Grandpa…" Lila tilted Frank forward, "Let your body go…just relax all your muscles…" She rubbed his back gently, they were all accustomed to Frank's spells now.

When Steven did not come out of the kitchen, Joey poked his head in, "Steven…your folks want to say…Grandpa!"

Josh and Maura watched from the kitchen doorway as the family helped Frank. Joey looked up at Maura, "Please get my mother, she's the only one that can really calm him down."

The anger aside for the moment, Maura hurried upstairs. "Eddie!" she called out. "Eddie!"

Eddie heard the urgency in Maura's voice and hurried to the door. "What's happened?"

"I'm so sorry, but there's something wrong with Frank, Joe said to come and get you."

"Oh, God…" Eddie hurried down the stairs. She turned on a heel glaring at Joshua, Maura was the mouthpiece, but Eddie knew enough about their family dynamic to know Joshua was at the root of the problem.

"I hope you are very proud of yourself that you upset a pregnant woman and a sick old man, great job!" Eddie knelt in front of Frank. "Hey, Dad, look at me…lean against my chest…"

Jamie and Lila stood back as Eddie worked her magic. In fifteen minutes, she had Frank breathing better and with Steven and Jamie's help, he was on his way to bed with his oxygen. He had more and more of these spells lately, Eddie made a note to call his doctor and have his daily medications adjusted.

Eddie looked up at Maura and Joshua, "It was nice having you, I'm sorry it went the way that it did. Hopefully, in a few weeks when the kids decided if they want to know the sex of their twins we can try this again, for now…goodnight." She opened the door and stood waiting for them to take their leave.

A/N: No one wants to deal with Frank Reagan…He had their number long before they were ready for him too. The Tenneys are not very nice people…Steven will have all the family he needs with Jamie, Eddie, Joey, and Frank never mind the other Reagans. This rode to parenthood might have it's bumps but it will be worth it in the end.