Family Dinner

Henry kept Maria busy helping with the dinner preparations. They had decided to allow Danny and Jill two hours to talk before dinner would be ready. Jamie and Eddie had gone home after the meeting but would arrive soon for dinner. They were responsible for dessert. Erin had followed Frank to the house and was talking to her father about a case, looking for his advice. Henry helped Maria with the vegetables and kept an eye on the meat that was cooking in the oven. A large dish of scalloped potatoes waited to go in the oven when the meat was finished. Salad items had been washed and were ready to cut up and mixed together. Elena was taking a nap but there was now a baby monitor in the room where the baby slept and Maria had the other monitor in the kitchen.

"Maria, do you want to talk about it?"

She looked at Henry, knowing he had more experience than she would ever have. "I trust Danny with my life. I know he loves me but if there is something between him and Jill, they need to work things out without help from anyone. I just want him to be happy. It's what they both deserve. And if he decides to be with Jill then I won't have to worry about finding a new work partner. We worked together well when Linda was alive. I'll survive as will Elena. Can I count on you and the rest of the family to let them decide for themselves?"

"That's not how we normally do things, but if you insist…"

"Insist on what, Pops?" asked Frank.

"Maria thinks there might be something between Danny and Jill. And she doesn't want us to interfere, right?" said Pops.

Erin looked from Pops to Frank. "Really? We have no say in this?"

"I know you were all around when Danny was growing up, when he joined the Marines and the entire time he's been in the NYPD. He's had more than his share of pain but we all have. Every time we start an investigation and we can't make any progress on the case it's because no one will give us any information. The case becomes a cold case and he comes into the precinct at 0400 to work the case. He needs more in his life. Maybe the answer is Jill; I won't get between them if this is what he wants."

"Are you sure about this?" asked Frank.

"Yes. Years ago I told Danny that when I retire from the NYPD I want to buy a bar on the beach and sell drinks to the tourists. But that was before I became a mother so I may have to change that plan. I have managed by myself since I was eighteen. I lived with one idiot when I was much younger but he thought it would be fun to bring his girlfriend into our bed. Since then, I've taken care of myself. I have my home, my daughter and a wonderful person who takes care of Elena while I work. I have my twenty in, whatever time I spend working after that is just gravy. Maybe in four years I'll have paid down the mortgage on the house so that when I sell it I'll have a good nest egg for that bar. My pension should be enough to live on. We'll be fine if being with Jill is what he wants." Just then her phone rang. She picked it up and said, "Baez." She listened for a moment. "Well we've got salad and I made the rice and beans dish you love. Not sure she'll eat the scalloped potatoes and she won't eat the roast." Henry listened to what Maria was saying then had an idea. He went over to the freezer and looked around, finally finding the box he wanted. He brought it out and gave it to Maria. "Just a minute," she read the box and smiled. "Pops just handed me a box of burgers made from mung beans so we'll be fine. Thanks for letting us know. How soon will you be here?" She waited just a moment. "See you then, thanks," and ended the conversation.

"So, I guess Jill has become a vegan?" asked Henry.

"Not sure how it came up in their conversation but she needed to use the restroom and Danny called as soon as she was out of sight. So, how do you cook these things? And do you have any fruit? We could cut up whatever you have and make her a fruit salad if whatever Jamie and Eddie bring for dessert isn't vegan." They all worked together to complete the meal preparation. When Jamie arrived he was tagged with cooking the bean burger while Erin and Eddie took care of the vegan dessert. Elena had woken up and Maria was upstairs getting her ready for dinner. Frank was watching the roast sit on the cutting board waiting for the liquids to be absorbed.

Danny and Jill arrived and walked into the kitchen. Danny looked around but didn't see his partner. "Uh, Dad, where's my partner?"

"Upstairs taking care of…"

Danny turned around and headed upstairs. He arrived just in time to hear Maria talk to Elena. "Da-da will be here soon. Now, I don't know what's going to happen but I will always be here for you no matter what happens." Elena reached up to pat her mother on her cheek.

"Da-da, Mami. Da-da…" she continued to babble in baby speak. Maria picked her up from the changing table and hugged her close.

"Hi, there. I'm told that the food's getting cold."

"Danny! When did you get here? And what do you mean, the food's getting cold?"

"Well, most everyone is seated at the table. Are you ready to go downstairs? You know the last one to sit down has to say Grace."

Maria just looked at him. She really wanted to know how the afternoon went but didn't know how to ask. Maria was trying to pick up the dirty diaper and wet clothes so Danny took Elena into his arms and smiled as she patted his cheek calling, "Da-da, da-da and Maria took care of the baby things"

"I missed you this afternoon, sweetheart, but I'll be with you the rest of today. Let's go see what we have for dinner and then later tonight I'll rock you to sleep." Maria looked at Danny, trying to interpret what he meant. "We had a lot to talk about, thank you for making me do this. Jill isn't planning her life beyond tomorrow. She's admitted that she's an addict as well as an alcoholic and fighting both problems is a full time commitment. And she has her work with veterans and helping them get back into their lives. We'll be friends, have coffee once a month or so, maybe run into her on the street but she feels she has enough on her plate for now and the foreseeable future. Now, if you're ready, I'm starving and the family probably thinks we are doing something we shouldn't do in front of our daughter." Maria smiled, took his hand and led them down the stairs. When they entered the dining room everyone was seated.

"Danny, you know the rule."

"Frank, we came in together so we'll say Grace together after we get Elena in the high chair," said Maria. Frank began to cut the meat and bowls were passed around. Maria added a few things to Elena's bowl and put it close to the high chair.

