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The McKinnon Family

Part I

After the murder of Grant is solved (turns out it was Judge Walker), things in the McKinnon household have gone pretty much back to normal (well, as normal as can be in that house).
Jake and Vicky are in the kitchen. Jake is trying to help Vicky make dinner. Vicky pulls a pan of charcoal out of the oven. She looks at Jake and sighs.
“What?” Jake asks. “What did you do wrong, Vick?” He picks up the recipe and looks at it.
“I just followed your instructions, Jake.” she tells him, throwing the pan on the counter.
“Well, you put in all the ingredients. I saw you put them in myself. And you turned the oven on to 350 degrees, right?”
Vicky looks at Jake and raises her eyebrows. They both look at the oven.
“550 degrees. Great job, Vicky.” Jake sighs.
“Well, look at that number.” she explains, pointing to the recipe. “That really looks like a five, doesn’t it?”
“No.” Jake replies.
Vicky pouts and Jake reaches out and takes her in his arms.
“I’m sorry sweetie.” he tells her. “I guess we’re just going to have to face facts. We’re going to be living on pizza and cheese flips for the rest of our lives.”
“Well, hey, what about you? Your cooking isn’t that bad. At least you don’t burn things to a crisp.”
“Me?” Jake asks. “Nope, can’t do that.”
“Why not?” Vicky asks, narrowing her eyes to her husband.
“Because I need to reserve my time and energy for more satisfying things than food.”
“Oh. And what would those things be?” Vicky asks, smiling.
“Let me give you a hint.” Jake leans in and kisses Vicky.
Just then the front door opens and Steven and Kirkland walk in.
“Grrrr.” Jake growls at Vicky, frustrated that their kiss was interrupted.
Vicky laughs and she and Jake walk into the living room to greet the boys.
“Hey, smells like Mom tried to cook again.” Steven says, sniffing the smoke in the air. “Jake I thought we agreed that Mom was to be kept 50 yards away from the kitchen at all times.”
“Hey, watch it, smart guy.” Vicky tells her son, grabbing him in a hug.
“Hey, Kirk, how was school?” Jake asks Kirkland.
“Fine.” Kirkland replies and walks straight up the stairs and to his room.
Jake and Vicky look at each other and then at Steven.
“He was like that the whole way home. He barely said a word.” he tells them.
“Steven, why don’t you run into the kitchen and grab a snack. Your mom and I are going to go talk to Kirkland.” Jake tells him.
“Okay.” Steven drops his backpack on the couch and runs into the kitchen.
Jake and Vicky go upstairs to Kirkland’s room. Kirkland is sitting on his bed with his stuffed green frog.
“Sweetheart.” Vicky comes and sits next to Kirk on the bed and Jake crouches down to be eye level with his step-son. “Steven said you were really quiet today and you hardly said a word to Jake and me when you came in. Is there something you want to talk to us about?”
“Not really.” Kirkland sighs.
“Hey, come on. Something’s wrong. You can tell us anything, Kirkland. You know that, right?” Jake asks. Kirkland nods. “Then come on. What’s up?”
“I’ve just been doing a lot of thinking.” Kirkland replies.
“About what?” Vicky questions.
“I miss my dad.”
Vicky looks at Jake sadly. Yes, it was true that Grant Harrison was a horrible man, but the one truth that the whole town knew was how much he loved Kirkland and how much Kirkland loved him back.
Vicky takes Kirkland in a hug. “I know you miss him, honey.”
“Is that all you’ve been thinking about?” Jake asks.
“Not really. I’ve been thinking about other stuff too.”
“Like what?” Vicky asks.
“Promise you won’t get mad?”
“Promise.” Vicky tells him.
“Cross our heart.” Jake replies.
“Well, my friend Tim... you remember Tim, Mom. He’s the guy that has the really cool video game with all of the mutant elephants and horned snakes that Steven wanted last Christmas...”“Yes, sweetie, I remember Tim.” Vicky smiles.
“Well, his dad died when he was three. And when his mom married his step-dad Paul, Paul adopted Tim.”
“Right.” Jake says, wondering if this was going where he thought it was going.
“Well, I was wondering... do you think my dad would be mad at me if Jake adopted me?”
Vicky and Jake smile at each other with tears in their eyes.
“No, honey, I don’t think your dad would be mad at you. Your dad could never be mad at you about anything. Are you sure this is what you want Kirkland?” Vicky asks.
“Yeah. As long as Dad won’t be mad at me. And as long as it’s okay with you and Jake.”
Vicky looks at Jake, who hasn’t said a word. Her smiling eyes tell him it’s his decision.
Jake looks at Kirkland. “Come here.” Jake sits on the floor and brings Kirk into his lap. “You know how much I love you, right?” Kirkland nods. “And I’ve known you your whole life. You’ve always been like a son to me, Kirkland, and you always will be, whether it’s legal or not. I just want to make sure that you’re sure about this.”
Kirkland smiles. “I’m positive, Jake.”
The tears start to overflow as Jake envelopes Kirkland in a hug. Vicky’s crying also as her and Jake’s eyes meet. Jake just shakes his head in amazement.
“Okay, let’s go.” Kirkland quickly jumps out of Jake’s arms and runs towards the door.“Wait. Wait a minute Kirkland.” Vicky urges her son back into the room. “Where are you going?”
“Well, first I’m going to tell Steven and then we’re going to get Jake to adopt me.”“Whoa, whoa. Hang on there, partner.” Jake replies. “The first part I’m okay with, but we’ll have to meet with a lawyer to draw up adoption papers and that will probably take a couple of days at least.”
Kirkland sighs. “Whatever you say... Dad.” Kirkland smiles and races out the door, shouting for his brother.
Vicky turns and looks at Jake. He wipes the tears from his face as Vicky sits beside him on the floor.
“You have one amazing kid there.” he tells her.
“Now you do, too.”
Jake shakes his head. “And his mother’s not too bad, either.”“Well, thank you.”
Jake takes Vicky’s hands in his own and looks into her eyes. “I promise you Vicky, that I will take care of both of your boys, as if they were my own, for the rest of my life. And I will love the three of you with everything in me until the day I die.”
“I love you so much, Jake.”
Vicky and Jake kiss and wrap up in each other’s arms.

