Chapter 170: A Full Table
Jamie and Eddie stand in the dining room of the Reagan family home and Eddie shakes her head "I never thought I would say this but I think we need a bigger table."
"Nah." Jamie rejects "We'll all fit. Always have."
Eddie shrugs "If you say so."
"I do." Jamie reiterates "Just might not have as much elbow room as we've been used too lately."
"Did you add in the extra table leaf?" Henry inquires as he walks in the room.
"It's in Pop." Jamie confirms while a shocked expression appears on Eddie's face at hearing that.
"This table expands?" She questions as she leans down to look underneath it "How did I not know that?"
Jamie and Henry both shrug.
"Wait…" Eddie breathes out as she reaches under the table to a lip "What is this?" she inquires as she pulls something out and stands back up. She looks at the super small, plain but eloquently gift wrapped box in her hand then lifts her other hand and wipes a thick layer of dust off the top. "Um…" Eddie begins in confusion "This is addressed to Danny."
Curious and confused, Henry and Jamie walk over. They both look over Eddie's shoulder at the box.
"I recognize that writing." Henry slowly admits "I… I just can't place it right now."
"Well it's clearly been under here a while." Eddie adds as she turns the box over and over in her hands "Wonder what it is?" She questions as she brings it to her ear and shakes. She hears something rattle around inside.
At that moment, Danny enters the room.
"Hey!" Eddie greets as she lowers her hand from her ear and holds the box out to him "Found something of yours."
Danny looks a little sideways at his sister in law as he walks over "It's not by birthday or Christmas or anything…"
"I just found it under the table on a ledge." Eddie explains as she offers it out to him.
"What do you mean under the table on a ledge?" Danny questions.
"I was leaning down to look underneath…" Eddie explains "…because I didn't know this table could expand and when I did, I saw this sitting underneath on a ledge."
Danny looks at Eddie in confusion but he takes the box anyway. He then lets his eyes drift down to it and the second he sees the handwriting his breath hitches and his face turns to a sheet of white.
"L…Linda." He breathes out in shock causing Henry to immediately make the connection.
"Linda?" Jamie repeats in surprise as he watches his brother pull out a chair and sink down to sit in it.
Henry leans over to Jamie and Eddie "That's why I recognized the writing." He quietly explains to them "It's Linda's." So Henry, Jamie and Eddie all silently watch as Danny turns the box over and over in his hands.
"If you want us to leave…" Eddie suddenly but softly inquires but Danny immediately shakes his head
"No." He manages to get out as tears threaten this eyes "I… I'd like you to stay." He admits as he takes a deep breath of air and begins to unwrap the box. He gets the paper off to reveal a plain white box. He grabs the cover, takes another deep breath and lifts.
Inside he sees a folded piece of paper so he reaches in to remove it and when he does it reveals a simple key underneath.
He puts the box on the table, opens the paper and there in Linda's hand writing he reads:
"This may have been the key to our house that we no longer have but keep this key as a reminder that home will always be where there is love. As long as you have love, you are home. Never forget that and when you have that – embrace it."
Danny stares at the words on the paper then slowly puts the paper down, reaches into the box and pulls the key out to discover it's on a chain. He flips the key to see an engraving that says Love is the Key. Embrace it.
"HELLO!" Nicky's happy voice suddenly calls as the front door opens and she and Erin enter "GRANDPA! POP! I'M HERE!"
"WE'RE HERE!" Erin calls out in correction.
So Danny quickly begins to clear his tears and repackage everything up as everyone in the dining room moves towards the front door.
"Nicky!" Pop happily returns as he moves to hug his first great grand daughter while Frank descends the stairs from the second floor with Jessie in his arms.
Looking up, Nicky's eyes light up "Grandpa!" She greets before a giddy expression appears on her face "And this must be my new cousin Jessie!" She adds as she moves to take the baby "Hiiiiiiiii, I'm your cousin Nicky!" She greets the baby before looking up at Jamie and Eddie "She's gorgeous!" She gushes causing Jamie and Eddie to smile from ear to ear in pride.
