Burned

by Unknown

  “What? No wings or beer?” Nick asked.

  “It’s a baby shower, Nick. No alcohol and nothing to eat that will get stains on the baby gifts. We’ll go out to a bar later for drinks and food, but for now we have to deal with this tea-party stuff.”

  “Ugh, how do they drink this sweet stuff?” Nick smacked his lips and put the cup on the table.

  “We don’t like it because it doesn’t make us burp and our tongues aren’t sophisticated enough to handle the taste.”

  Nick chuckled. “The stuff is pretty gross if you ask me.”

  “I agree,” Orlando said. “Anyhow, I’m still shocked that you delivered your boys. That’s awesome man. I don’t think I could have kept my cool.”

  “I’m still walking on clouds, too. In spite of all the elation we’re experiencing as new parents, we have decided to wait some years before we have another baby. We are freaking tired as hell! Getting up and down all night long with the twins is worse than a busy night at the firehouse.”

  “I totally understand if you need to extend your leave. It will be without pay but the guys are happy to cover your shift at the station.”

  Nick shook his head. “I would like to extend it, but I have to get back to work. Lincoln is going to go back to work soon, too. We can’t afford to take time off without pay. The apartment is way too small for all of us. I have to move my family into a real house.”

  “What happened with the house you bid on back in the summer?”

  “I withdrew the bid. The neighborhood wasn’t the best and with me at the firehouse, I didn’t want to leave Lincoln and the babies at home alone.” Nick took a potato chip from the bowl and stuck it in his mouth. “I see Gabby and the kids are here, where is Jon?”

  “He’ll be here shortly. Murad finally moved to B-Chief. Jon is officially the lieutenant for engine 30. Since Anthony is gone, you’re free to move back to your shift, and I will get Ryan Tisdale.”

  Nick pondered the thought. “You know what; I’m happy where I am if that’s okay with you.”

  “You know it is okay with me. I like having you on my shift.”

  “So where is Anthony these days? I haven’t seen or heard a word from him since he only received three years of probation and no jail time. I’m kind of nervous that he is so quiet. Have you seen him?”

  Orlando nodded. “He got clearance from his PO to move to rural Michigan with his family. Melanie’s father pulled some strings, and he will be in charge of the local volunteer fire department.”

  Nick raised his brow surprised. “Anthony moved to rural Michigan? Huh, I wonder how that will work out with him being black and married to a white woman.”

  Orlando shrugged his shoulders. “It was best if he left Cleveland. We could never be friends again after what he did to Lincoln. Our friendship was pretty much over.”

  Nick took a decorative powder-blue napkin from the table and wiped his hands. “Damn. I feel bad about that because he and Jon have been friends since high school.”

  “Jon is the one that convinced him to leave Cleveland to let the heat cool down. They can still have a friendship because Jon isn’t directly connected as I am. You’re family now. I have to look out for my family.”

  “Thanks, bro; I appreciate you standing by me and Lincoln. Ryan seems like he will be a nice fit for Station 30.”

  Orlando agreed. “I think he will work out. And since that damn code is no longer in effect, he is free to date any available woman in Cleveland. I don’t care if she is a sister, cousin, best-friend or even the mother of one of the men in the firehouse; I don’t care.”

  Nick gave him a high-five and said, “Amen, brother!”

  The women were laughing up a storm in the living room. Nick’s shoulders slumped. “I guess I better get in there and pretend to know why the hell they are going gaga over baby stuff. Since when are men invited to baby showers?”

  “Everything is combined these days. I’m looking for my day to come when I have to do this.”

  Nick grinned. “Is Regan pregnant?”

  Orlando pretended to lock his lips. “I’m not at liberty to say.”

  Nick hugged him in a brotherly manner. “Congrats, man. Get ready to endure months of living in her emotional hell, but the sex is freaking great,” he joked.

  They shared in a good laugh together before joining the women in the living room. Nick took a seat next to Lincoln on the sofa. He smiled when he saw Isadora interacting with Lynette as they each held a grandchild. The past few months changed her attitude about life. She no longer asked to go to Italy, and she formerly filed for divorce from Franco. Franco didn’t fight or demand her return to Queens either. He also expressed no interest in meeting his new daughter-in-law or his grandchildren.

  Nick had not invited his siblings to meet the newest Barona members either, but they were informed about his marriage and the birth of his sons. His sisters, Maria and Sofia, had called to congratulate him, and both had sent the boys gifts.

  Carter took over the floor. “Okay, we have seen all the wonderful gifts for my beautiful nephews. However, I think it is only fair that the parents have a gift to enjoy.”

  “Carter, you didn’t have to do that,” Lincoln said.

  “No, that wasn’t necessary,” Nick said holding Lincoln’s hand. “We are happy letting you all spoil our babies. And we know where to drop them off when they get out of hand.”

  Carter snorted. “They are welcome at auntie’s Carter’s house whenever because my nanny is great with kids. But, all joking aside, Nicolo and Dante will visit me. They’re going to know their auntie and cousins. Okay, with that said; Lincoln you know we stick together no matter how far apart we are.”

