Thanks to everyone who continues to read and add this story to their favorite and alert lists. That's big motivator to continue. Bigger thanks to Pharmergirl, ki4pak, and Alex for your reviews. It makes me smile to see them and makes me want to update faster. I do hope you enjoy this chapter.
Contains scenes from 2x16 and 2x17
At dinner it was obvious that Frank was in a very good mood. Everyone picked up on it, but only Sean was brave enough to touch on it during desert. "You sang loud in church today, Grampa," Sean said.
"Did I?" Frank asked.
"Yeah," Sean answered.
"You bent the phrasing like you were channeling Sinatra," Henry said.
"Wasn't on purpose," Frank said. Anna was surprised that neither of her brothers asked who Sinatra was. The rest of the family then started teasing Frank about how he had slept the night before. He was almost successful at changing the subject by teaching Jack and Sean how to make the perfect Irish coffee but the teasing started anew when he asked Danny to pass the virgin drinks down to the boys. Those were the ones without whiskey in them.
"Am I missing something here?" Jamie asked, seeming a little lost on the teasing.
"Maybe your daddy will tell you when you're older," Anna taunted her uncle. Suddenly it dawned on Jamie.
"I did not want to know that." Jamie flinched, looking away.
"How do you know that?" Danny asked, looking at his daughter.
"Because my daddy hasn't learned volume control when he comes home at 2 in the morning." Anna toyed with her cookies to avoid her father's eyes.
"Kids should be asleep at two in the morning on a school day."
"Well, nature calls and you're the one that insisted I have the bedroom at the top of the stairs across from yours."
"What are you talking about?" Sean asked.
"Try the coffee," Anna told her brother. When the laughing died off, Anna looked at her mom and bit her lip, "Mama."
"Oh no, here it comes," Linda said, bracing herself.
"Here what comes?" Henry asked.
"That sweet tone in her voice and starting off with 'Mama'. It always means she's going to try to sweet talk me into something," Linda explained.
"Well, actually, only one requires sweet talking, the other is kind of a necessity," Anna said, nervously.
"And what's that?"
"I need to see my doctor for a physical," Anna said simply.
"Again? Didn't I just take you?"
"Yeah, last year before baseball season. I have to have one every year."
"Okay, I'll call the doctor in the morning," Linda agreed.
"And I have to double check with the coaches but I think they're requiring birth certificates this year," Anna said quickly.
"For baseball?" Danny asked.
"Rumor I heard. Like I said have to check."
After a few moments of silence Linda prodded her daughter. "And the other thing?"
"Well, I'll um... I'll be 16 in six months," Anna said slowly.
"I know when you were born," Linda said when Anna didn't continue.
"And well, that means I'm 15 and a half and uh ... well, you're the best mama ever, no offense Aunt Erin, and I was thinking, pretty please with sugar on top, if you had the time, maybe this week or this weekend you could take me to the DMV?" She rushed the last two words out hoping she wouldn't have to say it again.
"The DMV? If you don't turn 16 for six more months why would I take you there now?" Linda asked.
"Because I can legally get my permit at 15 and a half. Please?"
"I don't know, Anna."
"Dad?"
"Don't pit me against your mother. Not while we're sitting right next to each other," Danny said. Thankfully he didn't sound mad, just that he was stating a fact.
"Come on, it's like a rite of passage for a teenager. What can I do to convince you?"
"I'm not sure it's about convincing us," Linda answered.
"You got to drive when you were my age and Dad did too. It's not fair." Anna pouted.
"Anna," Frank warned.
Anna looked down at her plate. "If that's your decision then fine, but I don't like it," Anna said.
"Anna," Danny said plainly.
She knew she was being a bit of a baby about it. "I'll wait. Life's not fair and I can wait." Just when she had convinced herself that she could wait and it would be okay, Jamie jumped to her defense.
"You know, your dad convinced our parents to let him drive by telling them they'd have a chauffeur for the rest of the kids and he'd pay part of the permit fee," Jamie told her.
"How much is that?" Anna asked.
"Somewhere around $80," Frank said.
"80 plus taxes and fees," Nicky said. "It depends on where you live."
"Been looking into that have you?" Erin asked.
"I am a month younger than her," Nicky said.
"So? How about it?" Anna asked, turning back to her parents.
"We'll talk it over and let you know," Linda said, after sharing a look with Danny.
"Thank you," Anna said. After dinner she caught her uncle in the kitchen. "Uncle Jamie, don't you still owe me $20?"
"Do I?" Jamie asked.