"I see I no longer rate." Frank throws out at Nicky at her pretty much ignoring him since spotting Jessie.
"Now you know how we've felt!" Jamie and Erin toss back at their father.
"Sorry Grandpa!" Nicky apologizes as she leans up towards her grandfather to kiss his cheek while still holding Jessie.
"This is more like it." Frank decides before beaming with his own pride "My two grand daughters finally together!"
"What are we chopped liver?" Sean's voice suddenly sounds.
Turning towards the voice, everyone sees first Sean and then Jack enter from the kitchen.
"Hey!" Frank and others happily greet.
"Wait for it." Sean prompts before turning to look behind him and waiting.
A second later Joe comes into view.
"HEY!" Everyone greets in happiness and joy that for the first time ever all living Reagan's from the Henry Reagan family tree branch are together under the same roof.
"Now this will be a full table!" Henry quips in absolute delight right as Jessie lets out a very loud wail. "She agrees!" Henry laughs as he watches Eddie quickly move to take Jessie from Nicky as the fawning and fussing over the smallest Reagan begins.
….
True to Henry's words, it's a full table with Jamie, Jessie, Eddie, Erin, and Nicky on one side. Frank, then Joe, Jack, Danny and Sean on the other with Henry finishing off the loop.
"Just move your elbow." Danny instructs his youngest son as everyone sits at the cramped dinner table.
"To where?" Sean counters "My chair is already set half past the table! Does Jessie really need to be taking up space?"
"Hey!" Henry warns with a growl "I want EVERYONE at this table today!"
"I'm just saying its not like she's actually going to be eating." Sean points out "Why can't she be the one to sit at the corner of the table?"
Jack leans slightly towards the table to look past his father at his brother "You are not even on the same side of the table as her!"
"Oh so you admit it's you taking up all my space then?" Sean shoots back causing Danny in between his sons to heavily sigh.
"I've missed this." He deadpans "Haven't we all missed this."
Henry snickers "More then you could know."
"You don't hear this side of the table complaining." Nicky pipes up "And there are five of us here compared to the four on your side but we're mostly girls so that probably explains that."
"Mostly girls!" Danny laughs as he looks at Jamie "So it's just like living at home for you then huh?"
"You want me to come to that side…" Jamie warns "… and take up even more of your precious space Mr. Just Move Your Elbow?"
"Oh girls against the boys!" Erin declares "Do you know how long I've waited to have a team of my own in this family?"
"Not at the dinner table." Frank warns.
"Wow." Joe suddenly notes "And I thought it was intense at this table before." He notes "You know you should apply to appear on Family Feud, that would be the most entertaining show ever."
"Oh my god that's the prefect game for family game night!" Sean declares.
"We'll cream you." Erin deliciously adds.
"And who is we?" Danny inquires.
"Our side of the table vs your side of the table." Erin clarifies.
"Hang on." Danny protests "A second a go you were all girl power! Why do you get him?" he demands as he gestures at Jamie "He's a guy! He should be on our side."
"Because he's on our side of the table!" Erin reiterates.
"Awww..." Eddie happily muses as her body makes an ever so slight lean towards her husband's direction "Look at them fighting over you Honey."
"That would be a first." Jamie mutters.
"I almost forgot what this was like." Jack suddenly states as everyone at the table turns to look at him "I said ALMOST." He repeats.
"You better mean that in a good way." Henry warns his great grandson.
"No other way to look at it." Jack promises.
"Can I just say…" Frank suddenly pipes up as he looks around the table "I've missed this. Having the entire peanut gallery here."
Suddenly Danny reaches into his pocket and pulls out the box from Linda. He sets it on the table in front of his plate.
"What's that?" Sean inquires.
"It's from your Mother." Danny reveals "Eddie just found it on a ledge under the table before you arrived."
"What?" Jack adds in shock as everyone watches Danny lift the box back up, open it, pull out the key and open the paper.
