Pick Up on Aisle 10

by AlwaysChoosePink

A simple trip to the grocery store can be lifechanging

15. Sunday Dinner

Finally, we have reached the Sunday Dinner chapter. Lucy gets to meet the rest of the Reagan family and it goes...let's just say it's a memorable night for all. I hope you enjoy.

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Pick Up on Aisle 10: Chapter 15

Frank Reagan didn't sleep well that Saturday night. He found his mind wandering between the hope that his family would take it better than he thought and the fear that it would actually be worse. The more time he spent with Lucy, the more he found himself liking her. Enjoying her company.

Not wanting to see her hurt.

He found himself unable for focus during services, his mind racing ahead to dinner time with his family.

And Lucy.

He rehearsed in his mind what he might say and likely responses he would get. Pondered who might actually support him.

A call from Danny the night before had him hopeful of support from that avenue. His son had asked if Lucy would be joining the family for dinner and Frank had told him that she would and that she had accepted his marriage proposal and the two were planning to be married the following weekend.

A long silence followed.

"I'm expecting some pushback from the family."

"Some?"

"Okay. A lot of pushback from the family."

"Do you blame them? This is really out of the blue, Dad."

"I know. I wish that we had the time to let feelings settle and everyone to get used to the idea, but we don't. I need her close."

"I know, Dad. It's just all happening so fast."

"I know. It kinda' was for us, too."

"But you've had time to get used to it."

"I suppose." He took a deep breath. "What about you, Danny? Have you had time to get used to it?"

Another extended silence, then a sigh.

"I don't know, Dad. I'm just having a really hard time wrapping my mind around this whole situation. About you, of all people, ending up in this situation."

"Why 'of all people?'"

"Because you're YOU. You don't screw up like this."

"I'm human, Danny. I make mistakes. Though I'm never going to think of these children or my relationship with Lucy as 'mistakes' or 'screw up.' None of this was planned, but I can't say I'm upset with the way it's working out."

The younger man heard the anger in his father's voice, and hastened to clarify. "I didn't call them mistakes or screw ups. I don't think that at all. I'm going to be a big brother again and I imagine I won't be as irritated by them as I was with Erin and Jamie. It will be very different, due to the difference in age and the fact that I won't be growing up with them, but I'll still love and protect them. Lucy seems nice enough. She struck me as straightforward and honest and I'm sorry about those things that I speculated about her in the beginning. I don't think she's malicious or manipulative."

"Glad to hear that."

"This whole situation, though, is a result of you acting in a way that was very out of character for you and I'm having to make some adjustments to who I know you to be. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, it's just a thing. You and Pops…you've been constants in my life. In all of our lives…and it's a little shocking to be hit with reminders that you're human. That you change. It's unsettling."

"I'm not supposed to change?"

"Of course you can. You've just got to understand that it's going to take time for us to adapt."

"I don't have time, Danny. I need to act now. We need to commit to this."

"I know."

"But you can't support us. Or won't support us."

"I'm not saying that, Dad. I'm just…"

"Got it. Do what you need to do."

"I was actually thinking about asking Abigail to join us, too. Might take some of the spotlight off of Lucy."

Frank considered. "And her boys?"

"Yeah."

"I appreciate the thought, but it's probably not a good idea for this dinner. Abigail knows how we can be, but I'd rather this not be their first exposure to the family they'll be joining."

"I don't know that we're quite to that point yet," Danny protested.

"Maybe not yet, but you'll get there," Frank told him. "Neither one of you are the type to just mess around. You both think long term. Plan ahead. She's not going to let someone into the lives of those boys if she doesn't think you're going to be around. She wants stability. For them and for herself. And you're the same, even though Jack and Sean are both older."

"You're probably right. About that and about waiting to bring them."

"So, I haven't completely lost my touch."

"I never said you had, Dad."

"Kinda felt like it."

"Give it time."

"Sure. Time."

"I'm trying, Dad. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I understand, Son, and I appreciate that. But this is my choice."

Another sigh. "I'm trying. I'll behave myself."

"I appreciate that, too."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow."

He considered calling her or even texting, but refrained. Knowing she would be working overnights the next few nights, he wasn't sure what her sleep schedule was and didn't want to disturb her.

A 'ding' alerted him to an incoming text and he opened it and smiled.

'Stop worrying. Everything will be fine.'

Pressing the 'call' button, he waited for her to pick up.

"What makes you think I'm worrying?"

"You're not that hard to read, Francis."

"I have an amazing poker face," he countered.

"Of course you do," she assured him. "Absolutely amazing."

"Damn straight."

"Straight flush. I win."

"The lady knows her poker."

"A bit," she admitted.

"You'll fit right in here."

"I hope so," she whispered.

After a moment, he replied.

"Me, too."

As his family started arriving for Sunday dinner, Frank found himself becoming more and more nervous. He had spent some time in prayer, figuring it couldn't hurt to ask for help from a higher power. Henry's assurances helped, too, but he was still ready for the evening to be over.

"Noticed the extra place at the table," Erin commented. "Does that mean we're finally going to get to meet Danny's new lady friend?"

"Not today," he told her.

"I need to talk to you all about that," Frank said, drawing their attention to himself. "I've actually invited someone to join us today."

"Grandpa's got a girlfriend," Sean teased.

"Don't be ridiculous, Sean," Jamie barked. "Your grandfather would never cheat on your grandmother like that."

"Cheat?" Frank asked, but Jamie kept going.

"He didn't even say it was a woman. He's invited the Archbishop to join us. And his old partner Lenny has been here multiple times. Besides, even an invitation to a member of the opposite sex doesn't necessarily indicate a romantic interest."

He looked at Eddie. "Remember when he invited your old partner?"

"Rachel Witten," she reminded him.

