Chapter 2

Dave and everybody else who had come to hear Lynnette perform was standing backstage listening as Lynnette played and sang a song that she had written herself and had never performed in public. It was brand new and one that Lynnette had worked very hard on just for this concert.

"She's wonderful!" said one of the stagehands talking to one of the cameraman.

"She has talent," the cameraman agreed.

"From what I've heard, they're all sold out at the box office thanks to all the big bands and singers like Mrs. Rossi," The stagehand said.

"Well, that's good, don't you think? It is for charity after all," said the cameraman.

"True enough," the stagehand agreed. "Don't get any ideas about asking her for a date as she's married," The stagehand added seeing in the avid interest in the cameraman's eyes.

"I know, but it's too bad," the cameraman said. "Some men have all the luck, as Lynnette Rossi has beauty, brains and talent."

"You don't even want to try to get her attention man, as she's married to David Rossi, the well-known philanthropist. He is extremely wealthy and could crush you like a bug if you dared act inappropriately towards his wife.

"You should've seen them together when the husband first arrived with a whole hoard of kids. They acted all lovey-dovey towards each other when they met in her dressing room. There's no way you could insert yourself into that situation without coming out the worst.

"You'd be lucky to hang onto your job as David Rossi has the power to have you banned from ever working as a cameraman again if you make him angry.

"Which is why I'm not going to do anything, as I'm not interested in getting stung or worse," the cameraman said sighing in regret. "Still, some men have all the luck."

Dave listened to the conversation silently neither man noticing he was there before he went on his way. Apparently, one of the cameramen had a crush on his wife, not that he could blame the man for that, as he well knew Lynnette was a beautiful woman, but she was all his.

He had known from the beginning that Lynnette was bound to attract fans, who wanted her for themselves, which could have included kidnapping her to keep her somewhere for the rest of their lives. This was why he always had security backstage wherever she performed, as he wouldn't have Lynnette getting hurt.

It wasn't even that Lynnette could be hurt since she was immortal just he didn't need any of the people backstage to notice anything unusual if she was wounded, even if it was only a minor one.

"You're just in time, as she's on her last song for the night," Spencer told him quietly, as he kept an eye on all the children, even as he listened to his sister perform the signature song she had become known for. It was an original song about love and passion and first meetings and it was the same one that she had performed at her and Dave's wedding written specifically for him and for that event.

"Yeah, I know she sings it all the time when we're alone at home. It has certainly become my favorite since Lynnette wrote it specifically for our wedding," Dave said smiling, as he listened as his mate sang what was now her signature song in order to end her set of the concert. She would be performing another set tomorrow as the concert was a weekend event and lasted Friday through Sunday.

"She practices all the time you know that in the music room I had set up for her. You've heard her when she's singing and playing when you're in that section of the house," Dave said and Spencer nodded.

"Yeah, I know and she catches me by the throat every time because she's that good," Spencer said. "It makes me very proud that she's my sister. I've listened to her singing play for years since we grew up together, but she's only gotten better since she got her first guitar. I used to love to listen to her practice up in her room. I would stand in the open door and just listen, as she played and sang. At first the songs weren't original, but by other artists, as she didn't get into song writing until college. She went to Juilliard as you know and that's where she learned to write music."

"I wish I had known that she was here in the city back then, as I would've introduced myself. On the other hand, it's only thanks to those dreams she'd been having once she reached thirty that she didn't have any trouble dating someone who is so much older than her. I'm not sure if she would've felt a connection to me without those dreams to guide the way or not," Dave said sighing heavily, not being able to help wishing that he had known that Lynnette had gone to Juilliard right in New York once she had reached college age.

"It worked out as it was meant to. I truly believe that," Spencer told Dave. "Besides, there's no way that mom would have been OK with you getting involved with my sister when she was that young. She might've technically been an adult and going to college on a scholarship, but still 18 is barely of legal age."

