"Good morning," Linda stretched as she rolled over and saw Danny walking to the bathroom.
"Hey, Babe. I didn't mean to wake you."
"I'm glad you did. If the kids aren't up yet, lock the door on your way back."
Danny grinned as his eyes sparkled. "I'll be back in one minute." After going to the restroom, he crept down the hallway to check on the kids. He peeked in each of their rooms to find them all still sound asleep. He did a happy dance on the way back to the bedroom.
"They're still out!" he whispered excitedly as he quietly closed the door, took off his shirt, and jumped back under the sheets with his wife.
They enjoyed some adult time before eventually getting up, getting dressed, and heading downstairs. The kids had managed to get up, shortly before, and made their way downstairs. Linda and Danny found them piled up together in the livingroom eating white powdered donuts.
"Good morning," Linda smiled as she walked around and placed a kiss on the top of each of their heads, "everyone have a good night?"
"I don't think I rolled over," Jack said honestly.
"Me either," Sean agreed. "I was tired."
"How about you, Missy?" Linda asked as she took a seat beside her youngest. "Did you have a good night?"
"It was good," Millie yawned as she snuggled next to Linda. "Mrs. Aunt Linda, can we make cinnamon rolls for breakfast?"
"We could probably do that," Linda smiled as she wrapped her arms around MIllie and gave her a gentle squeeze."But if we're going to do that, we've got to get up and get going. We've got church."
"Oooooh. Can they be the orange flavored ones?" Sean asked. "Those are my favorites."
"If we've got the stuff we can."
"Wait two more minutes," Millie yawned.
"Sit tight," Danny smiled at Linda. "I'll get them started."
Church was long and boring… at least that was the opinion of the kids. Father O'Reilly wasn't there and it was a fill in priest who was a bit long-winded. The adults all appeared interested, but Millie wasn't truly convinced Danny was paying attention. He was, after all, extremely interested in whatever messages kept popping up on his phone.
When church was finally over, MIllie, Jack, and Sean shot up out of their seats like a couple of rockets.
Henry, Frank, and Danny all looked down the pew at them.
"Seriously?" Danny asked.
"Let's gooooo," they groaned. "That was so boring!"
"Shhh!" Linda shushed as she pushed the three of them toward the door. "Go now and go quietly." Jamie chuckled as Danny rolled his eyes as he followed them all outside.
"Mil, grab a hand," Danny said as they made their way through the parking lot and to the car.
After Sunday dinner, the Reagans all took a seat in Frank and Henry's den for a little witty banter and some much needed family time. Nicki nestled in beside Frank while Millie found her way into the arms of her uncle.
"Mr. Uncle Jamie," she whispered, "can you and me and Ms. Officer Eddie have a lazy day again in our jammies sometime?"
Jamie smiled. "That was pretty fun, wasn't it?"
"It was the BEST!"
"How about one Friday night you come stay the night again and we'll have a lazy Saturday morning?"
"Ok. Can we tell Ms. Officer Eddie?"
"How about we send her a picture and I'll tell her all about it at work tomorrow?"
"Ok," Mille grinned as Jamie pulled out his phone and the two of them took a selfie. "Tell her hi for me."
"Will do," Jamie assured her as he typed out a message to Eddie.
"What are you planning over there?" Danny asked as he narrowed his eyes.
"Nothing," Millie answered. "Well how about you go get your shoes on so we can head back to Staten Island?"
"My feet hurt."
"Why do your feet hurt?" Millie shrugged as she went and got her shoes and put them on. "Come here," Danny said as she squeezed her feet into the little brown shoes. He felt the back of them and the toes. "Well, no wonder your feet hurt. You've outgrown these shoes. They're too little." He pulled them off and looked at the back of her ankles. "You're about to start getting blisters. How about you let the greatest detective in the history of the NYPD give you a piggy back ride to the car?"
"Ok," she smiled as she looked to Henry. "Pop, are you ready?"
Henry, Frank, and Jamie all cracked up as Danny threw his hands in the air. "Are you kidding me?!"
"Well you walked right into that one," Linda smiled.
Millie cackled as Danny stood up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Let's go, Sore Feet. Say goodbye."
"Bye Grandpa. Bye Pop. Bye Mr. Uncle Jamie. Bye Mrs. Aunt Erin. Bye Nicki."
"Bye, Millie!" they all chuckled with a wave.
"We'll see you guys," Danny grinned as he rolled his eyes.