"Right. Witten. No romantic interest there." He turned his attention to Danny. "And your dad, here. He brought his partner to dinner once. Again, clearly not a romantic invitation."

Danny cleared his throat. "Actually, that kind of was."

A chorus of surprised exclamations followed his statement, Eddie's voice cutting through the rest.

"You and Baez are seeing each other? I thought she was dating…"

She stopped, slapping her hand over her mouth.

"No, we're not seeing each other. Not like that anyway. At that time, though, we were considering it. We're best friends. We've worked well together for a long time, been friends for ever longer. The two of you made it work, so we decided to see if we might work as a couple."

"I guess you didn't," Erin commented.

"Nah. We did the whole dinner and movie thing and it was awkward as hell. We both felt uncomfortable and uneasy. When I took her home and moved to kiss her, we both started laughing like crazy and couldn't go through with it. Went inside and talked and decided we worked as friends and that was that."

He looked at Eddie. "I convinced her to ask Badillo out and I started spending time with someone a few weeks later and the rest is history."

"Wait a minute," Nicky interrupted. "Your partner," she pointed to Danny, "And your partner," pointing at Eddie, "Are dating?"

They both nodded.

"Luis is crazy about her," Eddie told them. "And Elana. He swings by my desk at least once a day and usually has something to say about one or the other of them."

"She's pretty happy, too," Danny admitted, "Though I'm a little jealous of losing my spot as Elana's favorite guy."

"And Abatemarco. Erin brought him one time." Jamie gave her a pleading look. "Please tell me that was not an invitation given with romantic intent."

"Dear God, no," she assured him. "He is decidedly more like another bossy, annoying brother than someone I'd ever go out with."

"See? Jamie said, his point proven. "An invitation to the dinner table doesn't necessarily mean there's anything going on."

"And the first time Eddie came to dinner?" Danny asked. "Wasn't that the day you introduced her as the future Mrs Jameson Reagan?"

"That was different. We had been together for a while and you all knew. Dad hasn't said anything about dating anyone, so, if he is, it's clearly not serious."

"Except that it is," Nicky said quietly.

"What makes you think that?" her mother asked.

The young woman nodded towards her grandfather.

"He's taken his wedding ring off."

"What?"

"When?"

"No way!"

Frank held up his hand, showing his family his bare finger

Danny laughed. "Funny that it was one of the non-cops in the room to notice."

"Always thought she would have made a good one," Frank commented, smiling towards his only granddaughter.

"I, for one, am glad she went a different direction," Erin told them.

"By the way, Jamie," Frank commented, turning to his youngest son. "Cheating?"

Jamie shrugged.

"You really accused me of cheating on your mother?"

"Well…"

"Completely out of line," Danny interjected. "Am I 'cheating' on Linda because I'm seeing someone else?"

"That's different."

"Why? Do you think I didn't love Linda as much as Dad loved Mom?"

"No, of course not." He paused to consider. "Maybe it's because I knew you before you were 'Danny and Linda.' Back when you were single and mooning over a different girl every week or so. Before Linda. So it's easier to think of you like that again. But my earliest memories were always 'Dad and Mom.' There was never anyone else. Never any thought of anyone else. For either one of them."

He sighed. "It's just weird to imagine you even thinking about dating someone new, I guess. In my mind, I still think of the two of you as a unit."

"Unfortunately, thinking and wishing doesn't make things so. I wish to God that your Mother was still here. I still love her. I always will. And I would never, under any circumstances, ever cheat on her. I never even thought about another woman like that during our marriage. Never."

His voice was taking on a sharp edge.

"Losing her…saying good-bye to her was devastating. But she's gone. And I'm here. And there's no reason I shouldn't be involved with someone. Don't I have the right to be with someone? To have a relationship like that again?"

"I think we just need some time to get used to the idea, Dad," Erin told him.

"You've got six days," Danny mumbled under his breath. Sean was the only one who heard him, looking at his father as he tried to puzzle out his meaning.

"Tell us about her," Nicky prodded. "How did you meet? How long have you been seeing each other"

Her grandfather threw her a thankful smile.

"Her name is Lucy. Lucy Makenna. We met a few months back at the grocery store. She's an emergency room doctor."

He took a deep breath and plunged in.

"And we're getting married on Saturday at 2 o'clock at the chapel on the grounds of the archdiocese and we'd love for you all to be there."

Several moments of stunned silence followed. Henry finally spoke up.

"She's an absolute delight. I'm sure you'll all like her."

With the spell broken, everyone started talking at once.

"Married?"

"Saturday? As in this coming Saturday? A week from yesterday Saturday?"

"Are you crazy?"

"What the hell?"

"No. Absolutely not."

Frank turned to Jamie, who had uttered the last comment.

"No?"

"No. You can't marry this woman"

"Why not?"

"I won't allow it."

"I'm sorry? You won't allow it?"

"No."

"I don't remember you being made my guardian, Jamie."

"Maybe you need one, if you're ready to marry a woman you've only known for a few months," Erin contributed.

"That is kind of crazy, Frank," Eddie ventured. "Why the hurry?"

"It's not like you got her pregnant or something," Sean added with a laugh.

Frank grimaced and stuck his hands in his pockets, staring down at the floor for a moment before clearing his throat and looking up to meet his gaze.

"Actually, I did."

The cacophony of sound that met his admission had Henry grinning.

Finally, Erin's voice cut through.

"It's a little early for April Fools jokes, Dad."

"No joke," Danny confirmed.

"You know about this?" Jack asked him.

"Yeah, I know."

"You told Danny, but not the rest of us?" Jamie asked.

"No, I didn't," Frank protested, then corrected. "I did, but he overheard something he shouldn't have, so I had to explain."

"How long have you known, Danny?"

He shrugged. "Couple of days."