Spencer said all this quietly so that his mother who was sitting a little distance away, seeming to be enjoying her daughter singing very much would hear what the two of them were talking about.

"You're right," Dave agreed. "I'm just grateful that she's part of my life now and that I've finally had the family I've always wanted with the woman, I love more than life itself."

"I feel the same way about Michelle," Spencer said. "I know how much trouble you and Michelle had getting me to accept that I deserved to be loved no matter what my father told me, but I've been beyond grateful ever since."

"You are very welcome," Dave told Spencer, smiling, even as he listened to his wife, sing her heart out.

The two men fell silent and simply listened as Lynnette finished the song just a couple of minutes later.

"Well, Lynnette's going be busy for the next little while, so all of you might as well head back to the hotel and I'll stay back. Lyn and I will come back when everything is taken care of here," Dave suggested after Lynnette's set ended. She was near in the middle of the program for tonight at least, which was a good thing, as it was past time for all the children to be in bed, except perhaps for Derrick, who was the oldest at 12. It was after 10 o'clock now and by the time they got back to the hotel and got everybody bedded down for the night then it would likely be nearly 11 by then and more than time for all young children to be asleep in their beds. The concert for today would end at midnight, which was still a couple hours away.

"I'm not tired so I don't wanna go to bed," Dana protested, even as Michelle scooped her up and carried her towards the back entrance. Even as Dana said that she gave a huge yawn trying to hide it behind her hand.

"It's time for all little girls to be in bed so they'll have energy to play tomorrow and not have to take a nap in the middle of the day because they get tired," Spencer told his daughter ruffling her hair.

"You promised to behave remember," Michelle added.

"I did behave until we the end of the concert," Dana protested her innocence.

"She did behave until we got to the end of the concert, so at least for today she kept her promise. Still, there's always Saturday and Sunday to get through, since the concert lasts all weekend and this was just Lynnette's first performance," Spencer told his wife smiling at both his girls affectionately. "Now, though she's tired, even though she's claiming, she's not. We're all tired, but all the children, especially need to sleep. I'll read you a bedtime story once we get back to the hotel so long as you go to bed without protesting that you're not tired," Spencer cajoled.

"I know you were worried about her being hyper when it was time for bed, but I believe the sugar rush has worn off with all the excitement she's had today."

"I suppose I was," Michelle admitted. "This has been a big night for her, for all the children.

"Which means they are more tired than they normally are at this time. Really, normally they're already asleep in their beds by this time of night as this is quite late for how young they are. This is the summer however, so they can sleep late and it was also a special occasion. One late night isn't going to do them any harm," Diana, who had overheard part of the conversation, commented getting the gist of it.

"True," Michelle agreed, as the whole family walked towards the back door where the limo would already be waiting in the alley.

Once everybody was at the limo that Dave had arranged to bring them to and from the concert, all the adults counted heads to make sure no one was left behind before they ushered the children into the limo and then join them.

The stretch limo had more space on the inside then the normal ones, so there was room for the whole family.

Dave had ordered it, because there were so many children in the group that they wouldn't have fit into a normal limo, but the stretch limo could hold up to 15 passengers at a time. With Diana, Roxie and Rocky taking their own vehicles and meeting them at the hotel then that left nine people that climbed into the limo since Dave was staying behind until Lynnette could leave.