Part II

A few weeks later, with Cass’ help, the adoption goes through without any difficulty at all and Kirkland is officially Jake’s son. Later that afternoon, Jake, Vicky, Steven, Kirkland, Cass, Donna, Marley, Etta Mae, Chris, Toni, Paulina, and Joe are all gathered at the cottage to celebrate the adoption.
Vicky walks over to Jake and gives him a kiss. “Congratulations, Dad.”
Jake smiles. “Wow. Do you know how wonderful that sounds? ‘Dad’.”
“Well, you better get used to it.” Vicky smiles. “You never know who else might be calling you that pretty soon.”
Jake looks at Vicky curiously. “What are you talking about, Vick?”
Vicky grabs Jake’s hand and walks to the center of the room.
“Excuse me. Can I have your attention, please?” The room quiets as Vicky begins to speak. “Today is such a wonderful day for all of us, especially for Kirkland and Jake. But, I have something to tell all of you that will make this day even more special.” Vicky looks at the boys and smiles. She then turns to Jake and looks him in the eyes.
“I’m pregnant.”
Gasps of joy are let out by everyone in the room.
Jake looks at Vicky with a dumbfounded look on his face. “You’re... I’m... We’re...”
Vicky just nods her head in excitement.
“Oh my God!” Jake picks Vicky up and swings her around. Vicky laughs.
Jake sets Vicky back down. “Are you sure? You went to the doctor...”
“I went to the doctor last week.” Vicky nods.
“How far along?” Jake asks.
“Six weeks.”
“Oh, Victoria, this is so wonderful.” Marley reaches out and hugs her sister. Donna wheels herself over and Vicky reaches down and hugs her mother.
The whole room is filled with excited chatter.
Vicky pulls Jake away from the crowd. His eyes are full of tears of joy.
“I can’t believe this.” he tells her.
“I know. Isn’t it amazing?”
“Amazing doesn’t seem to cover it.”
Vicky smiles. “Six weeks ago was when I received that day pass from jail after we thought I killed Grant. I guess there was a bright spot to the boys being gone that night. We got to make our own baby.”
Jake closes his eyes. “First you give me the glorious gift of becoming your husband, and you let me be a father to your sons, one of them legally. And now, you allow me to be able to have a baby with you. The love of my life. What am I supposed to say to that?”“’I love you’ should cover it.” Vicky laughs.
Jake looks into Vicky’s eyes. “I love you.”
Vicky kisses Jake and they lean their foreheads together and close their eyes. “I love you, too, Jake.”