"I'm pretty sure," Anna said. "And thanks. Now I can tell that one of the biggest reasons they said no is because of the fee. Don't tell them I said this but I know they can't really afford it. I know you're short too and if you don't have it—"
"It's 20 bucks, Anna. It's fine." Jamie pulled out his wallet and handed over the 20.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. If you ever need a teacher, you have my number."
Anna smiled and hugged him. On Wednesday after school, Linda took Anna to the doctor and he gave her a full checkup. At the end of the visit he signed off on the physical giving it to Anna for baseball season. That Saturday morning, Anna slid into the seat next to Linda at the breakfast table. "Uh ... so did you think about it?" Anna asked nervously.
"I'm sorry, Anna, maybe next month," Linda said.
"What if I told you I already had $70?" Anna asked, offering the envelope in her hands to her mom. Linda opened the envelope flap and looked inside. She counted the bills then looked up at Danny and nodded.
"Where'd you get $70?" Danny asked.
"Babysitting, betting on the Giants, other things. Nothing illegal, I promise. All I need is $15 and a ride."
"As well as one of us to sign the form stating you're a resident of New York, your birth certificate, social security card, and one other form of ID." Danny said.
"Yeah, and all that."
"And you have to pass a written test," Danny added.
"That too. Please, Daddy? It'll give us plenty of time together," Anna begged.
Danny looked at Linda who thought it over. After sharing a series of looks, Linda nodded. "Okay, get your shoes," Danny said.
"Really?" Anna asked stunned. Danny nodded. "Thanks, Dad, thanks, Mom." Anna hugged her mom then rushed around to hug her dad. She slipped and slid in her socks across the hardwood floor of the living room but managed to stay upright and bolted up the stairs to get her shoes and coat. Linda followed at a slower pace and got the papers Anna would need from the upstairs closet safe. Linda reluctantly handed them over before wrapping her arms around her daughter in a tight hug. "Mama, it's just a written test, I'll be fine."
"I know." Linda sighed and pressed a quick kiss to her daughter's forehead then Anna and Danny were off to the DMV office. Linda stared out the front window long after they were gone, unable to help worrying about her little girl. Too soon though she was distracted by Sean. About an hour and a half later she was back to staring out the front window.
Danny's car appeared on the curb and Linda sighed, a bit relieved when Anna climbed out of the passenger seat. The front door opened and Anna looked around the room to find her mom. "I've always wondered, why didn't you just name me Anna? It'd be so much simpler and it's only four letters. Four tiny, little letters. Signing full on Maryanna M. Reagan not only takes forever but I never use that name. Sometimes I forget how to spell it," Anna said.
"You know why we named you Maryanna. After your paternal grandmother," Linda said. "How'd it go?"
"We have to update our auto policy," Danny said behind Anna.
"She passed?" Linda asked shocked.
"Of course I passed," Anna answered. "19 out 20 correct."
"What'd you miss?" Linda asked curiously.
Anna cringed. "Tell her," Danny said, nudging his daughter.
"No posted speed limit in NYC, what's the limit? I put 30, it's only 25," Anna reluctantly admitted.
"Well, Reagans are known for their lead foot," Linda told her
"Will you take me driving now?" Anna asked. "I asked Dad but he said not in his car, ever."
"Is your room clean?" Linda asked.
"Yes. Please," Anna begged.
"I don't know, sweetie," Linda said reluctantly.
"Or Dad can take me in your car," Anna begged. Danny and Linda shared a look.
"Maybe later, sweetheart."
Anna wanted to argue with her mother but the look on her face stopped the younger girl. "Fine, I've got homework I can do anyway." Anna went upstairs and booted up her computer to continue her job search.
Sunday dinner was the same old story as every week. Discussions of Danny's latest case and Erin's trial. Like the occasional case, the case they were talking about happened to revolve around the case Erin was trying. One of the defense attorneys in the case had been killed and Danny caught the case. The defense had been arguing that there was another suspect in the original case who became the prime suspect in the new case. When the defense called Danny to the stand to inquire about the existence of this person, Erin had done her best to not only disprove this person existed but also tear down any reason why the original suspect, the one they were trying, wasn't guilty.
"Are you sure she did it?" Nicky asked her mom. "I mean could Uncle Danny be right?"
"Whoa hold up," Anna said, turning to her cousin. "What if this was the other way around." She jumped to her aunt's defense.
"What do you mean, kid?" Danny asked.