He clears his throat then reads Linda's words
"This may have been the key to our house that we no longer have but keep this key as a reminder that home will always be where there is love. As long as you have love, you are home. Never forget that and when you have that – embrace it."
and when he is finished there is a complete silence in the room.
A moment later, everyone watches as Danny carefully places the key back in the box, refolds the paper, closes the lid then pushes his chair back so he can lean down under the table to redeposit the box on the table ledge.
"What are you doing?" Sean inquires.
"I'm putting this back where your Mother put it." Danny explains as he sits back up "This way a piece of her will always be here at this dinner table with us where we all belong."
"Because as much as we might fight and bicker." Frank notes "Behind it all is love and Linda knew that."
Henry smiles at his son across the table "I think it's time for Grace." Henry decides "Group effort." He commands so everyone bows their heads and clasps their hands together
"Bless us O lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord Amen.…"
"Let's eat!" Henry instructs at the end.
Silence as people flip out their napkins to place them over their laps.
"We have even teams for Family Feud." Sean suddenly adds.
All eyes turn to look at him.
"I can even split the teams for you…" Sean helpfully suggests "Dad against Aunt Erin. Uncle Jamie against Aunt Eddie, I'm against Jack, Joe against Nicky and Grandpa against Great Grandpa."
Everyone at the table eyes one another and finds themselves zeroing in on their own Sean suggested head to head rival.
"Bring it." Erin decides as she narrows her eyes at Danny – her competitive nature sparking to life.
"What she said." Danny adds as he matches Erin look for look.
"This." Eddie decides as she turns to face her husband – a grin appearing on her face "Is going to be fun."
"When I win…" Jamie arrogantly fires back at his wife "…absolutely it will be."
Nicky holds her hand out to Joe across the table "Hi I'm Nicky." She sweetly offers.
Joe looks at Nicky and her outstretched hand unimpressed "Yeah I've played against your Mother and Uncle…" he adds as he gestures at Jamie "Don't think I'm falling for that little Miss Sweet act."
"Damn." Nicky mutters as she retracts her hand.
"Been a while since I kicked your ass in something." Jack tells Sean.
"Right…" Sean tosses back "…well that's because now I can kick your ass."
"Oh please!" Jack sneers.
Frank looks across the length of the table to his father and Henry looks down the length of the table to his son.
They both smile.
"Well I guess Jessie is the host then." Frank jokes.
"Oh." Nicky then sadly notes "When she's older there will be an uneven number of players." She realizes before looking at Jamie and Eddie "You need to even that out." She decides "When are you having another kid?" She point blank asks.
"Or you could." Eddie shoots right back.
"WHOA!" Erin, Jamie and Danny all protest in unison causing Eddie to immediately smirk as she looks at each and every one of them then turns her attention to her daughter next to her "See Jessie this is what you have to look forward to – an over protective family - which is ironic because I bet your Grandma Mary and your Great Grandma Betty were a LOT younger then your cousin Nicky is right now when they met your Grandpa and Great Grandpa and fell in love and got married and had kids." She explains before heavily sighing "But I guess your Dad and other over protective members of this family want you to miss out on that."
"Damn it." Jamie grumbles out at his wife making the ultimate point about family.
"Oh burn!" Sean laughs.
"Yeah…" Joe agrees impressed "That was…wow."
"Aunt Eddie, you go girl!" Nicky commends "But I'm not looking to have kids any time soon." She easily dismisses.
"Oh thank god." Erin breathes out in relief before looking up in thought "But at some point, you do want kids though right?"
Nicky shrugs "I don't know but why is everyone looking at me?" She questions "What about you three?" She questions as she gestures to Joe, Jack and Sean.
Jamie leans over his daughter's bassinet to get closer to his wife "Nice can of worms you just opened there Babe."
"It had to be done." Eddie defends.
"Eddie does have a point." Henry chimes in "Betty and Mary were much younger – as were both Francis and I but as I look around this table, I couldn't be happier with the result because family is everything."