Part III

“Vicky!”
Vicky turns her head and sees Jake running towards her.
“What? What’s wrong?” she asks him as he helps her down off of the step-ladder.
“What are you doing?” he asks her, leading her to the couch and helping her sit down.
“I was just looking for that sign we had hung on our door. You know, the one that said ‘Jake and Vicky’s Place’. I thought it might be on the top shelf in the closet.” Vicky explains.
“Why didn’t you ask me? I would have looked for it.”
Vicky sighs. “Jake,” she starts “I’m not a glass vase. I’m just pregnant.”
“Just pregnant?”
“You know that’s not what I meant. Jake, we have five more months until the baby comes. You can’t freak out every time I take a step.”
“Like hell I can’t.” Jake defends. Vicky gives Jake a look. Jake nods. “I know. You’re right. I just... I just don’t want you to overwork yourself.”
“Honey, I promise you, I won’t overwork myself, all right?”
Jake closes his eyes. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Vicky gives Jake a hug.
“I just hope our daughter isn’t going to be as stubborn as her mother.” Jake tells her.
“Or always right like her mother.” Vicky smiles.
“You know, that has got to be the only thing we agree on --”
“That I’m always right?” Vicky interrupts, grinning.
“No. That the baby’s going to be a girl.”
“Well, it better be. I feel a little outnumbered in this family.”
“Oh, poor baby.” Jake feigns sympathy.
“Oh, shut up.” Vicky hits him with a pillow.
Jake looks at Vicky wide-eyed. “You want to play dirty?” He smacks her with another pillow.
“Hey, you can’t do that. I’m a pregnant woman.” Vicky defends herself.
“Weren’t you the one that told me not to treat you like a glass vase?”
Jake hits Vicky again and they start a blowout pillow fight.

Part IV

A few months later, Jake and Vicky are sitting on the couch and Jake is massaging Vicky’s aching feet.
“Oooh. That feels so good.” Vicky sighs.
“Yeah?” Jake smiles.
“Mmmm” Vicky closes her eyes and smiles.
“Well, how about this?” Jake bends down and kisses her toes.
“Even better.” Vicky replies, her eyes still closed.
Jake smiles devilishly. “What about this?” He starts to tickle her feet.
“Stop! Jake, stop!” Vicky screams, and wiggles out of his grasp (which, is rather difficult for a woman who is six months pregnant).
Jake laughs. “Oh, I’m sorry sweetie.” he tells her, imitating an apology.
“You’re not forgiven.” Vicky scowls at him.
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah.”
Jake inches closer to Vicky.
“It won’t work, McKinnon.” Vicky lets him know.
“We’ll just see about that.” Jake tells her, just seconds before his lips are on hers.
Vicky looks at Jake after their kiss. “Nice try, though.”
Jake falls back on the couch. “Oh, you’re breaking my heart.”
Vicky laughs as Steven and Kirkland run down the stairs.
“Mom, Jake. Kirk and I have something to show you.” Steven replies.
Vicky and Jake sit up as the boys sit beside them on the couch.
“What is it, sweetie?” Vicky asks them.
“Well, Kirkland and I have come up with a couple of names for the baby.”
“Yeah, middle names and everything.” Kirkland chimes in.
“You do?” Jake asks.
“Can we hear them?” Vicky responds.
“Okay.” Steven pulls out a piece of paper and starts to read from it. “Well, if it’s a boy...”
“Whoa, wait a second.” Jake stops him. “I thought we all agreed that the baby was going to be a girl.”
“Well, just in case, we wanted to be prepared.” Kirkland explains.
Vicky and Jake smile as Steven goes on. “If it’s a boy we were thinking maybe Jake Jr.”
Vicky laughs out loud. Jake gives Vicky a look. “And what is wrong with that?”
Vicky quickly wipes the smile off of her face. “Nothing.” she replies, quickly.
Jake and Vicky turn their attention back to the boys.
“And if it’s a girl, we liked the name Bridget Madeline.” Kirkland finishes.
Vicky and Jake look at each other and smile. Vicky takes each of the boys in her arms and kisses their heads.
“We thought that by naming the baby after Bridget that maybe she would look out for our little sister.” Steven explains.
“Yeah. Like her guardian angel.” Kirkland adds.
Vicky smiles through happy tears. “Bridget is always looking out for all of us. I think that Bridget Madeline is probably the most beautiful name I have ever heard.” she tells her sons.
“Well, next to Jake Jr. of course.” Jake replies.
All four of them erupt in laughter. Jake grabs Kirkland and starts tickling him as Vicky does the same with Steven.