Anna swallowed, forming her argument. "Well, what if you had originally investigated the case and everything you found said this woman did it, but some hotshot detective says you're wrong? He gets on the stand to explain why and Aunt Erin uses her best tactics to make the jury see why the case is solid. You would be congratulating her and thanking her for having your back. But no, because you're the one that's saying her case is crap, you're upset that she's backing her case."
"Trade you kids," Danny said, looking at his sister.
"Why not Aunt Erin? Maybe then I'll learn to drive," Anna said.
"What? He won't teach you to drive?" Erin asked.
"Says not in his car, ever," Anna said.
"That's not fair, Danny," Erin said.
"Don't tell me how to raise my kid," Danny snapped.
"That's enough," Henry said, having enough of his grandchildren fighting, "you two are doing the dishes." The table went silent at that.
A few minutes later, Danny looked at his daughter. "I never said I wouldn't teach you to drive."
"That was kinda implied when you said 'Not in my car.' Besides it's not like you have time for me," Anna said.
"I'm not the only one who doesn't have time. Baseball, homework, teenage drama, you don't have time for me either," Danny said. "Maybe sometime this summer when things slow down." Anna's body sagged with disappointment then filled with anger. "And don't even bring up Joe."
"I—I can't lie that's exactly where my mind was going. Let me guess, this is one of those things I'd have to take up with you before asking him kinda deals?" Anna asked, deflating again.
"Absolutely. He'd teach you the handbook, but the first time you're behind the wheel, I'm in that car with you," Danny said.
"Mama?" Anna asked.
"We'll talk when we get home," Linda said. Anna pouted and sunk back in her seat.
When they did get home Anna asked again and Linda told her that she would take Anna out as long as Danny was home to watch the boys. Anna's heart sank in her chest. She could count on one hand the number of times per week her dad was home to watch the boys that her mom didn't have a million errands to run. Instead of focusing on that she threw all her effort into her job search and on baseball, hoping to make the varsity team that year.
Two weeks later, Danny found himself at his father's house for the usual Sunday dinner. While everyone else was inside, he was sitting on the small patio out back staring at his car in the driveway. His father was sitting next to him also staring in that direction but not really seeing the car. He wondered what his son wanted but not really ready to push the younger man. At least not for a while. Finally he needed answers. "What's going on son?" Frank asked.
"Anna," Danny said. Frank looked at his son confused. "Sometimes I wonder if it'd be easier if she was my middle child instead."
"Not a bit," Frank said. "Even if the conditions were the exact same with something you and Erin went through, it was like I was facing a brand new problem because she was my daughter and I didn't want her to grow up. I assume this has something to do with Anna driving and her inside complaining to Pop?"
"Linda doesn't want her to drive. Period. When she gets behind that wheel with a license, she won't be her mom's baby anymore. When I think about it, it reminds me how fast she's growing up and how much easier it will be for her to run to Jamie with her problems. I'm already losing her because she's a teenager but to give her the freedom to actually leave ..."
"Your mom and I was opposite. The minute you kids learned to drive was the minute I had to accept you weren't my little boys anymore. As long as I kept you from behind the wheel, you'd still need your old man. But just like you did, I'm sure Anna will find some way to wear you down."
"Or find someone else to teach her."
"I haven't driven in four years, Pop isn't really in any kind of condition to teach any one to drive, and Erin isn't the best teacher out there."
"You think she'd ask Jamie?" Danny asked.
"I know they're close. If Joe were here she probably already have asked him. The reason I don't think she's asked Jamie is because she doesn't think their bond is as strong and she doesn't want to put a strain on your relationship with him."
"The fact that she worries about that makes me realize just how fast she really is growing up."
"She reminds me of you a lot. You took on a lot of responsibility when you were her age and always tried to set an example for your siblings. Just the way she does except she tries to set that example for Nicky too. Right up until she's with her friends and she's like a normal teenager again. Much like you were with Mickey and Jimmy."
"Sometimes I wonder how you and Mom did it with four kids. The three I've got are more than enough."
"Joe and Jamie were pretty easy unless you and Erin conned them into something, much like I'm sure Sean is," Frank answered.
"Grampa," Frank and Danny heard seconds after the screen door slammed. They looked up to see Anna standing there. "Mom says it's time for dinner."
"That invite extend to me?" Danny asked.
Anna held silent until Frank chided her. "Tell your son," Anna said to her grandfather, "that I am not speaking to him unless or until he take me out driving."
"The silent treatment, huh?" Danny asked. "Well, we'll just see who can be more stubborn." Anna nodded to her grandfather then went back inside. She was quiet through the rest of dinner and while she spent most of dinner staring at her plate, occasionally she'd look up and see Danny glancing at her.
And there you have it.