Joe's pov
The next few days would be busy. I had to recuse myself from the investigation into Taylor's murder, but the Detectives on the case had my contact to pick my brain for anything I could remember. My inheritance/ life insurance policy from my Mom's passing last summer finally got fully processed and would be deposited into my account any day now, a huge help. I also had to go back to Warwick with Jojo, Dan, Em and Will in order to get their stuff, prove my identity as their biological father in order to collect the life insurance money from Taylor, since it was in their names, and then sell the house they lived in in Warwick and collect the money from that. Thankfully, all that would be a huge financial help towards giving the kids, my kids any and everything they would need. Then the good part, having them over to the Bay Ridge house so they could meet their relatives.
I'm brought out of my thoughts when my phone dinged, with a notification from my banking account. The money from my Mom had just come in, and the numbers were good. I started to breathe again. As I approached Jojo, Dan, Em and Will for our trip, they jumped in my arms hugging me all at once, and the unexpected gesture made me tumble backwards once again. Not different than the first time they saw me lose my footing, the act elicited a string of giggles from them until I couldn't help but join in. Ever the spokesperson between the four of them, Emily piped up
"We never had one, and you're a great one. Can we call you Daddy?"
To say I was stunned into silence for a few seconds was definitely not a lie, but I quickly found my voice and hugged all of my kids, my love for them growing by the second, happy tears in my eyes
"I would be honored, Em. Jojo, Dan, Em, Will... I would be honored."
They hugged me happily, then Will asked
"What happens now?"
I spoke
"We need to do some things in Warwick with your things and the house, and the bank; but I also wanted to know if you wanted to meet your family on my side tonight, or hold off on that a bit. They know of you, and I can tell you about them, but it's up to you if you want to meet them already or if you want to wait a bit, if it's too much too fast."
They exchanged looks
"Can we do family first? Please?"
I nodded
"Sure we can. Let's go."
And with that, we started to make our way to the Bay Ridge house, where all the Reagans were gathered. The looks of excitement on my kids' faces made me feel a warmth inside that had been foreign to me for a while. When the car stopped, they all but tore into the house, with me trailing behind calling out
"Hey, it's us!"
Pop was the first to speak
"And these must be Jojo, Dan, Em and Will. I'm Henry, or Pop. I'm your Dad's great-grandpa."
They each greeted him, and we realized they were the fifth generation of the family, as I had been the first great-grandkid to have kids. Grandpa greeted them next, then my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. Everyone that could be here was here, and thankfully, my kids were so happy with their new family members that they did not think to ask about their grandparents on my side. I also realized it would probably be a few days before I'd be able to get them over to Rhode Island, since they were so enamored with their new relatives and vice-versa. They were happily chatting with my Aunts and Uncles, only to have Uncle Danny ask in amazement
"Joseph Connor I get, but how did one of your sons end up named after me if we did not know each other yet?"
I did not have an answer to that, but Dan spoke up
"Mama had brothers, Dan and Fitz."
That explains it, then. And, as I predicted, the kids did not want to leave New York quite yet. Not that I blamed them. I spoke
"Ok, but we leave for two days for a quick trip. Then we can come back here again."
They nodded and my Uncles spoke
"Why don't we go with? Help bring back the heavy stuff, stay with our niece and nephews while you handle legal stuff?"
My Aunt Erin spoke up
"And you might want an attorney along..."
I laughed
"Family road trip it is."