Part V

Later that week, Jake walks down the stairs and finds Vicky asleep on the couch with the TV on. He smiles and walks over and turns off the TV. He sits on the floor next to the couch.
“Hey. You in there.” he whispers to Vicky’s stomach. “It’s me your Daddy. You’ll know me when you see me. I’ll be the really hot guy with the biggest smile on his face. You know, I’m not really a pro at this father stuff. I’ve tried to be like a father to your brothers, but they have their real fathers, you know? But, I have a feeling you and I will get along great. We just need to set a few ground rules first.”
Vicky wakes up from her nap, but doesn’t let on to Jake that she’s awake.
“Rule number one,” Jake begins. “Curfew is 9:30. I don’t care if it’s summer and you’re 17 years old. 9:30 stands. Which brings us to the next rule. It shouldn’t matter how late your curfew is because you are not allowed to date until the day comes that your mother can actually cook an edible meal.”
Vicky bites her lip to keep from laughing out loud and ruining the moment.
“And about your brothers. Now, you have the two coolest brothers in the whole world. I’m serious. They will always be there to take care of you. Just stay out of Steven’s video games and Kirkland’s race cars and there shouldn’t be any problems.” Jake pauses and the smile falls from his face. “And finally, I want you to know that I love you. You, your mom and your brothers are the only thing in the world that matters to me. I haven’t always been the greatest guy in the world, I know that. But, I want to be someone that you can look up to. Although, knowing my luck, you’ll look up to your mother. I mean, who wouldn’t? She’s beautiful, smart, caring. She’s just an amazing woman. I’m lucky to have found her. I’m luckier that she loves me back. When you get older, I’ll tell you about how your mom and I finally got together. I hope you’re able to find the kind of connection that your mother and I have. Not that any guy is going to be able to get to my little girl. They’ll have to get through me first, and I’m a pretty big guy. Anyway, that doesn’t matter because I am going to be the only guy in your life for a very long time.”
He leans over and gently kisses Vicky’s stomach and quietly gets up. Jake quietly goes upstairs to look in on the boys. Vicky opens her eyes and smiles.
“Your daddy is such an incredible man. You are so lucky to have him as a father. I’m very lucky to have him, too.” Vicky smiles, running her hand over her stomach.