"I'll meet you at the hotel," Diana said, as she saw her family get into the limo and after they were gone, Diana, Roxie and Rocky headed for their car.

~~~Dave and Lynnette~~~

William Reid stared at the image of an apparently rising star in the music world in the local paper. The headline practically screamed at him that Lynnette Rossi was to play in a concert for charity.

While the last name was unfamiliar. Will know that it could be her married name or her father's. It was the image that had him staring. This Lynnette Rossi looked so much like his ex-wife that it was uncanny. That couldn't be coincidence or at least it wasn't likely to be. Will supposed it was possible that this Lynnette Rossi looked so much like his ex-wife but wasn't directly related or maybe she some distant cousin, one that Diana didn't know about, for example.

Will had to wonder, though if Diana could have been pregnant before he had walked out the door or was this Lynnette Rossi not related at all to either him or his ex-wife? Could his ex-wife have had another relationship after he had left and this Lynnette Rossi was a product of that union?

That was unlikely, Will immediately, decided. Diana wasn't the type to get involved with another man right after he had left, especially before they were officially divorced. Will supposed it was possible, just not likely, not unless Diana had changed from the woman he had known over 30 years ago.

No, a distant relative of his ex-wife's was the most likely explanation

The thing that really stuck with him though was, if this was his daughter one he had never known about because Diana had never informed him that she was pregnant again, something she had been morally required to do.

But not legally, said the voice of his conscience. Did you ever think about the fact that because you walked out on your family Diana wasn't legally required to inform you that she was pregnant again? his conscience pricked him.

Why would any of your former family bother to tell you anything when you hurt them with the way you just walked out calling your children useless wastes of space on a regular basis. Why would any of them want you to do the same to their daughter or sister?

Will ignored the voice of his conscious, as he was well used to doing so.

If this was his daughter, she was apparently a rising musical star, and he would love to know her as she had apparently made a success of her life, unlike his other children.

Will never thought about the fact that he didn't know squat about his other three children, as he had never bothered to find out that information. That he was just assuming that they had never been successful in anything, which was a very stupid and idiotic way to think.

The fact that his oldest son was now married and had a very successful career working for his father-in-law at one of his companies never occurred to William Reid as a possibility. It also didn't occur to the Senior Reid that his other two children were just as successful as their older brother was in their chosen careers.

Will had believed then, and now that his oldest son was a disease, to perceptive, to intelligent. While his other son had been nothing but a prankster, a joker and had likely never amounted to anything. As for his oldest daughter well, the less said about her the better in his opinion.

It never even occurred to Will that just because Rocky was lighthearted, and a bit of a joker didn't mean he couldn't have a good career. Rocky was a rising comedian, becoming known for his superb comic timing. This was the type of career that William Reid would not have approved of not that it mattered any what he thought, since he hadn't been part of any of his children's lives ever since they were young children.

How should he approach her? William wondered as he continued to stare at the image of Lynnette Rossi, who resembled his ex-wife to a startling degree.

First he should find out if this Lynnette was directly related to him William decided, before he approached her. He'd have an associate of his in run a background check on her. If it turned out that she wasn't his daughter, then he could ignore the resemblance, but if she was, then he would try to figure out a way to approach her.

It never occurred to Will that Lynnette Rossi might not live here in Las Vegas anymore and that she was only here for the concert and then she would go back to the city that had become her home.

Will made a quick vid call and then went back to work, putting the paper aside. He couldn't help, but dwell on the image of Lynnette Rossi, singing in front of thousands of people and wondering if she was, indeed, his daughter.

~~~Dave and Lynnette~~~

Monday morning after the concert

The concert had ended late yesterday night, but they were staying in Las Vegas for part of the summer before heading home.

Lynnette was absolutely exhausted after her last set on the last night she was to perform, so she and Dave slept late while Spencer, Michelle and the rest of the family took care of the children and made sure they were fed.

Now here it was after 10 o'clock and Lynnette had finally risen for the day.

"So do you want room service or to go somewhere for an early lunch?" Dave inquired of his wife.

"Well, I think we should eat here this morning and then I as well as Michelle, Diana and Roxie are going to the nearest baby store to buy some things for this upcoming child," Lynnette said.

"That's fine with me," Dave agreed without arguing. If Lynnette wanted to shop, then he wouldn't stop her, as this wasn't New York, this was her old hometown and they might have different things than they did back home.

"I'm hoping for a girl this time," Dave said with a smile as he thought about his upcoming child.