"And you didn't think to mention to anyone else that our father was being taken in by some scammer?"

"She's not a scammer," Frank told them.

"So, you're not just replacing Mom, you're replacing Joe also," Jamie commented.

"Of course not. I'm not replacing anyone."

"Sure seems like it. You lose a wife and child, just get a new wife and have another kid with her. Easy peasey."

"Your Mother and your brother cannot be replaced, Jamie. They were special, unique people with a place in my life, in this family, that no one else can fill. But Lucy Is also special and is making her own special, unique place in my life."

Everyone started talking again and Frank looked to his father, drawing strength from his encouraging nod.

Erin held up a hand. "Wait a minute…how old is this woman? Because for it to be reasonable for her to be pregnant, she's got to be a whole lot younger than you."

"She is," Frank nodded. "Considerably. But still older than you. Couple of years older than Joe would be. Late forties."

"This doesn't make sense, Dad. How could this happen?" Jamie questioned.

"Usual way."

"I know that. I mean how could you…you know…"

"Have sex with a woman?"

"That…without protection. I remember a pretty solid emphasis on protection back when we had the talk." He turned to look at his older brother. "You got that, too, right Danny? Staying safe and all that?"

"I did."

"So, what happened? Did you skip it or did it fail?"

"Not your business, Jamie."

"Or she lied and told you she had it covered," Erin postulated.

"She didn't lie. The matter didn't come up."

"You slept with someone without even discussing protection?"

"Yes. We didn't discuss it because we had no plan of things going that far that night. It just…happened."

"No, Dad. We were told to always be thinking ahead. Not to get into a situation where something can 'just happen' because that's not an acceptable excuse," Jamie reminded him.

"Sometimes, it is," Frank countered.

"No, it's not."

Joe cleared his throat, raising his hand to draw attention. "Joe Hill. Exhibit A: Sometimes things just happen."

"Totally different," Erin countered. "Your parents were young and stupid…careless," she corrected, noting Joe's angry glance. "Letting emotion and hormones override common sense and knowledge."

"And you think your dad is too old for hormones and emotion to take over?" Henry asked her. "There's an age limit for desire and passion? Because I never got that memo."

"Are we really talking about Grandpa and Pop's sex lives?" Sean asked under his breath.

"So it would seem," Frank answered, clearly annoyed. "Look. I know all the stuff about planning ahead and being careful about the situations you allow yourself to get into. Pops gave me that speech and I gave it to my boys."

He looked around the room, meeting the gazes of anyone who would look at him.

"But, sometimes, things happen that you couldn't have planned for. And you get caught up in the emotion and maybe don't think clearly. And I think being held at gunpoint with someone qualifies as one of those times."

"Held at gunpoint?"

"When was that?"

"You never told us about that!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Frank saw movement and turned his head. He was a bit disappointed to see his eldest son slipping out of the room. He had hoped that Danny would offer support, but apparently, he had other plans.

He turned back to the group in the room and their demand for an explanation.

Danny's attention had been drawn to a buzzing sound coming from the dining room. When he walked in, he discovered that his father had left his phone on the table. He picked it up with the intention of delivering it to its owner, but happened to glance at the text that had arrived.

Lucy: Here

He listened to the raised voices in the other room for a few moments, then headed into the kitchen. Looking out the window, he noticed the vehicle parked in the driveway. Making a quick decision, he pulled his coat on and walked outside.

As he approached the car, the door opened and Lucy stood up. She chewed her lip, watching as he closed the distance between them.

"Hey, Doc," he greeted her.

"Danny."

She took a deep breath and straightened to her full height. Pushing the door closed, she nodded towards the other cars in the drive.

"I'm thinking your father misled me about the start time so that he could inform your family about what's going on before I got here."

"I'm thinking that's a pretty accurate assessment," he told her.

"How's it going?"

He grimaced. "Little bit rough."

Folding her arms across her chest, she studied him

"And you came out here to run me out of town? Tell me to move along?"

"If I did, would you?"

She rested a hand on the stomach. "No. Your father and I have come to an agreement and we're the only ones who can change that."

"Good. You're going to need to be determined to stand firm with this bunch."

"I'm pretty good at standing firm."

"I just figured to walk you in."

She watched him.

"Look, Doc. I'm not saying I'm completely okay about this or anything. I worry about my dad and Pops and about this whole situation. It's just got so many ways it could go sideways."

"Understood."

"But…I love my Dad. And he's supported me through a whole lot of things that he didn't necessarily agree with. But he supported me because he loves me, so it's time for me to do the same for him. And you."

"Thanks, Danny. That means a lot."

"It's nothing," he replied.

"No, it's not nothing. It's big."

He motioned towards the door.

"Hey," she asked. "Does supporting us include carrying something into the house for me?" she asked.

"Yeah, I can probably handle that."

She walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk. He looked in at the rectangular laundry basket filled with zippered freezer bags and containers.

"What's all this?" he asked.

"I volunteered to bring dessert, but I wasn't sure what anyone likes, so I just brought a little of everything, I think."

"Like what?"

"I've got chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies…No one has any nut allergies, do they?"

"Not that I know of," he told her.

She continued. "Snickerdoodles, gingersnaps, oatmeal raisin, chocolate peanut butter oatmeal drop cookies, sugar cookies and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. Then there are lemon bars…brownies…regular, salted caramel, and mint chocolate chip…mini pecan pie cups, orange cranberry muffins, red velvet cupcakes, turtle cheesecake bites, and a Death by Chocolate cake."

He stared at her.

"Nothing you like?" she asked.

He started digging through the basket, finally locating the bag marked 'Snickerdoodles'. Pulling it out, he opened it and grabbed one.

"Cleaned out the bakery, huh? Was it Carsons? Over on Linden? The guys there make the best…"

He took a bite, chewed and swallowed.

