You're Not Alone

Meet The Baby

Erin and Joe went home around four in the morning, because Joe had work and Erin needed to go home to Nicky. Mary stayed up all night with Frank, who started to pace around five o'clock. Mary watched as her husband paced.
"I feel like an expectant father," Frank chuckled, looking to his wife.
Mary smiled, "I know. It's very exciting, isn't it?"
"I wonder how long it'll be?"
"I have a feeling Linda's right. This baby's gonna be exactly like his father."
"Stubborn," they nodded, smiling a little.
***********
"He's beautiful," Danny smiled at Linda. "I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you. He's handsome, like his Daddy." Linda smiled widely, sweaty and very tired. She yawned, "I'm glad you could make it home.... I'm sad you're going back, though."
"Didn't I tell you? I'm not going back. When I would've, there'd only be there three months. Sarge says there'd be no point in coming back."
"Oh, Danny, that's marvelous!" Linda kissed him sweetly, then laid her head on his shoulder. "Absolutely marvelous." She sighed, sleep quickly overwhelming the new mother.
*************
"Everyone, this is Sean Conner Riley Reagan," Linda smiled down at her new baby on Sunday, when everyone was free.
"Named after Linda's great Uncle, his new Uncle, Joe." Danny put his arm around Linda. "And a great Mom."
Joe and Mary smiled, "really?"
"Joe, without your help, I don't think I could've survived. I mean, you took Jack constantly so I could have an hour and a half to myself. You offered to help if something went wrong." She turned to Mary, "and, Mary. Wow, I definitely wouldn't have survived without you. Like Joe, you always offered to take Jack to the zoo or park or anywhere, really. You and Frank opened up your home so graciously; without a second thought, you had packed my bags and stuck me in Danny's room. Oh, that sounds awful..... And when you came and checked on me...." Linda choked on a sob, letting her tears finally out. She tapped Danny's shoulder, wanting him to continue.
"Ma, Linda says on nights she really had trouble, you'd stay up with her and have ice cream, or the normal version of her concoction." He smirked, "we wanted to thank you for that." He hugged his Mom, and she hugged him back.
"How much does he weigh?" Erin whispered, looking at a sleeping Sean.
"Six pounds, eleven ounces. But he hasn't stopped eating!" Linda sighed, "it's, like, every thirty minutes!"
"Sounds like someone else I know," Jamie looked to his older brother.
"Shut up, Jamie."
"I'm gonna put him down for his nap," Linda told the family, walking to Sean's little playpen in the family room. "I will not hesitate to throw any of you out if you wake him up, understood?"
"Mommy, can I thee him?" Jack wondered, pulling on Linda's pant leg.
"Oh, Jack. He's sleeping right now. So we have to be quiet," Linda put her finger to her lips. "After his nap, you can see him, okay?"
Jack crosses his arms, "bu' I wanna thee him!"
"Sweetie, you can in a little bit."
"I wanna thee him now!"
"Jack!" Danny scolded, a little louder than he meant to. Little Sean started crying, "shit."
"Are you gonna throw Danny out?" Jack Boyle wondered.
"You can go." She turned around and quickly walked over to Sean. "Aww, Sean. Shh, it's okay."
Danny held out his hand, "I gotta talk to you, Little Man."
"We'll leave," Mary ushered everyone into Frank's study.
"Alright," Danny lifted Jack onto the island. "Listen, Jack. When mommy says something, you gotta do it, okay? Don't make her be mean to you."
"You do." Jack protested.
"What?"
"Uncle Jack thayth that mommy maketh you be mean to her."
"When?"
"When I'm atheep."
Danny furrowed his brow, confused. When have I ever been mean to Linda on— oh. Right. "That's not exactly what that means. Just be nice to mommy, okay? She knows what she's doing."
"Okay, Daddy."
"Good. Come on," he lifted him down, "let's go get you washed up for dinner."