"You know, I am too," Lynnette agreed, kissing Dave's bearded cheek. "I mean, we have plenty of boys and only one little girl. I'm only glad that none of them turned out like Dana, as one dramatic child is enough for any generation."

"I agree with you there, honey," Dave snorted at Lynnette's answer. "At least Dana has finally calmed down quite a lot ever since the terrible twos."

"She has, though she still has her moments," Lynnette agreed. "Why don't we go ahead and order room service and then all the ladies in the family have a date with the nearest baby store. At least Roxie will be here to shop with us this time, as usually she's busy with her husband or her children or both, so can't come and spend the day just shopping for her sister's newest child."

"Our family just keeps expanding and I can't say I mind it at all," Dave said, as he thought about Roxie's two children, a boy and a girl.

"None of us do," Lynnette volunteered. "All the girls will be going shopping and along with the girl children so that just leaves you and the other men with all the boys to handle for a few hours."

"You're going to take Dana shopping?" Dave asked with a twitch of his lips to show he was amused. "You know what happened last time all you ladies went shopping and took the children with you.

"Dana caused a scene when her mother wouldn't give in and getting her an expensive outfit from a very expensive brand name for children with wealthy parents. Mellie told her that she had enough clothes and didn't need any more since her closet was overflowing," Lynnette remembered.

"Precisely," Dave agreed.

"The problem not taking her though, is that leaves you and Spencer, Rocky and Dan to deal with her," Lynnette said. "That hardly seems fair. You know if she gets left behind she'll create a scene because she was left out."

Dan was Roxie's husband. His full legal name was Daniel Fraser Junior.

"At least if she comes with us, her mother can enforce good behavior," Lynnette added. "Mellie can ground her from attending any more of my concerts for the rest of the summer if she doesn't behave. Dana can always be left at home with a babysitter while everybody else gets to attend the concerts that are in New York while she will be left out.

"That just might be enough to get her to behave like a well raised little girl that she is supposed to be instead of like a brat," Dave admitted.

Everybody in the family was well aware that Dana Reid hated to be left out of anything and needed to be the center of attention all the time. The nine-year-old had improved a great deal, but that didn't mean she still couldn't act like a little devil and often did so.

"I mean, I love her, we all do, but that doesn't mean she's not high maintenance," Dave said.

"We've known ever since she was a baby that she would likely be high maintenance, though," Lynnette said.

"Remember how she cried and screamed as if the whole world was coming to an end when she was an infant," Lynnette reminded her husband.

"How could I forget?" Dave said his tone wry. "Luckily for us, we haven't had another child like Dana and hopefully, we won't for a long, long time."

"I certainly pray we won't," Lynnette agreed with a smile, kissing her mate's cheek. "Now about that food, as I'm starving."

Dave went and got the room service menu out of the nightstand drawer that was next to the bed and handed it over to his wife.

Lynnette pursued it quickly and made her choices. "I suppose this meal wouldn't be really be considered breakfast or lunch so technically, it would be brunch," Lynnette commented after she told Dave what she wanted.

Before Dave could respond to Lynnette's comment, the vid phone rang, and both of the Rossis looked at each other wondering who it could possibly be, because it was the hotel room phone not either of their communicators. If it was any of the family, they would just call either one of them on their personal communicators not their hotel phone.

"Hello?" Dave said answering the vid phone.

"Sorry to disturb you sir, but Mrs. Rossi has a visitor downstairs that claims he's family. I told him that you didn't want to be disturbed, but he insisted that I contact your room."

Dave and Lynnette looked at each other and they both suspected who it was that had insisted the front desk getting in contact with Lynnette.

"If his name is William Reid, you can tell him that Lynnette is not interested in ever seeing him," Dave told the front desk.

"It is, he's been rather demanding and impatient. I get the impression that he thinks his time is valuable, too valuable to waste standing around in a hotel lobby. Even now, I can see him standing there, tapping his foot impatiently," the man on the phone screen admitted.