"The second best snickerdoodles I've ever tasted," After another bite, he continued. "These are amazing. Where did you get them?"

"My kitchen," she confessed.

"Homemade?"

"Yes."

"You made these?"

"Most of them were in my freezer, but some of them I baked last night or this morning. It's my stress reliever," she told him. "Some people do drugs or alcohol when they're stressed, some people exercise. I bake. I've done a whole lot of baking these last few weeks."

He took another cookie from the bag, then carefully stuffed the rest of it in his coat pocket, and grinned at her.

"No one else has to know about those, right?" he asked, offering his hand.

She finally reached out and shook.

"Welcome to the family, Luce," he told her, stuffing the cookie in his mouth, then scooping the basket from the trunk and nodding for her to precede him.

Back in the living room, Frank had told his family about the events of the night he met Lucy.

About the grocery store.

And the diner.

Taking her home.

Walking her to the door.

"And…things just happened," he admitted with a shrug. "No planning, no thinking things through. Just…emotions."

"So, it was just a one time thing?" Erin asked.

"Not really your business," he snapped.

"I meant, as far as the unprotected aspect of the situation," she explained.

"Why does that matter?"

"Because it's very unlikely to get pregnant with just one…encounter."

"Once is all it takes," he reminded her.

She shook her head at him. "Men can continue fathering children their whole life. For women, fertility starts to decline in our 30's. I have a friend who's my age who has been trying for a baby for a couple of years now and her doctor told her it's extremely unlikely without medical intervention of some sort."

"Unlikely doesn't mean impossible."

"I'm just saying that you can't be sure she really is pregnant."

"But I am."

"How? She's showed you a positive pregnancy test and maybe an ultrasound picture or something? Wise up, Dad. Those can't be hard to come by, especially for a doctor."

"Unfortunately true, Grandpa," Nicky told him. "I've known girls who have asked their pregnant friends to give them a used test. As for an ultrasound picture, anyone with any photoshop skills can pull up a picture on the internet, make a few adjustments, and have their picture proof."

"Why would someone want to do that?"

"To trap a guy into marrying her," Jack piped up. "Guy I played varsity lacrosse with was about to drop out of school, get married, and get a job because his girlfriend claimed to be pregnant. Luckily, one of her friends came clean before he could."

"I know that kind of thing happens, but I can't imagine what you think Lucy would stand to gain by marrying me. Especially since I was the one who came up with the idea and pushed for it."

"That's what you think."

"That's what I know. I was the one who suggested we get married. I laid out all the reasons it was a good idea. She argued why it wasn't."

"That's part of the game, Dad," Erin told him. "Playing hard to get? One of the oldest tricks in the book."

"Lucy isn't a game player, though. She's been forthright and honest with me through this whole thing."

His daughter continued to push.

"I know you want to think that, but you just don't understand how manipulative a woman can be to get what she wants."

"Really, Erin? After all my years on the streets? All my years as a detective? You really think you know human nature that much better than me? Enough to pass judgment on a woman you've never even met?"

His voice was starting to take on an edge again.

"She's not saying that," Jamie rushed to her defense.

"I'm not. I'm just saying that maybe your attraction to this woman and your sense of obligation to her is blinding you from the truth."

"And my opinion?" Henry countered. "Because I'm with Francis on this. I find her to be open and truthful."

"I just don't understand what you think she's hoping to gain from this nefarious plan she apparently has devised," Frank asked her.

It was Jamie who answered. "Gee, Dad. I don't know. Money, maybe? You make a pretty comfortable living. You live in a nice house."

"You have some pretty powerful connections and move in social circles with the movers and shakers in this city." Erin added.

Frank shook his head. "You may have missed my comment about what she does for a living. She's a doctor. She makes good money. Better than I make. She has her own home, fully paid off as well as a couple of nice vehicles, also completely paid off."

"Is the house as worth as much as this one?" his youngest son asked.

"No, but it's a nice house in a good neighborhood, completely remodeled in the last twenty years or so. And, she's the sole owner where I co-own this place with Pops. As far as society and social circles go, she's even less interested in that scene than I am."

"So she claims."

He huffed and looked around the room. "I think I'm feeling a little insulted here that you seem to think those are the only reasons she might want to marry me," he commented.

"Not the only reasons," Erin clarified, "Just part of it."

A new voice spoke up. "Actually, it's because he's a good man that I feel I can trust with what's important to me."

Everyone turned to face the blonde woman standing next to Danny at the doorway into the dining room. She smiled and crossed the room to where Frank was standing, reaching to take the hand he offered.

"He's a great listener and easy to talk to. He's smart and funny and kind and gentle. He's protective of the people he cares about. He knows that I'm utterly terrified by this whole situation and he's not only willing to stand by me, he really wants to stand by me. Support me. Be a part of this whole thing."

He pulled her into an embrace and leaned down to kiss her softly. She returned the kiss and smiled up at him, then turned her attention to his father. "And then there's the added bonus of Henry's cooking."

The older man laughed. "I knew that was what swayed your decision."

"Of course it was," Frank agreed. Looking down at Lucy, he frowned. "I thought you were going to text me when you got here."

"I did," she told him.

He reached down to pat his pocket, his frown deepening when he discovered the device wasn't there.

"You left it on the dining room table," his oldest told him, holding it up. "I heard the buzz and was going to take it to you, but I didn't want to interrupt and I kinda wanted to talk to her anyway."

"It's okay," she assured her fiance in a low voice, momentarily tightening her hug again to reassure him. After a moment, she pulled away, straightening as she turned to face the family. Henry moved to stand next to her, offering his own welcoming hug.

Frank made the introductions.

"Everyone, this is my fiancee, Dr Lucy Makenna. Lucy, you've met Danny. These are his boys, Jack and Sean," he told her, indicating the two young men.