  Lincoln lowered her brow. “Carter, what did you do? I hope you didn’t spend a lot of money on a trip or dinner at a famous restaurant.”

  Carter laughed. “We didn’t get you a romantic weekend away to get you started on another set of twins, but something you really need.” She handed a large envelope to Nick.

  “What could be in here? It’s too light to be a minivan,” Nick joked as he shook the envelope.

  Carter cleared her throat. “Before you open the envelope, Nick. What is in there comes from the love we have for family and not what your macho attitude thinks. We are family and family sticks together; at least we Hathaway’s do. So say thank you. Hug your family and know we have your back, as well as God.”

  The eyes of the family were suddenly on him, and it made him nervous. He could hardly open the flap without wanting to rip it to get inside. He removed the thick wad of papers.

  As he read over the paperwork, he chewed his bottom lip to keep it from quivering. He looked up at Carter as Lincoln tugged on his arm. “Honey, what is it?”

  He didn’t take his eyes off Carter’s smiling face. “It’s the deed to a house; apparently, our house.”

  Lincoln took the papers from him and scanned them over. “Oh my God. This isn’t just any house. It’s the house we lived in when I was young.” She jumped up from the sofa and asked her mother. “Mom, how did you get the house?”

  Lynette kissed the tiny hand wrapped around her finger. “Regan mentioned the house to me. I took the opportunity to contact the owners and learned they were still using it as rental property. I offered to buy it from them. Your sister’s and I hired the company Nick was working for to do the repair work. He had no idea the house he was fixing would be your house.”

  Lincoln took Nicolo from her mother and handed him to Nick so she could hug her mother. “Mom, I can’t believe you did this for us.”

  “Sweetheart, you loved that house. When you girls were younger, I tried to scrape the money together so we wouldn’t have to move, but I couldn’t afford it. I felt horrible when we had to move out because I could no longer pay the rent. Now you can raise your family in a home you love and not worry about owing a dime on the house.”

  Lincoln turned to Nick. He was cuddling the baby close to his chest rocking him slowl
y. “Baby, do you remember working on this house?”

  “Yeah, I do,” he said choked up. “The owners, who we never saw, had specific instructions for this house. It turned out really nice once we finished it.” He patted the baby gently on the back and said, “Lynette, I don’t know what to say. We weren’t expecting a house.”

  “Honey, I’ve been blessed. I had it hard raising my girls and somehow I managed to stay on the right path. You’re a good man, Nick, and you want to do what is right for your family. When I needed help, Carter was there for me. Now, I’m in a position where I can help you and even Isadora. I don’t want repayment, I just ask you continue to love my daughter and be a good father to your children.”

  “That goes without question, Lynette. As long as Lincoln wants me around, I will be around.”

  Lincoln hugged Nick. “I will always want you around.”

  “Okay,” Regan said breaking up the happy moment. “That isn’t all that your gift entails. We know you both want to keep your jobs. We also want to help Isadora have a new life and maybe meet a new man. She can’t do that if she is bogged down by babysitting. To help ease the burden, we hired a nanny for you for two years. She comes highly recommended by Carter’s nanny. If you want to keep her after that, you’re on your own.”

  Nick couldn’t help but show his emotions. He wasn’t used to this type of family unity. He even saw tears fill Isadora’s eyes.

  Jon finally arrived and sat next to Gabby on the sofa. His son immediately ran over to him and wrapped his small arms round Jon’s neck to hug him. Amira followed suit and gave him a kiss.

  Nick blinked back the tears that threatened to fill his eyes. He hoped his boys would be happy to see him and greet him the same way. He rubbed his hand down his face and said, “I don’t know what to say. For the first time in my life, I’m stymied.”

  Orlando threw up his hands and cheered. “Well, this is a first! I don’t think in all the years I have known this man, has he ever been at a loss for words.” As they all laughed, he handed Nick a small square box. “Here. I believe this belongs to you too.”

  “Now, what is this?” Nick opened the box and found his crucifix inside with the chain repaired. “Oh man, my crucifix.” He kissed the cross and slipped it around his neck.

  Jon said, “We know how important that is to you. So the guys at Station 30 chipped in and had it fixed.”

  Nick couldn’t hold back his show of gratitude any longer. “Thank you. Thank all of you. You all didn’t only accept me in your family, but you’re accepting my mother as well. That means so much to me. Lincoln and my sons are my life and the reason I get up in the mornings. I’m gonna do right by my family and not disappoint them. If I start to lapse, I expect my brothers to get me back in line,” he said pointing to Orlando and Jon. “You guys are my role models.”

  Orlando shook his head. “Nah, man, you taught us a lesson in loyalty by not giving up. You could have walked away from Lincoln, but you didn’t.”

  He pulled Lincoln from her seated position and into his arms. With everyone watching, he kissed her passionately. “I love you, baby.”

  She smiled and wiped a smudge of lipstick from his mouth. “I love you more.”

  Born a Catholic, he blessed himself and kissed his crucifix. He looked up to the heavens and said, “Thank you for my family.”

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