"Well, then," Dave began. "Tell him that if he continues to persist in getting in contact with her that she will take legal action against him."

Lynnette gestured for the phone and Dave stepped aside so she could take his place in front of the screen without a word.

"This is Lynnette Rossi, and you can tell my father that I am not interested in ever meeting him or getting to know him and he better crawl back into the hole he came from or he'll be hemmed in so many lawsuits he'll soon be broke."

Lynnette gestured for him to take over and Dave came back onto the screen and continued with what he had been saying without a pause.

"You can tell him that if he doesn't leave this hotel immediately that he will be thrown out by security. None of the family ever want to see or hear anything he has to say, as we've talked about this as a group. If he doesn't leave when security orders him to you are to call the police and have him arrested. Tell him that I own the hotel and I can have him arrested if he doesn't leave immediately. Understand?" Dave told the man on the screen who nodded that he understood his orders then responded.

"Yes, sir," said the man who had gone into an office that was close to the front desk, but far enough away to be private to make the call.

Apparently, Mrs. Rossis father had ticked off the whole family, as from what both Rossis had said they had never met the man and didn't want to.

"Also, you are to warn whoever is on the other shifts that if he shows up again or is anywhere outside on hotel property that he is immediately to leave or be arrested for loitering. These charges might not amount to much, but it shows a certain disregard for following the laws at least. Let us know please when he leaves. His photo will be distributed to all employees so that they will recognize him," Dave added.

"It will be done, sir," the man agreed hurriedly before he signed off.

"Well, we knew this day was coming, especially with me becoming more and more famous," Lynnette said finally with a huge sigh, rubbing her tummy, where the baby kept kicking her, as if sensing their mother's agitation once Dave had gotten off the phone.

"Yes, we suspected that coming back to Las Vegas, so publicly like we did that this would happen, but hopefully, he's gotten the message and won't pop up again," Dave said.

"I somehow doubt that," Lynnette snorted. "I've heard from mom how stubborn that man can be, so I suspect we haven't seen the last of him."

"If that's the case we'll handle it when and if it happens," Dave said, as he took his mate into his arms to give her a hug and a kiss. "We can always head back to New York early now that your concert is over, though I know the children will be disappointed if we do that, as they were looking forward to seeing some of the sites and spending time with their nana, aunt and uncle. I'll go order that food now, as I know you and the baby are hungry. I'm only grateful that Spencer, Dan and Rocky are at least keeping the boys occupied for the rest of the day."

"We should probably warn everybody though, about what happened just in case. Remember, all the men took the boys to a sports store while Michelle Mom and Roxie have all the girls in their suite prepared to go shopping as soon as I'm ready. That only leaves you on your own unless you want to join the rest of the men, as I know you don't want to go shopping for baby clothes," Lynnette suggested and Dave nodded, thinking it was wise.

