Page 2 of Dead Drunk (Cold Case Psychic #36)
Ronan
June, present day…
Ronan O’Mara’s right wrist was killing him. He hadn’t been in this much pain since the Great Tom Brady Jerk-A-Thon of 2002. He’d actually been in so much pain, that he’d been afraid Erin was going to have to take him to the doctor. Thankfully, after sitting with a frozen bag of peas on his hand and frozen broccoli on chafed dick, he was good as new and didn’t have to figure out how to tell the doctor he was hand job royalty.
Salem Elementary School was celebrating step-up day with an ice cream social. Ronan had barely been able to hold back tears when Everly had walked across the stage to receive her first grade diploma. Ditto for when his daughter had been named Kindest Classmate, which not only came with a certificate, but gift cards to Build A Bear and Barnes and Noble.
Still basking in the glow of his Salem Witches Dead Run victory, Ronan had been tapped as one of the ice cream scoopers, along with fellow winners, Jude, and Fitz. He was still a little salty over every participant being named a winner, but was trying not to let his bitterness show.
“Chocolate or vanilla?”
Ronan asked Kenny P., newly reformed bully and gold medal nose picker.
“Ummm,”
Kenny said, as he peered over the side of the ice cream case.
“How about one scoop of each, buddy?”
Jude asked.
“Okay!”
Kenny’s eyes glowed.
Ronan dutifully scooped and handed the bowl to Kenny.
“Make sure your Mom adds the toppings!”
The thought of Booger Boy ladling his own hot fudge made Ronan’s stomach turn.
“Are we all set for our trip to Rhode Island at the end of August?”
Jude asked Fitz.
“Yeah, the rental van is booked, so is the hotel, which you guys are gonna love. It was built just before the Civil War. The fa?ade is made from river stones. Our rooms face the ocean and there’s a private deck only our rooms have access to. It’s just gorgeous.”
“Anything is bound to be a step up after last year’s no-tell motel incident.”
Ronan elbowed Jude in the ribs.
“We all had fun in Maine. No one died or got eaten by a sewer-dwelling clown. End of story.”
Jude crossed his arms over his chest, as if he was daring Ronan or Fitz to disagree.
“Anyway,”
Fitz continued.
“The hotel is right on the beach and it’s not too far away from Newport. We can rent a sailboat, tour lighthouses, and eat our weight in lobster and fried clams.”
“Can you sail?”
Ronan asked. He’d never been on a sailboat.
“God, no!”
Fitz laughed.
“We’ll hire a boat for the day and let the professionals do what they do best.”
“I’m ready to go now. I’d love a beach day.”
Jude sighed.
“I could really use a break from the Maxwell case. It’s just dead in the water.”
Jude looked as if he had more to say when Everly, Wolf, and Aurora walked up to the ice cream stand. Ten and Cope were with them.
“Hey, guys! Who wants ice cream?”
Ronan asked.
“Me!”
Wolf raised his hand.
“I want chocolate. It’s my favorite.”
“I’ll have chocolate too,”
Everly added.
Aurora was unusually quiet.
“What about you, honey? Do you want some ice cream?”
Ronan asked his niece.
“I don’t like chocolate or vanilla. I like strawberry.”
Aurora looked as if she were about to cry.
“There’s strawberry syrup. It’s delicious on vanilla ice cream. Do you want to try that?”
Fitz asked.
“Only if Uncle Ronan makes it.”
Aurora beamed.
“You got it, little lady! One strawberry sundae coming right up.”
Ronan scooped the ice cream and motioned Aurora over to the toppings table. He grabbed a plastic spoon and dipped it into the sauce.
“Take a taste and tell me what you think.”
Aurora wore a skeptical look, but licked her spoon. Her eyes widened and looked as if they were going to pop out of her head.
“Oh. Em. Gee! This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
Ronan ladled three gooey glops onto Aurora’s melty vanilla scoops and handed it to Ten, who was already holding Everly’s bowl and a fist full of napkins.
