The Return....

Chapter 41

After celebrating the newly engaged couple, everyone started to leave. Leo decided to head home with mouse and Nadia, he made them promise to bring him back in the morning.

Since Chloe came early, they hadn't yet been able to set her room up. Jay and the team thought they would surprise Erin by doing so. They went with a soft pink and grey theme, with baby elephants. Jay, Antonio and mouse set up the furniture while Kevin, Adam and Nick did the painting. The ladies helped with the decorations and putting Chloe's clothes away. Of course Jay added a final touch, which was a princess crown with the letters CCH below it.

Jay: Princess Chloe Camille Halstead....
Antonio: It's perfect Jay..

Erin had spent a few more days in the hospital before finally getting the thumbs up to leave, but baby Chloe still had a few weeks left in the NICU. Natalie said once she hit a solid 7 pounds and everything checked out, they would release her. For now Erin, Jay and Leo would make the daily trip up to the hospital to see her. They would spend as much time as they were allowed in the NICU before they had to leave, Erin would make sure she pump enough milk each time so Chloe could get through the night.

After a week and a half Erin and Jay finally got the all clear to bring their baby girl home. It had been perfect timing because Leo's birthday was quickly approaching. His only request was for his sister to come home.

Erin: Hey boys!!
Leo: Hey mama!!
Jay: Hey babe, how did Chloe do going down for her nap.
Erin: Great, she went down without a fight.
Jay: That's good, come sit down put your feet up. Do you need anything?
Erin: No, I got all I need right here. Soo Leo, I heard you have a Birthday that's quickly approaching..
Leo: Yup, I'm going to be 8 years old.
Jay: Your getting old me bud, what do you want to do for your birthday?
Erin: Anything special you wanna do?
Leo: Can we go bowling, I want to invite all of my friends from the team and some from school.
Erin: Yea, we can do that. What's the theme for the party?
Leo: Can I have a baseball theme?
Jay: Yea, that's sounds like fun. You can have all your guest wear baseball jerseys.
Leo: That would be so cool...
Erin: I'll send out the invites, do you want to invite Nadia, mouse and the rest of the team?
Leo: Of course, Can I tell them?
Jay: Yea, they're coming over tonight. So ask them later.
Erin: I better get dinner started..
Jay: How about I cook, and you relax. I'll make my famous Alfredo, and cheesy bread.
Erin: Thank you!
Jay: This is teamwork, so no need to thank me.
Erin: Love you..
Jay: I love you too now relax!!

Jay headed into the kitchen and started prepping his dinner. He took out all of the ingredients needed and started buy washing everything off. He cut the veggies up and sautéed them off. While the veggies were cooking, he grabbed another pot and put the pasta on. As the veggies cooked jay tossed in some seasoned chicken strips and sautéed them off. While that was being cooked, he grabbed 2 loafs of French bread and split it down the middle. He combined butter, parsley, garlic, black pepper, and salt in a bowl and mixed it all together. He then took the mixture and spread it all across the bread and then added the cheese. He placed it in the oven and then checked on the pasta, as it finished he poured them into a strainer and then moved to the sauce. He poured some half and half cream and whipping cream into the pot with the chicken. He added my seasoning and then added the noodles. He poured the pasta onto a Serving platter before bringing it to the dining table. Just as the cheesy bread was coming out the over, the team was arriving.

Erin: Hey guys!!
Mouse+Nadia: Hey..
Kevin: What's smells good in here?
Jay: Chicken Alfredo pasta with cheesy bread..
Adam: Let's eat!
Erin: Hey, Leo wants to ask you all something.
Kim: What's up Handsome?
Leo: My birthday is coming up and I'm having a party at the bowling place. I wanted to know if you all would like to come?
Nick: Of course!
Kevin: Yup I'll be there, I'll bring my sister and brother.
Leo: cool, it's gonna be a baseball theme so you have to wear a baseball jersey.
Nick: I can finally wear my Yankees jersey..
Leo: Yea, but it won't be my fault when I tease you..
Adam: So you really don't like your home teams?
Leo: Nope, My mom and dad are Chicago fan so I am too.

The group of family and friends ate dinner as usual, they continued to discuss in more details about Leo's party. After dinner Erin had left the room to go tend to Chloe. She needed a diaper change and she was hungry. After fixing all of Chloe's problems, she brought the little lady out to see her family.

Kevin: I call dibs to hold her first!
Kim: second...
Erin: You Can all have a turn, Chloe is wide awake.
Kevin: Hand my precious little niece over than.
Erin: Actually God daughter...
Kevin: Are you serious, Linds don't play with like that!
Jay: We're serious we want you and Adam to be Chloes god father...
Erin: We also want Kim to be her Godmother.. if you all accept?
Kevin: Of course, it would an honor...
Kim: Yes, Thank you this is amazing.
Adam: I don't know what to say, you guys always call me childish and a big kid. Now you want me to be a God father to this perfect little human.
Jay: Yes, you childish but are one of the most dependable people we know. Leo loves hanging with and Chloe will too.
Adam: This is unbelievable, Of course I will accept this honor. I won't let you guys down.
Erin: We just have to wait to make it official and then all of you will officially be god parents to our kids. Leo has Nadia, Nick, and Mouse while Chloe has Kim, Kevin and Adam.
Jay: Antonio will be The Godfather to our next kid.
Kevin: Dang Jay y'all have barely been home a few weeks and your tryna add another one to the team.
Jay: I'm down for however many she wants.
Erin: Down now Jay, your not touching anything over here for a while. Get use to them cold showers.
Adam: Damn Jay.. we know who wears the pants in the relationship!
Jay: You know what, she may wear the pants but I take charge when I need to. She knows who wears the pants then.
Nadia: Erin Lindsay gives her power up!!
Erin: Hey if you had a man with his talent you would too. So, enough of our bedroom life.
Jay: Agreed!!
Erin: I do want to talk to you guys about a team building trip?
Kim: What's that?
Erin: Commander said we are doing amazing work and rewarded us with a full inclusive trip, and we get to pick between the locations offered.
Nick: Where can we go?
Erin: Orlando, California, Texas, Colorado, or Seattle. This trip will happen the last week of September, so we got a 2 months before we go. Where would you all like to go?
Mouse: Orlando sounds amazing.
Nadia: Orlando does sound amazing...
Kevin: Texas gonna be hot as hell so nope and It will still be hurricane season.
Kim: Colorado sounds cool but for winter. I like Orlando for this trip.
Nick: I agree Orlando, sounds great. We might can catch fright fest too.
Kevin: Orlando it is than. How long is this trip?
Erin: A week long trip, it's much needed for all of us.
Jay: I can definitely agree, so we got Leo's party and a team building trip on the horizon.
Erin: Yup, I'll let Antonio know everything.