Part VI

A few days later, Jake is at the Herald and Vicky is at home with Kirkland. She is sitting at the kitchen table helping Kirkland with his math homework.
“Okay, so if you take 5 from 23, what do you get?” Vicky asks her son.
“I don’t know, Mom. It’s too hard.” Kirkland complains.
“Hey, come on. You haven’t even tried to figure it out yet.” Vicky urges.
There is a knock at the door and Vicky gets up to answer it.
She opens the door and comes face to face with...
“Jamie!” Vicky exclaims.
“Hey Vicky. How are you?”
“I”m... I’m fine.” she stammers. “What are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you, too. Aren’t you going to ask me in?” Jamie asks.
“Oh, I’m sorry, of course.” Vicky steps back and lets Jamie walk in.
“Um, Kirkland, honey. Can you go upstairs and do five more problems for Mommy, please.” Vicky asks her son.
“Can I have some ice cream after I finish?” Kirkland pleads.
Vicky smiles. “After you finish.”
Kirkland gathers his books and papers and runs upstairs.
“Wow. Kirkland sure has grown up. He looks just like you.” Jamie tells her.
“Thank you. Jamie, what are you doing here?” Vicky asks again.
“What? Is it a problem that I’m here?”
“No. No, of course not. I just wasn’t expecting you.”
“Well, I was passing through on a business trip and I thought I’d stop in Bay City and see my family. And my son.” Jamie explains.
“Oh. Well, I’m sorry. Nobody’s really around. Steven is next door and Jake’s at the newspaper...”“Ah, yes, Jake.” Jamie stops her. “I heard about your wedding. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“So, are you finally enjoying wedded bliss?”
Vicky smiles. “Every second of it.”
“That I can tell.” he replies, indicating Vicky’s pregnant figure.
“Oh, yeah, well, it took us awhile, but now we only have a couple more months of waiting left.” Vicky tells him, placing her hands on her stomach.
The front door bursts open and Steven rushes in.
“Mom, David wants to know if...” Steven stops in his tracks when he sees Jamie.
“Hello, Steven.” Jamie tells his son.
“What are you doing here?” Steven asks him.
“Steven, honey, your father came to visit you.” Vicky explains.
“Why?” Steven asks.
“Well, I missed you.” Jamie replies, kneeling to his son’s eye level.
“Oh. As opposed to the other years you didn’t.” Steven replies, harshly.
“Steven...” Jamie starts.
“No. Just save it. I don’t want to talk to you.” Steven pauses and looks at his father with tears in his eyes. “I’ve really needed you the past couple of years. You’ve never been here. Do you want to know who was? Jake.” Jamie looks down at his shoes. “Jake has always been here for me. He was the one who helped me get an A on my science project. He was the one who watched me strike out ten people in my baseball game last season. He was here when really confusing and bad things were happening to this family. And where were you? Off on business. Well, guess what? I don’t want to be your business anymore. I already have the best father in the world right here in Bay City.” With that, Steven runs out the front door.
“Steven!” Vicky calls after him. She then turns to Jamie. “He’s in pain, Jamie, you have to...”
Suddenly, the screeching of brakes is heard from outside. Vicky and Jamie run to the front door.
“Steven!!!” Vicky screams.