"I'll be fine on my own, since I'm sure to be recognized no matter where I go. I don't want to ruin the boys day when people recognize me and insist, they just have to talk to me, not caring that I'm there with my family, so I'll stay here and watch sports, perhaps take a nap. I'll do that after I order the food," Dave promised, giving his mate a final kiss on the lips before he dialed the room service number and ordered them both some food.

~~~Dave and Lynnette~~~

William Reid was enraged when the desk clerk came back and told him that Lynnette Rossi was not interested in ever seeing him or meeting him and that if he didn't leave, the security would be called and he would be thrown out of the hotel and possibly arrested for disturbing the peace if he refused to leave.

"How dare you!" William exclaimed enraged

"I'm only following orders sir," the desk clerk said, even as he started to call security.

His orders had been explicit and crystal clear. He was not to let William Reid anywhere near any of the Rossi or Reid families and to make sure he was gone before he contacted the Rossi suite again. If after he left, if he was seen loitering again anywhere outside the hotel, he was to be ordered to leave and warned he would be arrested if he didn't.

If William Reid happened to pop up elsewhere somewhere that the Rossis happened to be then that wasn't his responsibility to handle.

"I have my orders sir. You are to leave and not return," The desk clerk said. "This is under the orders of the owner, Mr. David Rossi, as he won't, have you upsetting his wife. Mrs. Rossi has clearly indicated to me and her husband that she does not want to meet you and that you are to crawl back into whatever hole you came from. She is not interested in getting to know you or you getting to know her, and I will follow their orders to the letter."

"But I'm her father," William protested.

He now knew this for a fact, ever since the background check, he had an associate of his perform had come back.

"A father from what I understand didn't even know she existed until very recently," The clerk told him firmly.

"I have no idea what you did to get on her shit list, I just know that she doesn't want anything to do with you. Now I suggest you leave before I call security and have you thrown out. My orders are crystal clear and I will not be fired, because I didn't follow them to the letter, so I strongly suggest you leave. Now!"

William was about to protest again, but when the desk clerk begin to phone security, William decided that leaving was the better part of valor at least for now if only because he couldn't afford to be arrested.

If he ended up in jail, even overnight, that was bound to get back to his law firm and his career was already in jeopardy as it was ever since the partners had discovered the real reason he had left his wife and children, which hadn't passed muster at all.

As it was, he would never make partner, but just abandoning his family hadn't been enough to see him fired, especially considering that it was very old news when the partners had found out the real reason he had divorced Diana

How the partners had discovered the real reason he had divorced his wife William had not been able to discover, but it was obvious to him that someone had told them. Who had discovered such old information William didn't know, and he hadn't been able to find out because his bosses had told him it was confidential. He had tried to track down where the information had come from, but had failed and he didn't dare hire a private detective.

It wasn't about the money that a detective would cost either, but about the possibility of his bosses finding out and him getting fired for not just leaving it alone.

His career was in the toilet and so he was just biding his time until retirement. He had wondered off and on, ever since his bosses had found out the real reason he had left Diana, who was out to get him.

He supposed his next move was to visit his ex-wife and see what he could find out.

William never imagined the cold reception he would receive when he went to visit Diana or that she wouldn't even be home.

One thing he really wanted to know was why Diana had never informed him about the pregnancy and the birth of Lynnette, who he now knew was, indeed his daughter.

~~~Dave and Lynnette~~~

When the rest of the family were informed about what had happened by Lynnette, Diana couldn't help shaking her head at her former husband's stupidity and arrogance.

"For such an intelligent man, that was a stupid move," Diana said, shaking her head. "To go to the hotel and almost demand Lynnette see him is plain idiocy. I mean, seriously for all he knows Lynnette might not know who her father is "

"That's not the case, though," Michelle pointed out as everybody sat at some outside tables of a coffee shop with their children, as they all enjoyed their drinks and snacks. The children were sitting at one table close enough for all the adults to keep an eye on them, but far enough away that they weren't going to overhear what was being said so long as everyone kept their voices down.

"But he didn't know that," Lynnette said, as she said, as she took a sip from her drink. "For all he knew, mom might not have informed me of who my father was. It's not like he's had contact with any of his family ever since he left, so really he doesn't know squat about any of his children or his ex-wife.

"I'm actually wondering how he found out that I was his daughter, as I really do look more like mom than him and for that I'm grateful."

"He knows plenty of people that could run a background check, sweetie," Diana told her daughter, even as she patted her hand. "As a lawyer, he has plenty of connections to business people, cops, lawyers and for all I know he might know someone like a private detective now, as it has been decades since we were married after all. I'm sure he even knows plenty of seedy people that would do things for money."

"That's true," Michelle said. "Lawyers always have plenty of connections and not always on the up and up."

"That might be true, but Dave has plenty of connections too, and he could easily ruin that man's life completely if he doesn't leave well enough alone. I guess we'll just have to see what happens," Lynnette said.