"And what have we always said about family?" Frank prompts as he picks up his glass in a toast so everyone else around the table also picks up their glass then all together a unified chorus of
"Family first." rings out from everyone including Joe and looks of surprise appears on everyone's face at him knowing and participating in that answer.
"What?" Joe then hesitantly questions at seeing everyone looking at him "Pretty sure that was the right answer…"
"It was." Frank replies with a small happy smile.
"You're just surprised I knew that." Joe deduces before laughing a little "I mean I'm not the best Detect…"
"WHOA." Danny immediately begins to protest.
"Here we go." Jamie and Eddie both say.
"You're lucky your last name is Hill and not Reagan." Eddie tosses out at her nephew.
Danny turns to look at Eddie "Yeah well yours wasn't at first either!" causing Jamie to hang his head, groan then look up at his Father "Do NOT transfer him to the 5-4!" he begs as he points at Joe.
"Huh?" Joe breathes out in confusion "All I was going to say was I'm the best detective in my squad."
Danny relaxes at hearing that "Oh you're fine then, carry on."
Frank looks at his oldest in amusement before looking at Jamie, then Eddie then settling on Joe "Unless you would be interested in that?" he just can't help but ask.
Danny, Jamie and Eddie all groan while Henry, Erin and Sean all laugh.
"No…" Joe slowly rejects as he, Nicky and Jack all look around slightly confused "I'm good where I am."
"What are we missing here?" Nicky inquires as she takes in the reactions of everyone at the table.
"Yeah." Jack adds.
"Just a little Police Commissioner humor." Frank quips with a big smile.
"You had to be there." Eddie flatly adds.
"Definitely." Danny wholeheartedly agrees.
"Or be on the receiving end of an endless string of text messages..." Jamie chimes in "… as a result of it."
"Right." Eddie and Danny both knowingly agree with up and down nods of their heads.
"And look at you three now." Frank pompously concludes to his two sons and daughter in law.
"Oh." Joe notes in understanding as he puts the pieces together "Yeah don't take this the wrong way but there are enough Reagan's over at the 5-4 – not sure it could survive adding another one – plus…" he adds as an after thought "I like my precinct to have four intact walls."
"OH!" Danny calls out impressed at the jab as he looks at his brother to see Jamie just shaking his head in defeat.
At hearing Joe refer to himself as a Reagan and watching the little exchange just now, Frank and Henry share another look across the table more then happy that their Joe's long lost son is seated around the table with them who slowly, little by little, one step at a time is becoming more and more a part of the family.
"Well just know the offer is an open one." Henry tells his oldest great grandson on behalf of his son.
"Pop!" Frank chides.
"Am I wrong?" Henry challenges his son.
"Let's just eat." Frank deflects.
"Yes." Henry decides "My roast is getting cold."
And so people reach to pick up and dish out plates…
"Seriously though…" Joe suddenly adds "That was an impressive hole you blew in the side of 5-4 building Uncle Jamie."
Immediately Danny reaches a hand out to Eddie across the table "Pay up. Told you it would be the first thing brought up."
Eddie looks around the table unimpressed "Really guys? You bring that up first and not how Danny has a twin who is a Rockstar?"
"Well it makes sense that it was the first thing brought up…" Erin chimes in as she gestures between Danny and Joe "Especially after I heard theses two plotting to win a bet."
"WHOA!" Eddie breathes out in shock.
"That's collusion!" Jamie adds in defense of his wife "Do not give him any money…" he tells his wife.
"Now wait a minute!" Danny begins to protest.
"Are we sure this is even Danny?" Jamie interrupts as he looks at his brother "Did anybody ask him for ID when he got here?"
"Didn't need too. This one is snarky." Erin points out to her younger brother "It's him."
"True." Jamie agrees.
"Har, Har." Danny purposefully snarks back in kind as the Sunday tradition of eating together, of conversation, laughter, ribbing and yes, disagreements continue on…
…..