Eternal Flame

To Induce Labor

5 weeks later: Jessica is now 39 weeks pregnant, and is as miserable as can be.

For the last few weeks, Jessica has been 'surprisingly' jubilant, and not quite as irrational, nor vicious, as everyone expected her to be; which, Danny couldn't be more grateful for.

However.. Today?! Something in Jessica shifted, and she is no longer the happy - go - lucky, rational, sweet girl.

Danny's been walking on eggshells around her. Amusing Sarah in the process; exhausting Danny.

* April 19th: The day before Jessica's birthday, as well as the day before Easter. They are at Zoe's in Rochester. *

Everyone is either outside playing bean bags, or standing on the deck, drinking a beer, while enjoying the sunshine.

Jessica didn't want to be anywhere near Danny, so she decided on staying inside to watch the baseball game on tv.

Misha did buy a home in Minnesota, so Shura's spending the day with her father to celebrate Easter. She'll spend tomorrow with Jessica, where they'll attend church with the entire Lange family, and then they'll celebrate Easter Sunday at Dorothy and Albert's.

****

"Mom.. I'm gonna go check on Jessie. I'll be right back!" Danny tells his mother, as he quickly pecks her cheek, but she grabs ahold of his arm, to keep him from moving any further.

"Yes, mom?" Danny chuckles, with raised eyebrows, and his signature devilish grin.

"Oh, Danny.. * chuckles * You checked on Jessie not more than five minutes ago!"

"Heh. I know. It's been five minutes way too long!" Danny exclaims, as he tries to take off once more, but Zoe stops him.

"Honey, your dad was the same exact way with me while I was pregnant with your sister, and then with you. As sweet as the gesture may have been, and, although I was very grateful to your dad for wanting to take such great care of me each second of every single day.. However... At that point in time?!" Zoe chortles.

"I wanted nothing more than to have a moment to myself. Heh. What I really wanted to do, was to slap him upside the head for making me feel so fu€king uncomfortable!" Said Zoe, as Danny chuckles nervously, then darts his eyes on the deck.

"So, uh.. Um.. In other words, I should give Jessie some space." Spoke Danny in a low voice, as he chews on the inside of his lips.

"Yes! .. You'll be thanking me later, baby!" Zoe says, as she said that last part in a baby voice, as she cups Danny's face in her hands.

"Ma?!" Questioned Danny, as Zoe had taken off for the house. "Yes, sweetie?" Zoe turns to Danny.

"Can I come with you?" Danny pleads with puppy dog eyes; emitting a chuckle from Zoe.

"You can press your face against the glass of the patio door.. Though, that's as far as you can get!" Zoe said in a stern tone, as she points her finger to Danny.

Danny thinks about it for a second, then nods his head with a smile etched on his face. "Good enough! Thanks, mom!" Said Danny, as he lifts his mom in the air, then puts her down after a moment.

**

"Oh, hey, Zoe." Jessica says in a soft voice, as Zoe walks in from the patio.

"Why is Danny's face pressed against the patio door?" Questioned Jessica with a quizzical expression, as she glances at the patio door, to see Danny waving, and blowing kisses at her.