It was noon the next day.
Most Irish-Americans are devout Catholics, with few following Protestantism. The Reagan family was no exception. Although they had been in the New World since the mid-19th century, they still kept traditions of weekly church services and family dinners on weekends.
In a show of hospitality, Danny's wife, Linda, had set the long dining table with a complete set of gold-trimmed English bone china, which looked unmistakably expensive. The only daughter in the Reagan family, Erin—whom Jack had met yesterday—was helping her sister-in-law set the table. The men of the family were all sitting around waiting for the meal, in a display of traditional family dynamics.
When Jack entered the dining room with Danny, Linda, who had been busy all morning, was playfully scolding her father-in-law. "Staten Island isn't on the other side of the world, Frank. Coming here for a meal on the weekends wouldn't kill you."
Without a mother-in-law, Linda had a lot more confidence.
Frank Reagan sat at one end of the table, chuckling as he listened to his daughter-in-law's remarks, completely relaxed and without any of the authoritative demeanor he showed outside as NYPD Commissioner.
"It's been too long, Linda. You're looking younger and younger! Here, these are for you." Jack handed her a bouquet of flowers, his words dripping with charm.
"Thank you! You know, someone hasn't bought me flowers in ages," Linda said, giving Jack a quick hug and a peck on the cheek before shooting Danny a look. Then, she turned and went back to the kitchen.
Scratching the back of his head, Danny awkwardly took the bottle of sparkling wine from Jack's hands. "I'll go grab the corkscrew."
"What smells so good?" an older man with a cane hobbled into the dining room. Two young boys dashed past him, calling, "Dad!" as they flung themselves into Danny's arms.
"Careful!" Linda reappeared from the kitchen, carrying a large steaming platter of roasted meat, the aroma instantly capturing everyone's attention. Following behind her was Erin Reagan, holding additional dishes.
Following the tradition of respecting the elderly, Jack pulled out the chair at the opposite end of the table for the elderly man with mobility issues.
"Thank you, young man. You must be Jack, right? How about you sit beside me?" The old man, former NYPD Commissioner Henry Reagan, gestured to the seat next to him.
"It's been ages since I've seen such a young FBI agent. How old are you? Eighteen, nineteen? Goodness, is the country so desperate for recruits now?" Henry joked, making Frank Reagan a bit uncomfortable.
"Dad, Jack recently received the FBI Medal of Valor. He took down a suicide bomber with an explosive vest during a terrorist attack, saving everyone at the scene. And after that, he ran into a burning building to rescue a baby," Frank added, trying to clarify.
Everyone at the table turned to Jack in surprise. Linda placed the platter of roasted meat in front of Frank, straightened up, and gave Jack an impressed look.
"Oh my gosh, we're lucky to be hosting a hero."
Despite being used to the straightforward way Westerners express admiration, Jack still felt a bit awkward in the spotlight.
At that moment, footsteps sounded from outside, and a young man around Jack's age hurried into the dining room. "Hey, everyone!"
"Hi, Jimmy!" Henry greeted his grandson, thrilled to see him. "You finally made it," Frank said, clearly happy to see his youngest son, Jamie Reagan. He casually asked, "Where's your girlfriend?"
"She's with her family in Greenwich," Jamie replied, taking a seat next to Henry, directly across from Jack.
"Looks like we'll need to get a bigger table," Henry said, gazing at his family with a look of contentment.
Everyone took their seats. Erin Reagan sat beside Frank with her daughter, a short-haired girl around Alexis's age, while Danny's family sat across from them.
"Thank you, Lord, for your generosity in giving us this meal. Amen."
Jamie led the prayer, and the others crossed their hands over their chests, touching their foreheads and shoulders in the sign of the cross. Jack, an atheist, respectfully bowed his head.
"Let's dig in! I can't wait to try this roast. Linda, your cooking just keeps getting better," Henry praised, raising his hand to indicate his son should start carving the meat—a role that seemed reserved for the head of the family.
"As I understand, this isn't Linda's cooking—at least, that's not what Danny said when he dropped off the meat yesterday." Frank sliced into the succulent shoulder roast, releasing an even richer aroma that had everyone instinctively swallowing.
"Mom, can I have less beans?" Danny's oldest son, barely seven or eight years old and already wearing glasses, looked at his mother pleadingly.
"Absolutely not. But you can swap them for rice," Linda said, lightly tapping his forehead to get him to behave.
"I've already had a taste, but this roast is even better today. Jack, did you actually train in culinary arts?" Linda asked.
All eyes turned back to Jack, surprised that he was behind this delicious roast.
"It's just a special marinade. The real magic is in the grilling," Jack replied humbly, engaging in a little friendly banter. He'd become accustomed to cooking well enough to impress, given that his friends had developed refined tastes over time.
Though Henry was nearly 80, he had a hearty appetite. He quickly finished his portion of roast, giving Frank a look.
"Dad, you've got to watch your cholesterol. You can't surrender in your battle with it," Frank said, half amused and half exasperated, as his father looked at him with a childlike pleading expression and held out his plate.
"How about a tactical retreat for today?" Henry joked, giving Frank a playful wink.
With a resigned sigh, Frank carved another hefty slice for his father. Meanwhile, a small argument broke out between Danny's kids.
------------------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get early access to chapters by joining my Patre@n!
Find me at: patre@n*com/Mutter
You can read each novel for $5 or get them all for just $15.
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]