"From what I've heard from some of the wives that husbands are clients of his, Will's career has really gone downhill over the decades ever since he divorced me and abandoned his children. I've even heard that the real reason Will divorced me somehow came out," Diana said. "Will, might have divorced me, but I still talk to most of the wives of the clients he had when we were still married, so I hear things."

"Secrets don't stay buried forever. I doubt the Senior Reid ever imagined the wives gossiping about what goes on in his personal life with the woman he divorced. Things that I'm sure he thought he shared with his clients that they wouldn't talk about with anyone else, not even their wives," Michelle told Diana not saying that she, Spencer, Lynnette and her father had had something to do with that particular secret being unburied and a light shined on it.

"True," Roxie, who had been silent, said. "It certainly couldn't happen to a nicer guy."

"That I agree with sister of mine," Lynnette said chuckling, as she and Roxie, clicked glasses in a moment of solidarity. "It might surprise you, mom that he was so stupid, as to practically demand that I meet with him, but I'm really not surprised after all the stories I've heard over the years from Spencer and you, mostly. I have no idea what he was like before you met and married him, but that arrogance and his uncaring nature were always part of his personality, even if I know he fooled you for a long time. Even if he managed to hide these traits for years, they were always there, though I have no way of knowing what brought them to the fore. Whether that was stress from work or simply having three small children wanting his time and attention."

"But Spencer and you, Roxie aren't that close together age wise as three years is really far apart," Diana said. "As for Rocky, yeah, he's pretty close in age to you Roxie, as he was unexpected at least then. I'm not sure if I forgot to take my birth control or it failed, as either as possible. Will and I hadn't planned on me getting pregnant again for at least another year when Rocky was conceived. Still such things happen, even in this century and I wasn't about to get an abortion like I know some women do."

"I'm certainly glad you didn't," Lynnette told her mother with a smile, kissing Diana's cheek. "Rocky might be the joker of the family, but he also has a way of making everybody laugh and smile when they're feeling down and that is not a bad thing at all."

"No, it's not, though Will never agreed with that opinion," Diana agreed. "He was always telling me that Rocky needed to be more serious or he wouldn't get anywhere in life."

"Why am I not surprised?" Lynnette said, rolling her eyes after learning what her father had said about his youngest son back when he had still been part of the family. "That man simply doesn't have a sense of humor. Rocky is doing quite well as a comedian and is rising in his field just like I am in mine. He's hardly the failure that that man believed he would be. I mean Rocky was really young when he left, so I don't know how that man could tell you that Rocky need to be more serious if you want to get anywhere in life."

"He was just a really happy cheerful baby," Diana said. "Much easier to handle than Dana was, even when he was less than a year old. I just think that we saw that cheerful lightheartedness as a sign that Rocky was not going to have a successful career just because he wasn't the serious type. Will never seem to realize that children change practically every day when they are young and just because Rocky was so cheerful and lighthearted, didn't mean that would change the more he grew and learned. The way that Rocky has maintained his cheerful, lighthearted personality, despite the hardships that life throws at you says something about him I think no matter what Will believed."

"It says he hasn't let life's hardships get him down and that is very commendable. Michelle said.

"Exactly!" Lynnette, Roxie and Diana agreed at the same time

"To Will being a comedian wasn't a profession that any of his children should go into," Diana told everyone.

"He wanted them to be lawyers or doctors or something more serious than telling jokes for a living."

"Yeah, I seem to vaguely remember you arguing about that with him a time or two," Roxie said, and she squinted her eyes as if trying to remember happened when she had been really young.

"I'm surprised you remember anything at all since you were so young when he left," Diana told her oldest daughter.

"I don't remember much, but that's not a surprise really, as it's been decades and I was also very young," Roxie said.

"Anyway, I think it's time we start shopping, as the guys will expect us back at the hotel by dinner time," Michelle suggested.