Part VII

When the ambulance drivers pull up, they take Steven straight to the emergency room. Vicky and Jamie rush in after them. A doctor comes up to them.
“Are you his parents?”“Yes. I’m Vicky McKinnon. This is Jamie Frame.”
“Is he going to be all right?” Jamie asks.
“We’re going to do our best. Please stay close by.” The doctor rushes into the emergency room.
“Did you call Jake?” Jamie asks Vicky.
Vicky nods.
“Oh, my God. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t come here, Steven would be all right.” Jamie says.
“Jamie...” Vicky starts to respond.
“Vicky!”
Vicky looks up and sees Jake rushing towards her.
A calming sense came over Vicky. Jake was here. She would be all right now.
Jake quickly gets to her and she falls into his open arms.
Jake pulls Vicky away and looks at her. “What happened? Is he okay?”
“The doctors are with him now.” she explains.
“What happened?” Jake asks again.
“He ran out of the house and into the street. He didn’t see the car.” Vicky tells him, her voice shaking.
Jake takes Vicky’s hands. “Why did he run away like that?”
Vicky looks at Jamie. For the first time, Jake notices Jamie sitting in a chair, looking down at the floor.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Jake asks him, angrily.
Jamie looks up at Jake. “I was here to see my son.”
“And let me guess. He was less than enthused to see you.”
Jamie closes his eyes.
Jake points a finger angrily at Jamie. “I swear to you, if he doesn’t come out of this, Frame...” Jake stops, his voice not able to finish the sentence.
Vicky grabs Jake’s hand. Jake looks at her, worriedly.
“What? What’s wrong, Vick? Is it the baby?” Jake asks, in a panic. He helps Vicky sit in a chair.
“She kicked.” Vicky smiles. Jake sits next to Vicky and she puts his hand on her stomach. The baby kicks again and Jake smiles.
“It’s a sign.” he tells Vicky. “From Bridget. She’s letting us know everything’s going to be just fine.”
Vicky lets out a deep breath and puts her head on Jake’s shoulder and closes her eyes.
The doctor comes out and Jake and Jamie quickly stand up.
“How is he?” Jamie asks.
“He’s in serious condition. He has a broken arm, a broken collar bone and two cracked ribs.”
“Oh, God.” Vicky lets out a deep breath and Jake reaches his hand out to her and she takes it in both of hers.
“He has also lost a lot of blood.” the doctor continues. “We don’t have quite enough blood on hand for a transfusion, so we need his parents to donate some.”
Jake looks at Vicky. She looks at Jake helpless.
“Um, my wife, as you can see, is pregnant. She can’t give blood.” Jake explains.
“I understand that, Mr. McKinnon.” The doctor turns to Jamie. “You can deposit on the third floor. I have to go back and check on Steven.” The doctor turns and leaves.
Jake turns to Vicky, who has tears in her eyes.
“I want to help him.” she cries.
Jake sits next to Vicky and holds her. “I know you do, honey. But, you can’t.”
Jake turns to Jamie. “What are you waiting for, Jamie?”
Jamie just stands there staring at Jake and Vicky.
Both Jake and Vicky look at Jamie.
“What? What’s wrong?” Vicky asks.
“I can’t.” Jamie tells them.
“’You can’t’ what?” Jake asks him.
Tears fill Jamie’s eyes. “I can’t give him my blood.”
“Why not?” Vicky questions.
Jamie doesn’t say anything.
Jake stands up. “He is your son, Jamie. Your have never been there for him. His life is hanging in the balance. You are his father. You blood will help him get well.” Jake tells him, his jaw clenched.
Jamie shakes his head. “No it won’t.”
“And why is that?” Jake queries.
Jamie pauses. He looks from Jake to Vicky and back to Jake.
“Because Steven is not my son.”

Part VIII

Vicky stands up and both she and Jake look at Jamie with questioning expressions on their faces.
“What do mean Steven’s not your son?” Jake asks.
“Jamie, we’ve already been through all this once. We saw a doctor perform the DNA tests.” Vicky replies, tiredly.
“A doctor that I paid off.” Jamie tells them, bravely.
“A doctor you what?” Vicky exclaims.
“You did what?” Jake responds.
Jamie can only nod.
“Wait. Wait, so let me get this straight.” Jake says, the anger in his body rising. “Years ago, when we were trying to figure out who Steven’s biological father was, you took it upon yourself to buy a doctor and get him to change the results of the DNA test to say that you are his father.”
Jamie nods.
“So, that would really make his father...” Jake begins.
Jamie pauses and closes his eyes. “You.” he whispers.
Jake’s first impulse was to punch Jamie’s lights out. But then he thought about that little boy in the emergency room -- his son -- that needed blood -- his blood. Jake bolted towards the stairs.