Jack silently looked off into the distance, refusing to acknowledge her or the introduction. Sean studied his older brother for a moment in confusion, then glanced at Lucy and nodded, his lips moving in what might be a smile.

One definitely against, one undecided.

"My daughter, Erin."

Her opinion was clear in her unwavering glare and arms crossed at her chest.

"My only granddaughter, Nicky."

Another one in the undecided column.

"My youngest son, Jamie."

Another glare, the young man clearly fighting to not comment.

"And his wife, Eddie."

She started to step forward, then hesitated, glancing back at her clearly angry husband. Finally, she settled on a small wave.

"It's actually Edit. It's the Hungarian version of Edith, basically. My father is Hungarian. But I go by Eddie, so that's fine." She looked around. "And I tend to babble a bit when I'm nervous, so feel free to ignore all that."

"Nice to meet you, Eddie. And congratulations," Lucy told her, nodding towards the woman's hand, resting on her belly.

"Oh, yeah." Eddie glanced down with a smile. "This is Conor."

Jamie's glare flickered to her for a moment and her smile faded. Noticing her reaction, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, his face shifting to the adoring gaze her presence elicited.

"Sorry," he whispered to her.

"And my oldest grandson, Joe Hill," Frank continued, indicating the last unidentified person in the room.

Joe nodded, his face devoid of expression.

Another undecided, apparently.

"Nice to finally meet you all," Lucy commented to the room at large. "I've been hearing a lot about you."

"Can't say the same," Erin replied.

"Things have happened pretty fast," Lucy agreed before turning to look at Frank. "Where were you before I interrupted?"

"Where was I?"

"The conversation. I assume you got through the basics: who I am, where and how we met?"

"All covered," he told her. "We were up to the 'are you sure she's really pregnant at all' portion of the discussion."

"And did you settle that?"

"No, he didn't," Erin interrupted. "He said that you wouldn't lie about that, but didn't offer any proof."

"Ultrasound," Frank told her.

"Like Nicky said," Jamie reminded them, "Anyone can photoshop a completely believable ultrasound picture. Or could just pick one up from a patient, probably."

"Not an ultrasound picture," his father corrected, "An actual ultrasound. I went to a doctor's appointment with her last week and got to see the ultrasound real time as it happened."

"Maybe the technician was in on it with her," Jack piped up. "They can record those, so they could have just played back an old recording."

"Possible, I suppose, but not likely," Frank countered.

"Like the pregnancy itself," Erin supplied.

"Except those things have the date and the woman's name on them," Danny told them.

"Yeah, they do," Eddie agreed.

The eldest Reagan son nodded. "I noticed it on the picture you showed me."

"Still could be photoshopped," Jack insisted.

"Not really my area of expertise," Lucy told them. "Never found the need for it."

Frank cleared his throat. "I suppose time will tell, but I'm sure enough. And I'm also sure that I'm the father." He glanced around the room. "Which I'm sure would be the next question."

Erin looked up at him. "I'd like to see the paternity test results," she told him. "See the probability and which lab you had it done through. Some labs are considered less reliable than others."

"No."

"No? You won't let me see the results? Why not? What do they show?" She watched Lucy suspiciously.

"They don't show anything. I don't have any."

"You don't have the results yet."

"I do not."

"But you will before you marry her, right?" Jamie asked.

"No. No, I won't."

"Then you need to postpone the wedding. You cannot get married to her without knowing for sure that you're the father."

"I do know." He squeezed her hand and smiled at her. "She told me so."

"And he trusts her," Henry added.

"Why can't you just wait for the results? It shouldn't take long," Erin asked. "I can even make a few calls…call in some favors…expedite the process. I'll just need to know where the sample is."

Frank shook his head. "There is no sample. There is no paternity test in progress and there will be no paternity test."

Erin jumped to her feet. "Maybe you really do need a guardian, Dad. If she's refusing to do a paternity test, she's clearly got some doubts."

"She didn't refuse."

"Actually, I did, Francis."

"Okay. She did, but her doctor agrees and so do I. We're also forgoing any genetic testing. It's just too risky. We can do it after delivery, if needed, but I don't see any need for it."

Jamie joined the argument. "Of course there's a need. And you need to do it now. Before you get married. If you're married when the baby is born, you're legally considered to be the father."

"And that's just fine, since I am."

"That means you're legally responsible for it for 18 years. Even if you find out later that you're not the father, you're still on the hook for child support."

"I'm well aware and it's a chance I'm willing to take, since I'm completely convinced that I am the father."

Erin jumped in again. "The risks are honestly pretty low. Linda had some testing done when she was pregnant with Sean and I remember her saying that there was some risk, but it was negligible."

Sean sat up straight, a look of surprise on his face.

"You had a paternity test done on me?"

"Not a paternity test,' Danny rushed to assure him. "Genetic testing. Some of the stuff I was exposed to when I was serving could cause birth defects and we just wanted to be prepared if there were issues."

"Oh."

"Linda wasn't worried about the risk, so I don't see why you should be," Erin challenged Lucy.

"She probably didn't have the risk factors I do," Lucy shot back.

"Ah, yes. The convenient age excuse."

"And the fact that she has a high stress job that keeps her on her feet for long hours, her build is somewhat problematic for childbearing, and there's an issue with rH incompatibility. We just don't feel it's worth risking the pregnancy."

He decided not to mention the child she had lost. That was a deeply personal matter and it had to be her decision to share.

Jack piped up again. "And why are you not looking into non-invasive testing? There's no risk to the baby, since it's based on a blood sample from the mother. Or did she conveniently forget to mention that as an option?:

"Because it's not an option, at least as far as paternity is concerned," Frank told him. "The testing can't differentiate which cells belong to which fetus when the mother is carrying multiples."