"Yeah, we should, as we already got a late start, because Dave and I slept so late," Lynnette agreed, as she finished her snack.

"I'm not surprised you slept late, sweetie, as you performed three nights in a row and were up late every night you did so, so you were bound to be worn out staying up so late and you're also pregnant which I know doesn't help," Diana told her youngest.

"Don't worry so much, Mom. This is my last one, as Dave and I agreed to five," Lynnette promised her mother who looked slightly worried as Lynnette was over 40 now and not as young as she had been when she'd had Derrick. "I'm in excellent health, as I had a check of just recently."

This last sentence was a total fib as Lynnette never went to the doctor unless she was pregnant, as there was no need to.

Diana accepted her daughter words as the truth

"That's good," Diana said relaxing a little. "Still, things can happen, even if the doctor gives you a clean bill of health. Forgive a mother for worrying about her child. Pregnancy isn't easy on the body and the older you are the harder it becomes, especially when it comes time to deliver."

"Don't worry, Mom I'll come out of the delivery just fine and with an adorable baby at the end of it.

"I hope you get another daughter," Diana said.

"That's what Dave and I are both hoping for, as we already have three boys and only one little girl. Luckily, none of them act like Dana," Lynnette added in a whisper, so the nine year-old in question wouldn't hear her from where she was sitting beside her siblings and cousins.

"Yeah, we only need one drama queen, as one is bad enough," Roxie said her lips twitching as she suppressed a laugh.

"Dana has improved a lot," Michelle said, quietly, shooting a look at her daughter. "I won't say she doesn't still have her moments, but she's mostly past the stage where she pitches a fit, but she is still a child, so she does still do that on occasion.

"Mostly when she believes she's being ignored," Lynnette said. "She's just one of those that doesn't like to be ignored, as she has to be front and center. She's just not one to be quiet and do quiet activities."

"Let's throw our trash away and then get to shopping," Lynnette finally said finishing her soda. "Luckily, all I really need for this baby is clothes, even if we don't know the sex yet."

"Maybe you should wait to shop then," Diana suggested.

"I could, but they probably have different styles at Babies, Toddlers and More, which is the biggest store for babies and young children here in Las Vegas," Lynnette said. "I asked the concierge and he discovered the information for me. It's apparently a relatively new place, as it didn't exist when I lived here."

"I've certainly never heard of it," Diana said, "but then it's been decades since I had my children, so that's not a surprise. I stopped shopping for baby clothes quite some time ago."

"Yes, styles have changed a great deal since Spencer and his siblings were children, since you showed us pictures of when yours were young," Michelle commented, smiling. "Spencer was an adorable little boy.

"Yes, he was," Diana agreed, smiling.

"The way he turned red in embarrassment when you brought those albums of baby pictures with you when you visited one time was certainly amusing," Lynnette chuckled.

"And cute," Michelle added causing every other adult at the table to chuckle. "He was so embarrassed, but that was just a bonus," Michelle added.

"That's the response of most children when parents bring out the baby pictures from when they were young," Diana chuckled. "I love embarrassing, my children on occasion as it's one of life's little pleasures."

"I'm glad I wasn't there for you to embarrass, as you do enough of that as it is," Roxie said. "I can just imagine my brother turning bright red because he's so embarrassed."

"It's a parents prerogative to embarrass their children on occasion, sweetie," Diana told her daughter, smiling. "You have children now and in the future I'm sure you'll enjoy embarrassing them once they get older. Until you actually got married, I believed you never would, you know?"

"Let's not start on that subject again," Roxie protested. "Not in front of the children."

"Let's just head to Babies, Toddlers, and More," Lynnette said, changing the subject.

"A good idea, sweetie," Diana said, as she rose to throw away her trash and the other adults did the same before gathering all the children and throwing away their trash before they headed out to the minivan that Dave had arranged since there was so many of them. There were four adults plus five little girls, which made nine

~~~Dave and Lynnette~~~