"Mrs. Aunt Linda, I have a question," Millie said as they all got settled in the Jeep and Danny headed to Staten Island.
"What's that?" Linda asked.
"How come my feet are growing but I'm not?"
"What?" Linda chuckled.
"My feet outgrew my shoes but I'm not getting any taller."
"You don't think you're any taller?"
"Not really. My clothes still fit. When Jackers got tall his pants were too short… but all mine still fit."
"Why the need to get tall, Mil?" Jack asked. "You're the perfect size for a little sister."
"When you're tall, you don't have to sit in this booster seat no more. And when you're tall, you get to be the boss, and wear makeup, and have a phone. And…"
"Don't worry," Danny interrupted. "You'll grow soon enough. But I think I told you to stay six years old for as long as you can… so don't rush it."
"Ok, Mr. Uncle Danny," she sighed.
"Yeah and think about it this way," Sean added, "if you're going to be a famous gymnast, you need to be short. Gymnasts aren't tall. Their feet would drag the ground when they flip on the bars"
"That's true," Millie agreed.
Danny and Linda exchanged a grin, once again, completely amazed at how wonderful the boys were with their little sister and all her worries.
The boys collapsed on the loveseat when they walked inside.
"We need to start getting ready for bed," Linda said. "That means baths and jammies."
"Can we just sit here for five minutes?" Sean asked. "Let's unwind."
LInda rolled her eyes as she went off to begin prepping for the following morning. She knew good and well that five minutes would turn into thirty and then bedtime would be a major rush.
"FIve minutes," Danny said as he dropped into his chair and Millie joined him. She curled into his lap and rested her head on his chest as he turned on the Sunday night movie of the week.
"Hey, don't fall asleep," he said as he kissed the top of her head. "You've still got to go get a bath."
"Mr. Uncle Danny?"
"Yeah."
"You're my favorite."
"Well thanks, Mil," Danny said as he wrapped her in a hug. "You're my favorite daughter."
"I'm your only daughter," Millie yawned as she rolled her eyes.
"But you're my favorite," he smiled down at her.
Sure enough, when Linda returned, twenty minutes later, they were all engrossed in the movie. "Up, up, up," she instructed. "Baths and jammies. Now."
"Daaaaaaad," the boys whined.
"Listen to your mother," he said as he paused the movie. "If you hurry up and get back here, we'll watch the last few minutes before bedtime."
"Come on, Mil," LInda said, "you can use mine and Daddy's bathroom."
By the time Millie was bathed and LInda got her hair dried, the boys were both already back downstairs and stretched out, ready for the ending of the movie.
"How about you hop in bed?" Linda suggested as they walked by her room.
"Five more minutes?" Millie smiled up at her.
LInda rolled her eyes for a second time that night. "Alright. Five more minutes with Daddy and your brothers. Go."
"Thanks!" Millie grinned as she wrapped her arms around Linda and then took off in a dead sprint back to the livingroom.
"You're back," Danny chuckled as Millie jumped back into his lap with a fleece blanket and made herself comfy.
"Mrs. Aunt LInda says I only got five minutes."
"We might make it seven," he winked at her as he pressed play. He knew good and well she'd be asleep before the end of the show… and luckily, there was only fourteen minutes left in the movie, so Jack and Sean would also be headed to bed soon too.
"That's why you're my favorite," she leaned up and whispered into his ear as Linda joined the boys on the couch.
"Don't tell Aunt Linda that," he whispered back as Millie snuggled down and was asleep in less than her allotted five minutes.
As promised, Danny let the boys finish the movie before they all got up to head to bed.
"If you'll put her in bed, I'll lock up," LInda whispered.
"I can handle that. Boys, let's go." They all made their way upstairs. "Hey guys, do me a favor, come move the cats so I can put your sister in bed."
The boys chuckled as they made their way inside. Sean picked up Gus from the middle of the bed and Jack picked up Phil from the middle of Millie's pillow while he also pulled back the covers.
"Thanks," Danny whispered as he gently placed MIllie in the middle of the bed and covered her up. The boys dropped the cats beside her so that they could make themselves comfortable and the Reagan men all filed out. "Straight to bed," Danny said as he hugged them both. "Love you guys."
"Love you too, Dad."
Linda put in some long hours the following week, leaving Danny on Daddy duty. It proved to be extremely helpful when Sean came home complaining about having to learn all of the Presidents in order for a history test. "Daaaad!" he complained as Danny pointed to the kitchen table, "I'm never going to learn this!"