"Multiples?"

"How many?"

"Just two," Frank told them. "Twins. Which also puts her at an increased risk for complications.

Joe spoke up again. "Twins, huh? That's just…wow."

"Wonderful is what it is," Henry proclaimed, beaming as he rested his hand on her shoulder. "A real miracle."

"What if it's not?" Erin asked into the silence that followed. She saw her father start for comment and held up a hand to forestall him. "You admitted that this is a high risk situation. What if you get married and the worst happens? What if…"

Frank broke in, looking down at Lucy. "We would deal with it together."

"You'd still stay married?"

"Of course. This is a lifetime commitment we're making."

"It is. Or should be," she agreed, "Which is why you shouldn't be rushing into it. What's wrong with taking some more time to think things through?"

"We don't need any more time. I need to get this nailed down."

"Why are you in such a hurry? You've got months."

"I don't want to wait. We want to do this as soon as possible. I need to."

"Why?"

"I need to be able to keep an eye on her. To be sure that she's safe and that she's eating and resting like she's supposed to . To be sure that she's not overdoing it. I want to be with her so we can talk each other through the fears and the craziness of having a baby."

"You don't have to be married to do all that, Dad," she told him. "Surely you can check in by phone or text."

"That's not what I want, though." He looked down at her. "She's not very good at admitting that she needs help, so I need to be able to see for myself."

"Doesn't she have family of a friend or someone close by who can do that?"

"I really don't," she admitted.

"She has me," Frank told them. "I'm the father or the children she's carrying. That makes us family."

"And family looks out for each other," Henry added. "And your father and I are going to do whatever we need to do to get these babies and their mother safely through delivery."

"I still don't understand why you have to marry her. With cell phones, you can check on her any time you get worried and she can call you if anything happens. She's a grown woman. She should be capable enough to be on her own."

"For now, yes. But her doctor says she will probably end up on bed rest to get as close as possible to full term, and I certainly am not going to leave her on her own at that point."

"So, hire a nurse. Or move in with her. But you don't have to get married."

"No!" Frank told them.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Jemie said. "It's just that"

"No," Frank interrupted. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I made it sound like I was looking for your thoughts or ideas or opinions or approval. This is not a discussion. This is me informing you of a decision I have made." He could feel the tension rolling off the woman standing next to him, and he looked down at her again.

"A decision WE have made. To get married and go through this pregnancy together. To raise our children together. It's what we both want."

He held her gaze smiling when he saw peace and calm replace the turmoil. She smiled and nodded back.

A timer went off in the kitchen and Henry looked at his watch.

"Everything should be ready, now," he announced to the room. "Why don't we move this into the dining room."

"I've lost my appetite," Jamie muttered, though he moved with the rest of the family into the adjoining room.

At the table, Frank pulled out the chair to his right and gestured for Lucy to sit. She noticed Erin frowning and paused.

"That's my seat."

Her father looked at her.

"You can sit on the other side. Lucy's left handed and needs to be on this side so she's not bumping elbows."

"I always sit there. Between you and Nicky."

"It's okay," Lucy assured him. "I'll take the other side. It's not like I really stick my elbow out anyway."

She moved around to the other side while Erin slid into the chair, continuing to glare at the other woman. Joe pulled out the chair for the blonde, then took the seat next to her.

Danny and Henry got the food on the table, then took their own seats. The older man offered grace and the meal got underway.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the table as dishes were passed and plates filled. The clatter of cutlery on dishes was the only sound.

Finally, Jamie cleared his throat.

"So, how are the living arrangements going to work? What's going to happen to Pops? Where will he live?"

Henry gave him an annoyed look.

"Right here. With Francis and Lucy."

"She's moving in here?"

"She is."

Jamie looked at his father.

"Are you sure that's wise? Moving a strange woman you know almost nothing about in with your elderly father?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Henry asked.

"I'm just saying that it puts you in a vulnerable position, Pops."

"It does no such thing!" the older man protested.

"I would never do anything to hurt Henry," Lucy said, leaving to look down the table at Frank's youngest. "I've made it my life's work to help and to heal people, not hurt them, and I take pride in that. I've taken an oath."

She didn't try to hide the irritation in her tone.

"Furthermore, even if I were inclined to want to hurt people, Henry would not be on that list. I owe him my life."

"What do you mean?" Sean asked.

She sighed. "I actually met your grandfather in his professional capacity many years ago when I was about 8 years old. And he saved my life."

When she looked down at her plate and didn't continue, Henry did.

"And that's a story for another time."

Frank reached over and covered her hand with his and she gratefully squeezed his fingers.

Eating resumed and the uncomfortable silence descended again. This time it was Joe who broke it.

"Where are you from, Lucy?"

She and Frank both looked at him gratefully.

"I am a New York City native," she told him. "My parents lived in Queens when I was born and I lived there for the first 8 years of my life. After that, I moved around quite a bit, but always in New York. Medical school at Vagelos, then worked at several different hospitals here. I've been at St Victors for several years now."

"Associate director of Emergency Medicine," Frank added proudly.

"She worked with your mom," Danny told his boys, then looked back at her. "Jack is studying nursing now, too."

"Really?" Sean asked.

"I did," she told him. "She was one of the best and I always liked working with her. She had a way of putting patients at ease and she really knew what she was doing. We were lucky to have her and she's still missed.

"Oh, and you think we don't?" Jack asked, a sharp edge to his voice.

"I'm sure you do."

"You have no idea."

Danny looked at his oldest, surprised by his vehemence.

"Hey! What's that about?"

"Nothing. She just doesn't understand."

"Sorry about that," Danny told her.

She waved off his apology. "No worries. He's right. I can't understand."

After a few more minutes of silence, Joe tried again.