"Jill, we heard that you are now following a vegan lifestyle. The scalloped potatoes do have milk in them. But, Maria made this rice and beans dish that Danny loves and that doesn't have anything in it that is meat," said Henry. He then pointed out what each dish was so she could make her choices. Once their plates were full Danny and Maria began to say Grace. Conversation ebbed and flowed as it normally did and when no one was talking Elena would fill in with her babble. When everyone had eaten their fill, Jamie and Danny worked together to bring all the food back into the kitchen. Those still in the dining room just watched them waiting for things to begin to go astray but Danny was on his best behavior today. Eddie gathered the items needed to serve dessert while Maria made coffee and brought the large pot to the table. "Jill," said Henry, "there's only one problem with letting the boys clean up. It's going to take Frank and I a week to find the leftovers. Eddie introduced us to the burger that you had tonight. It wasn't anything like I thought it would be. So, I've been keeping a box in the freezer for those days when I crave a burger for lunch. If I may ask, how did you decide to make this change?"

"Well, at one of our meetings one of the members talked about how much better they felt doing mostly vegetables and grains for their meals. The years between leaving the Marines and finding my sobriety I ate whatever I could. Some days it might just be the leftover bun from a burger or half a slice of pizza. But, several of us at Rehab decided to try the lifestyle and for me, it's been good." She talked about some of the recipes they used and some changes they made. Coffee had been brought out along with some cookies Eddie found that were vegan and the bowl of cut up fruit. An hour later and the table had been restored to its normal state and all the leftovers were put away. Jamie and Eddie volunteered to take Jill back to the rehab building where she had been living. Frank's driver had removed the baby's car seat and left it just inside the front door. Danny walked outside with Jill, Jamie and Eddie and said goodnight to the trio, then he put the car seat back into his car. Maria was gathering everything that had to be taken home and Henry was entertaining Elena.

Finally, everyone had gone home leaving the two older gentlemen a period of time for inner reflections or perhaps a pre-bedtime nap. Frank stared into his glass for a moment before speaking. "We don't have to worry about Danny starting up a physical relationship with Jill."

"And how do you know this, Francis?"

"Just after she left with Jamie and Eddie Danny told me that one bit of information none of us knew. It seems Jill bats for the other team."

"Huh?"

"She doesn't date men."

Henry sat there for a moment. Finally, he realized what Frank meant. "She hits for the other side. I never thought… And all the time she and Danny were in Fallujah they never?"

"Several reasons for that. Danny was a corporal, she was a sergeant, and that would be conduct unbecoming Linda would have killed Danny and Jill had just broken up with her partner before flying overseas. Danny's a good listener, perhaps that was the basis of their friendship. I hope she finds someone but, as she said, being a drug addict and alcoholic she's busy just keeping on the straight and narrow path. She did fit in nicely tonight. I hope she comes again." Frank closed his book, grabbed his empty glass and stood up. "Are you finished, Pops?"

"With my glass, yes. With my puzzle, no, but I only have three letters missing."

Frank picked up the glass and took it into the kitchen. While this day of rest had been long, much had been accomplished. He changed into his night attire and prepared for bed. After turning out the light, he said his nightly prayers silently hoping God would make Danny see what was right in front of him.

Maria's Home

They had been home long enough to give Elena a bath and get her settled into her bed. "Danny, do you want me to make some coffee?" asked Maria.

"No thanks. I need to leave soon but I wanted to ask a favor, please?

"Of course, how late are you going to be tomorrow?"

"Won't be late at all. But, I need to tell you a few things. And before you ask, Jack is just fine. But he's one of the things I need to tell you."

"Okay," she sat at the kitchen island. Danny pulled up another stool and sat down.

"Jack is doing great in school, he's going for an advanced degree. He tried to explain it to me but I don't understand. He's also got a great job but it doesn't pay much." He paused for a moment. "He needs a car so I'm going to give him mine. A friend of Jack's will drive him to a rest stop that's about halfway between school and home and Sean will drive my car to Jack. The boys will drive to a town near the rest stop where Sean can hop on a train and get back to school."

"And what are you going to drive?"

"Well, I've put money down on a car and thanks to you it's a pretty hefty down payment, but it won't be ready till the end of the week. I was hoping that I might take advantage of that wonderful bedroom you set up. I should have the new car by Friday."

"But you loved that car."

"Yes, I did but do you realize how hard it is to get the car seat in and out of the back seat when there's only two doors? It's killing my back so I'm getting a car with four doors."

Maria didn't know what to say. Then, she began to snicker very quietly. "I thought you were going to tell me that you and Jill…"

He interrupted her. "Jill feels she's really too busy to have a relationship right now. And if she did want to start something with someone, it wouldn't be with me."

"Why not? I thought you two had a little…"

"We're friends and she wouldn't sleep with me because she, uh, swings for the other team."

"Huh?"

"If she did date, it wouldn't be men, she dates women."

Maria had an astonished look on her face. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, she showed me a picture of her last girlfriend. They broke up before she shipped out to Fallujah."

"Well, that really sucks. So, what do you need me to do?" They talked for about fifteen minutes outlining a schedule. Sean would leave on Tuesday after classes were finished. He would meet Jack about midnight if things worked out. There were trains every hour that Sean could ride back into the city. And this would give Danny a chance to move some of his work clothes and other attire into that wonderful guest bedroom. They made a plan and said good night. Danny made sure the doors were locked before he left. This week might turn out to be a good week.