“Thanks, Uncle Ronan,”
she called over her shoulder.
“Is she okay?”
Ronan asked. He knew the little girl went through her own little sullen moods from time to time, but couldn’t understand a kid not being excited about ice cream.
Fitz sighed.
“Jace and I talked to her about adopting a baby and she didn’t take it very well.”
“It’s to be expected. Getting a little brother or sister is going to be a big upheaval in all of your lives.”
It didn’t surprise Ronan in the slightest that Aurora hadn’t taken the news well. She was used to being the Queen bee at home and now she’d have to share her parents with a tiny interloper.
“You’re right, but that’s not what upset Aurora.”
Fitzgibbon grinned.
“I’m confused. If Aurora is upset about a new baby, why the hell are you smiling like an idiot.”
Usually when Aurora was upset, Fitz and Jace moved mountains to make their daughter happy again.
“She’s upset because the baby isn’t here yet.”
Fitz grinned like an idiot.
“You’re kidding,”
Jude said after handing off two bowls of ice cream to Wolf’s classmates.
“Nope. She was upset when Jace started explaining it might take a little bit of time before she becomes a big sister. Aurora was having none of it. She was like that kid in Willy Wonka who wanted everything now.”
Fitz laughed.
“Do you think that attitude is here to stay or do you think she’ll change her mind real fast when the baby comes?”
Ronan asked.
“Everly loved the idea of having a baby brother until Ezra arrived.”
“Aurora said she felt left out that she was the only one without a little brother or sister and actually seemed offended that Jace and I hadn’t adopted a sibling long before now.”
Fitz sounded as surprised as he looked.
“She said she knows all about how babies cry and take a lot of care and she’s ready to pitch in.”
“Okay,”
Jude laughed.
“Who is this kid and what has she done with Aurora?”
“Right now, we’re just taking things one day at a time. Jace will be finished with his day-to-day work at the Tremont Street mission by the end of the month and we’ll take it from there. The call could come at any second. For that reason I’ve worked a contingency plan into our vacation. If we get the call you all can go on the trip and we’ll stay home as a family. Or if we’re already there, we will all just fly home and you can drive back when the vacation is over.”
Ronan frowned. He didn’t like that plan so much.
“Are you sure, Fitz? I hate the idea of abandoning you with an infant while we all go on this trip without you.”
“God,”
Fitz began, “do you remember when we got custody of Aurora? We didn’t have a car seat or a crib. All of you came to our rescue and got everything Aurora needed for when we came home from the hospital.”
“We were so excited to have a new member of our family.”
Ronan smiled wistfully. A mass shooting had occurred during Jace and Fitz’s wedding reception. All members of the Boston Police Department had been mobilized to help search for the gunman, who’d escaped from the scene of the crime. During the search, Fitz had discovered a new-born baby abandoned. He and Ronan had rushed her to the hospital with Fitz filing for an emergency guardianship order, which had been granted.
“We’re a family,”
Jude added.
“Whatever you need, we’ll be there for.”
“Thanks, guys. I can’t tell you how much it means to hear you say that.”
Fitz sounded emotional.
“Steaks on the grill tonight?”
“Sounds good. Ten and I will bring dessert. Just not ice cream. My scooping hand is about done.”
Nodding, Fitz scooped his own bowl of ice cream and added strawberry sauce, before heading to the table with Aurora and the kids.
“Any chance Fitz and Jace have inspired the two of you to adopt again?”
Ronan asked Jude.
“Our family is complete, but that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna take the chance to cuddle the new baby every chance I get.”
“What about you?”
Jude asked.
Ronan laughed.
“I think we’re done. I mention it to Ten every now and then. He’s happy with Everly and Ezra. I am too, but you’re gonna have to fight me for baby cuddles. There’s nothing better in the world than getting all the snuggles and handing the baby back to its parents when it’s time for a diaper change.”
Nothing better, unless the baby was yours.