Part IX

After Steven receives Jake’s blood, his health seems to improve quickly. In a matter of weeks, Steven is back at home, relaxing so his broken and cracked bones can heal properly. Jake and Vicky wait until Steven is well to tell him the truth about his paternity.
One afternoon, Steven is in his bed, reading a book when Jake and Vicky walk in.
“Hey, ever heard of knocking?” Steven asks them, half joking. “What if I was naked or something.”
“Considering both of us diapered your big, ugly butt, I don’t think it’s something either of us haven’t seen before.” Jake cracks.
Jake and Vicky sit next to Steven on his bed.
“How are you feeling?” Jake asks him, putting his hand on Steven’s head.
“Better. My leg has stopped aching.”
“Good.”
There is silence in the room and Steven looks back and forth between Jake and Vicky.
“Is there something else you guys wanted?” he asks them.
Vicky looks at Jake. “Actually, yes. There is something that Jake and I need to tell you.”
“Okay.” Steven waits patiently for them to continue.
Jake and Vicky look at each other, each expecting the other to start.
Vicky breaks the silence. “Well, for starters, we never really told you why Jamie took off so quickly after you were released from the hospital.”
“Let me guess. He had business.” Steven replies.
“No. Actually, he didn’t. He just couldn’t stay here in town anymore.” Vicky tells him.
“How come?”
“Well, we found out something while you were in the hospital and Jamie didn’t think it was a good idea for him to stay in Bay City any longer.” Jake replies.
“Oh, great. What did my great long-lost father do now?” Steven sighs.
“Actually, if you look at it from a positive point of view, it’s actually really good news.” Vicky chimes.
“What is it?”
Vicky looks at Jake and shakes her head. She doesn’t want to be the one to tell Steven that his biological father is sitting right in front of him. She wants Jake to.
Jake takes a deep breath. “Well, to make a long story short, you are not Jamie Frame’s biological son. You’re mine.”
Steven stares at Jake. He then looks towards his mother, who just nods.
“You’re sure?” he asks Jake.
Jake nods, tears starting to well up in his eyes.
Tears appear in Steven’s eyes as well and his face erupts in a smile. He throws his arms around Jake in a very tight hug.
“Wait. Wait.” Jake replies, pulling him away. “Don’t you want to know how?”
“Who cares?” Steven replies, laughing. “You’re my father.”
Jake looks at Vicky, who has tears streaming down and a smile a mile wide on her face.
“So,” Steven says, wiping the tears out of his eyes. “How do you guys think Steven Michael McKinnon sounds?”
Jake and Vicky both laugh, even though their laughs are clogged with tears.
“I think it sounds perfect.” Vicky smiles.
The three of them look at each other and envelope in a hug. Jake leans his cheek on Steven’s head and looks at Vicky. They lean in and kiss.

Part X

A few days later, Jake and Vicky have Cass set up another set of legal papers: ones that announce that Steven Michael Frame is now Steven Michael McKinnon in every sense of the word, especially the most important: in love.
Weeks later, Vicky is taking a nap in the bedroom. Jake walks into the room. He leans against the doorframe and watches his sleeping wife. His beautiful, amazing wife. The one person that has been there for him his whole life. This is all he has ever wanted in his life. He has Vicky, the love of his life. He has Steven and Kirkland, who now weren’t only his sons by heart, but by blood and legality, too. And of course, his baby girl, whom he would be able to hold any day now. Words could not describe the happiness and contentment Jake felt inside.
He quietly walks over to the bed and gently lays behind Vicky so his front is facing her back.
He wraps his arms around her and kisses her neck.“Mmm.” Vicky wakes up smiling.
Jake kisses her neck again.
“Promise me that you’ll always wake me up like that every day for the rest of our lives.” Vicky tells him.
“I promise.” Jake answers.
Vicky turns around and faces her husband. “How can you even stand to touch me? I’m so ugly and fat.” Vicky pouts.
“First of all, you could never be ugly and second of all, you could be fatter than a sumo wrestler and I would still want to touch you.” Jake replies, getting closer to Vicky.
Vicky’s eyes widen. “So, you’re saying I am fat?”Jake pauses. “No.” he slowly replies.
Vicky smiles. “What are you trying to say, McKinnon?”
Jake looks at Vicky, panicked. “I love you?” he asks, hoping he got the answer right.
Vicky snuggles closer to Jake. “You sure do have a way with the women, don’t you, Jake?”
“Only you, Vick.” he smiles at her. He puts his hand on her face. “Only you.”They start to kiss passionately.
Vicky pulls away from Jake and sits up.
“Was it the garlic? I brushed.” Jake sits up with her.
“No. My water just broke.”
Jake stares at Vicky for a second. “Your... broke... Oh my God.”
Jake jumps off the bed and runs to the closet. He comes out with Vicky’s suitcase. He starts throwing clothes into it.
“We have to get your things together. What are you going to need? Clothes, bathrobe, comb, toothbrush.” Jake asks, quickly.
“Jake, honey.” Jake stops and looks at Vicky. “You’re putting your clothes in my suitcase.”
Jake stops and looks down. He quickly starts throwing his clothes out of the suitcase.
Vicky walks to the closet and picks up a small bag.
“Sweetie. Look. I’m already ready.” she tells him calmly.
“Oh, okay.” Jake stops and looks around. He claps his hands. “The boys. I’ll get the boys and you...”
“No, you’ll scare the boys.” Vicky tells him, only half joking.
“All right. You get the boys and I’ll get the car.” Jake runs out the door.
Vicky sighs. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea either.” she says to herself, shaking her head.