"Yes you are," Danny assured him. "You are not failing a history test while I'm in charge."
"Ooooh, I can help you Seany," Millie smiled as she wandered in and took a seat.
"You know the presidents, Mil?"
"Nope. But, I did have to learn all the books of the Bible in Mrs. Jones's class that one time and you know how she taught me?"
"How?"
"We sang a song. It helps to sing it."
"That's not a terrible idea," Danny said as he dug through the cabinet for some pasta.
"I know," Millie smiled. "That's why I told him to do it."
"I would bet somebody has already made a song. Check out YouTube." Danny threw his phone over to Sean who did a quick search and sure enough, there were more songs than he needed."
By the end of the evening, he, Sean, and Millie all knew the presidents in order and a little bit about each one. Linda was shocked when she walked in and heard them singing at the tops of their lungs.
Jack was kicked back on the couch with his earbuds in, ignoring them all.
"What in the world is that?" Linda asked.
"Sean had to learn his presidents in order. Dad and Millie are helping. That song is terrible."
Linda laughed as she made her way into the kitchen where the three of them were cleaning up the dinner dishes and continuing with their song.
"Hey! Mama's home!" Danny exclaimed as he turned around and greeted a tired Linda with a kiss. "Hey Babe."
"Hey," she smiled. "What's going on?"
"We were almost finished. I'll grab your plate."
"What's with the song?"
"Sean had homework."
"We had to learn the presidents," Millie clarified. "Want to hear them all in order?"
"Sure," LInda smiled as Millie and Sean recited their new tune. "I didn't realize Grover Cleveland was president two different times," she said once they finished. "How interesting!"
"I had no idea I'd be going back to school this week too," Danny said as he took a seat across from Linda. "We learned a lot tonight. How was work?"
"Busy. According to my watch, I did over 17,000 steps tonight."
"How about a foot rub after these guys go to bed?"
Danny and Linda looked longingly into each other's eyes… almost as if they were having a silent conversation. "Sounds good," LInda grinned.
"Come on, Mil," Sean said as he rolled his eyes. "Let's blow this popstand. Too much lovey stuff happening in here."
"Karaoke?" Millie asked.
"Sure. I'll set it up."
Danny and Linda listened as Mille and Sean belted out one song after the other. They were extremely amused up until they started selecting some pretty explicit rap. Not only was Linda disturbed by song selection, but more so that Millie knew every single word.
"End that now," she said to Danny who was already up and on his way to the livingroom.
"Hey hey hey," he interrupted as he cut off the machine. "Inappropriate."
"Aww Dad, it's just…" Sean began.
"Inappropriate for your little sister to be saying those words? I couldn't agree more. No more picking songs that you wouldn't be allowed to sing in front of Mom. Got it?"
"Got it," Millie and Sean both sighed.
"It's getting late anyway. How about the three of you head up to bed? I'll be up to tuck you in in a few minutes."
"Okay," they all sighed as they got up to head out.
"Make sure you go tell Mama goodnight."
The kids ran in and attacked Linda with a group hug. "Goodnight!"
"Sweet dreams," she smiled as she smiled as she hugged each of them and planted a kiss on their foreheads.
Danny walked back into the kitchen just as they were filing out to go upstairs. "Straight up, brush your teeth, and hop in bed. I'll be up in just a minute."
"Or we could go watch tv for just a little bit longer…" Millie grinned.
"Or you could do what I said the first time," he laughed as he pointed toward the stairs. "Go." He looked back to Linda who just smiled lovingly at her little family. "GIve me five minutes to tuck them in and then I'll run us a bath."
"Oh that sounds nice." She leaned forward and gave him a kiss as he made his way out.
The kids were just filing out of the bathroom when he made his way upstairs. "Clean teeth?" They all gave him a big smile. "Good job. Alright. Last one in bed has to clean the toilets tomorrow."
"What?!" they all shrieked.
"Go," he laughed as they took off in a dead sprint.
"Mr. Uncle Danny," Millie began as she crawled into bed.
"Yeah?"
"When can we go on another vacation with Grandpa, and Pop, and Mrs. Aunt Erin, and Nicki, and Mr. Uncle Jamie?"
Danny rolled his eyes. "You live for vacations with the Reagans, don't you?"
"It's pretty fun."
"Yeah. It is." He tucked her purple, fuzzy blanket around her. "Get some sleep, ok? Love you big." He bent down and kissed her forehead.
"Love you bigger."