"Is your family still in the area?" Before she could reply, he shook his head. "I guess not. You said earlier you don't have anyone close by to help out."

She finished chewing and swallowed before answering.

"As far as I know, I don't have any family anywhere," she replied. "I was an only child and my parents are both dead. Neither of them ever mentioned any extended family that I recall, so it's just been me for a long time."

"Old boyfriends? Ex-husbands?" Erin asked.

"Kids?" Jack added. "Because if rH compatibility is a concern, you've had at least one previous pregnancy."

When Lucy sighed, Frank squeezed her hand again.

"I don't think it's necessary to spill her whole life story this early on," he told them.

"Excuse us for being concerned about this woman who's moving in with you and Pops," Jamie retorted.

"No ex-boyfriends," she told Erin. "What I've observed of the dating scene is a bit too much for me. I'm a little uncomfortable letting people get too close. No ex-husband, either. I was married once for about 8 years, but he was killed in the line of duty in 2001."

"He was a cop?" Eddie finally asked.

"Patrol officer. In Manhattan. Died helping evacuate the South Tower."

"Oh."

She threaded her fingers through Franks, took a deep breath, and continued.

"Our daughter, Hannah, was stillborn at 26 weeks in June of that year."

Eddie rested her hand on her own bump, taking comfort in the movement she felt there. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

There were several other murmurs of agreement.

Lucy nodded her thanks, keeping her gaze locked on her hand, grasping Franks. He gently rubbed his thumb along hers, offering silent comfort.

After several moments, everyone went back to their meals, conversations sporadic and subdued.

Finally, everyone finished and Danny and Jamie started clearing the table while Nicky started serving coffee.

When Lucy accepted a cup and nodded her thanks, Erin looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Really? I thought caffeine was a no-no?"

From down the table, Eddie frowned at her as she sipped at her own cup. "My doctor said it was okay in moderation," she told her sister n law.

"Likewise," Lucy agreed. "Besides, people who regularly consume a large amount of caffeine don't do well going cold turkey."

Eddie nodded. "That's what my OB said, too. That it could end up really stressing the baby out if I stopped completely."

Erin rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair.

"What's for dessert?" Sean asked.

Danny laughed. "Let's see…there's chocolate cake, red velvet cupcakes, some kind of cheesecake bites, mini pecan pie things, muffins, lemon bars…something like 3 different kinds of brownies…and about 300 different kinds of cookies."

"You knock over a bakery?" Joe asked.

"Fresh homemade," Danny told him. "Apparently Lucy here turns to baking when she's stressed or nervous, so this is all straight from her kitchen."

Joe leaned over to whisper to her. "Since this is probably going to bring on another round of baking, I'm partial to chocolate and peanut butter."

Laughing, she whispered back. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Any snickerdoodles?" Sean asked. "Those are Dad's favorite."

He replied before she could. "Nope. No snickerdoodles. None at all. But there are chocolate chip. And white chocolate macadamia nut. I know those are your favorite," he said, poking at his oldest son.

"Not any more," Jack told him, a surly look on his face. "Besides, I don't have any appetite for desert."

On his other side, Sean also poked at him. "Come to the dark side," he said. "We have cookies."

"Shut up."

Sean quickly turned to Lucy.

"Sorry. Not saying that you're the dark side or anything…"

"No worries," she told him. "It was funny."

After finishing her coffee, Lucy looked at her watch and placed her hand on Franks' arm.

"I'm going to need to head out," she told him as she moved to stand.

"I'll walk you out," he said, also pushing his chair back to rise.

"I put together some containers for you to take for your dinner," Henry told her. "It's in the fridge. A couple of snacks, too. Don't want you going hungry."

"Thank you," she told him.

"Thank you for bringing dessert," he replied, licking the cake crumbs from his fork before also standing. He walked around the table to give her a hug. "I'm glad you came. I enjoyed having you, Doll."

She hugged him back, then looked around the table.

"Thank you all for letting me join you."

"Didn't have a choice in the matter," Jamie muttered under his breath. Frank started to respond, but Lucy squeezed his hand and shook her head slightly.

"I enjoyed meeting you all and am looking forward to getting to know you."

Jamie decided to ignore her. His focus on his beer bottle. Eddie watched him, her expression one of uncertainty.

Danny glanced at her with a grin and a nod before turning his attention back to his oldest son, sitting rigidly in his chair as staring off into the distance. Sean seemed equally confused by his brother's reaction and gave her the briefest of nods.

Nicky seemed deep in thought, chewing her lower lip and breaking the cookie in front of her into ever smaller pieces.

Next to her, Erin continued to glare at the other woman, her expression one that made many a defense attorney uneasy.

As she turned to leave, Joe jumped up and offered his hand.

"Me, too, Lucy. I'm looking forward to the wedding. Welcome to the family," he told her with a smile.

He was pleased to see her smile and Frank and Henry both beamed at him.

"Thank you."

"You're working overnight?"

"Yeah. Get off at 6 am," she told him.

"Hope it's a quiet night for you."

"Me, too."

With a final smile at him and another look around the table, she took Frank's hand and allowed him to lead her from the room. After a stop in the kitchen to grab the dinner Henry had made for her, he helped her with her coat, then walked outside to her car together.

"What happened with Danny?" he asked her. "When he came outside. What did he have to say?"

She shrugged. "He said that he still wasn't in full agreement with our chosen course of action, but that you've loved and supported him even when you might not agree with him, so he's willing to do the same for you. And me, by extension."

"That's something, at least," he said.

"That's a lot," she corrected.

He leaned against her car and pulled her close.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy. I cannot believe they could act that way. They were raised better than that."

She leaned against him for a moment, then straightened to look him in the eyes.

"They're allowed to feel what they feel, Francis. They're worried about you. And about Henry. You can't fault them for that."