Part XI

An hour later, Vicky is in her hospital room. Jake walks in.
“Did you call Mom?” Vicky asks panting.
Jake nods. “And Marley and Nick and Paulina.”
“Good.”
Jake looks at Vicky and smiles. “How are you doing, baby?”
“Oh, just peachy.” Vicky responds.
“Has the doctor given you any drugs yet?”
Vicky shakes her head. “They have to wait about 15 more minutes.” Vicky takes Jake’s hand. “So, guess what?” she asks.
“What?” Jake smiles.
“You get to stick around until they drug me up.”
“Sure. No prob... ahhh!” Jake yells as Vicky squeezes Jake’s hand, trying to breathe her way through another contraction.
Later, Vicky is in the delivery room. Jake enters with scrubs and a mask on.
“Jake.” Vicky calls out to him.
“I’m right here, honey. I’m right here.” Jake takes her hand.
“Where are the boys?”
“They’re with their Aunt Paulina.”
“Good.”
“Everybody’s out there waiting for little Bridget’s arrival.” Jake smiles.
Vicky’s eyes meet Jake’s. “Jake, something’s wrong.”
“What are you talking about? Did the doctor say something?”
“No, he hasn’t been in here yet. But, Jake, something’s not right. I can feel it.”
The doctor enters the room.
“All right, Vicky. Are you ready?”
Vicky looks at Jake, then turns to the doctor and nods.
“Okay. Vicky, you’re fully dilated. Are you ready to push?”
Vicky nods again. Jake strengthens his grip on Vicky’s hand. He leans over and kisses her sweaty forehead.
“I love you, Vick.”
Vicky smiles up at her husband. “I love you, too.”
“Okay, Vicky I need you to push.”
Vicky grits her teeth, squeezes Jake’s hand and pushes.
After a few seconds, the doctor tells Vicky to stop pushing.
“Why? What’s wrong?” Vicky asks.
“The baby’s turned around. I’m going to need to try and turn it around so that the head will come out first.” he explains.
The doctor sets to work. Vicky looks at Jake with pleading eyes. “I’m so scared, Jake.”
“I know you are, honey. But you have to remember that our baby has a guardian angel taking care of her.”
Jake wasn’t about to let Vicky know that he was just as terrified as she was. He shook his head when he remembered that Vicky knew him so well, she probably could sense his fear.
At the same instant, both Jake and Vicky voiced a prayer from their heads to their daughter’s guardian angel.
Bridget, please let this come out all right. Jake and I want this little baby so badly. Please, let her be all right.
Bridget, please take care of Vicky and the baby. I know I don’t deserve either one of them, but don’t punish them for me. Please, don’t make them pay for my mistakes.
“All right.” the doctor interrupts Jake and Vicky’s prayers. “Vicky, I need you to give me one more big push, okay?”
Vicky sits up and Jake puts a hand on her back.
They grab each other’s hand tightly and Vicky pushes.
“Congratulations.” the doctor says a few seconds later. “You have a little girl.”
Vicky collapses back onto the bed and Jake puts his cheek on the top of her head. They are both crying tears of joy.
The doctor brings the baby to Vicky and Jake and lays her in Vicky’s arms.
“Hi sweetheart.” Vicky tells her daughter.
“Oh, God, Vick. She’s so beautiful.” Jake replies, softly.
“Do you want to hold her?” Vicky asks.
Jake looks at Vicky. “Is it okay?”
Vicky giggles. “Well, she is your daughter, isn’t she?”
“She better be.” Jake says. He carefully takes the baby from Vicky’s arms. He softly touches her head. He is awestruck at this little miracle. His and Vicky’s miracle.
The ghost of Bridget appears. She smiles at Jake, Vicky, and the baby.
“Welcome to the world Bridget Madeline McKinnon.”