"For how they feel, no. But I can take issue with how they express it. They were totally out of line being rude to you."

"I'm okay. I told you I can handle it and I can."

"But you shouldn't have to."

Hearing his frustration, she reached up and rested her hand on the side of his face.

"Are you sure you don't want to put this wedding off for a little while? Give them a little more time to get used to the idea?"

He held her gaze.

"I do not. It may take a while. Especially with Erin. I want to get this done before they're heading off to college."

"You really think it might take that long?"

He shrugged. "I don't think so. I hope not. But she is hard headed."

"Just like her father."

His gaze became a glare, but the upward lift of his lips showed amusement.

"That absolutely comes from her mother's side of the family," he protested.

"That's good. That means these two won't inherit that from either one of us."

He sighed heavily.

"We're gonna be in big trouble, aren't we?"

"Yup."

Now, she sighed, moving her hand to her stomach.

"Though they're going to need to be fighters since they're probably going to be coming so early. I just hope it will be enough."

"It will be," he assured her, pulling her to his chest again. "They're part me and part you. They will be strong and stubborn and beautiful and they will have parents and family who will love and support them."

They stood that way for several more moments before she pushed away, wiping at her eyes, then looking up at him with a smile.

"So, we carry on as planned?"

"We carry on as planned," he agreed. "This time next week, we will be husband and wife, holed up in our suite in a fancy hotel, worn out from a night of passionate sexual exploration."

Laughing, she pressed close, running her hand down his chest and coming to a stop when she reached the bulge in his trousers.

"Sounds like a fabulous plan to me," she told him, her voice husky.

"Looking forward to it," he replied, leaning down to kiss her soundly.

Finally she pushed away, her face flushed. "On that note, I need to head off to work," she told him.

"And I'm going to need to walk around out here in the cold air for a few minutes before I go back inside."

"Sorry about that."

"No, you're not."

She laughed. "No, I'm really not."

He opened her car door for her and she kissed him again.

"It's okay," she assured him. "I'm not bothered, so don't worry."

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and returned her kiss.

"Call me when you get home in the morning," he reminded her.

"Will do."

Hands in his pockets, he watched her drive away, then turned and started a slow walk back to the house.

In the dining room, Henry folded his arms across his chest and looked around the table.

"I never imagined that I would ever be ashamed of this family, but today, I am. With the exception of Danny, Sean, and Joe, you all behaved horribly to a guest in our home. In my home. And that is not acceptable."

"And it's acceptable to just introduce this woman, this total stranger, as the woman Dad will be marrying in less than a week and expect us to welcome her with open arms?" Jamie shot back.

"Yes, I do."

"Come on, Pops," Erin interjected. "We've seen these kinds of cons. The lies. The scam artists. Their MO involves moving fast and pushing hard. Pushing for the big things. Property. Bank accounts. Jewelry."

"Your father and I have seen those, too. Dealt with them. Lucy is not like that."

"Of course she's not. You're way too smart to fall for something like that," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The flash of hurt on his face had her backtracking.

"As a prosecutor, I've seen plenty of these cases. And some very bright, intelligent men have fallen for these women."

"She's not like that," he repeated. "She hasn't pushed for anything. If anything, Francis is the one that's been pushing. He wants this."

"No, he feels like he has to do this. That it's the right thing to do."

Henry turned to his youngest grandson. "Who are you to decide that? He's a grown man. He gets to decide what he wants."

"Regardless of whether he's doing this out of some sense of obligation or because he really wants to," Danny commented, "It's his decision. No one gets to decide except him and Lucy."

"You're okay with this?" his oldest son asked.

"It doesn't matter if I am or not. We all need to understand that it's not our decision to make. We've all made decisions over the years that he didn't agree with, right?"

He looked around the table, then continued.

"And he let us know he didn't agree with them. But in the end, he's loved and supported us and never said 'I told you so' if it didn't work. Just seems to me that we owe him the same."

He sighed, seeing no change in the expressions on his siblings' faces.

Joe spoke up. "You know, I keep hearing comments about my mom. About how unfair it was for her to not tell my dad or his family. Now I'm wondering if she would have gotten the same reaction Lucy is getting."

"It;s not the same situation at all, Joe," Erin told him.

"How is it so different? From what Mom has told me, it was basically a one night stand. They weren't dating. Didn't know each other well. If they had decided to get married, would you have been okay with it?"

"I don't know. I don't think Joe would have rushed into it like this."

"But he might have," Danny countered. "And if he had, would you have supported him in his decision?"

"I don't know," she repeated. "It was different."

"It wasn't Dad."

She shook her head. "You can give your blessing to this mess if you like, Danny, but I just can't say I approve of something I don't."

"You have the right to your opinion, we have the right to ours," Jamie agreed.

"You do," Frank said, coming into the room from the kitchen. "You have every right to your opinion on my relationship. You do not, though, have the right to be disrespectful to the woman I'm choosing to marry."

"You're choosing her over us?" Jamie asked.

"No. I'm not choosing anyone over anyone else. I love all of you. I'm choosing to have her and our children in my life. You're free to choose to accept that or not. If you can't, then please don't bother coming to the wedding. We want to share the day with people who will support us and want us to succeed, not people who are hoping we fail."

He shook his head and threw up his hands.

"You can show yourselves out."

He stalked out of the room and they heard the slam of his office door a few moments later.

Slowly and quietly, everyone made their way out to their vehicles and headed out. Henry saw them off, his disapproval finally clearing when only Danny and Joe remained.

"Just give it time, Pops," Danny told him. "They'll come around. I did."

"I hope so, Danny. I really hope so."

---

This was another long one, so thank you for sticking with it. I'm a bit nervous about this because there's been so much buildup to this chapter and I just hope it lived up to the expectations. I'd love to know what you thought. Time to get started on chapter 16.