Tiny footsteps padded against the wood floor as Jamie quickly made his way from the Reagan kitchen to the living room fast as his little legs could take him. A smile glowed the entire time, his tight blond curls bouncing coming into the living room.
"Eddie," he exclaimed brightly seeing his best friend standing just inside their doorway. Stepping forward he stumbled slipping the loose rug and landed on his knee.
Eddie quickly let her mom's hand go to sit and hug her crying friend. "No cry Jamie, it okay. Knee hurt? Eddie will kiss it." Without waiting for a response Eddie gave his scraped knee a small kiss also bringing a smile to his face.
"Thank you Eddie. Come play?" Wiping the tears away Jamie reached his hand out smiling when he took Eddie's. "Come Eddie play with Jamie toys. I share with you." Together they plopped on the living room floor in front of some of Jamie's toys were kept.
In his tiny grasp Jamie gave Eddie a new red toy car he recently received. "Eddie play toy car with Jamie. Jamie shares favorite toy." He took a blue car out from the bucket, driving it around in a circle. "Police car like daddy and Pop. We go catch bad guys."
Mary and Eddie's mom Lena watched with matching smiles as their kids happily played together. Jamie never strayed far from Eddie and if he did he looked back and waited for her to catch up before pushing the car forward again.
Jamie pushed the car a bit more adding beeping noises as he led Eddie around the couch. "We need a stop sign." Abandoning the car where it was Jamie searched his toys until he found a stop sign to set down.
With the temperature supposedly hitting in the high eighties Mary decided to take the kids to their favorite park for some outdoor time. Other kids came and went mostly playing by themselves while their nanny or parent watched from a bench. She placed the kids inside a sandbox for a bit, staying close while they played.
Eddie dug a tight fist inside the sand, making a hole to push more inside. Looking up the slide's metal only feet from them catching her eye Eddie brushed both hands together. "Jamie slide."
Brushing the sand off his hands onto the blue jeans Mary picked out Jamie took Eddie's hand going over to the slide. He stepped back, letting her go up first smiling unaware of the handful of other kids playing around them. Eddie's blond hair flew freely when she slid down causing the toddler to giggle. "Jamie turn."
Smiling Jamie held on as he slid down joining her on the bottom. Holding hands they wandered off in exploration of the climbing structure. Jamie climbed up, holding onto the side tight until reaching the top only then realizing Eddie wasn't with him. He looked down, finding her still at the bottom of the structure. "Eddie climb up."
Her blue eyes rounded wide, shaking her head. "No, high."
A boy around their age crawled past Jamie climbing down just in front of Eddie. Thin eyed Jamie came down immediately stepping in between them. "My friend Eddie. Eddie climb up with Jamie together. It ok no high." His fingers of their holding hand tightly wrapped around hers while the other reached up to start climbing, using his free hand to hold on.
After each slow move up the step Jamie turned to Eddie smiling especially hard once they reached the top. "Yay, you did it," he clapped smiling proudly.
They slid down together laughing and passing the time to early afternoon with a running game they invented. Both kids' faces turned beet red by the time Mary called them to head back for lunch. "Would you like me to carry you," Mary smiled.
"Yes mommy please." Mary obliged the kids by lifting them up into her arms, carrying two tired toddlers the few blocks back to the house.
She changed them then helped them wash up, setting both at the kitchen table while she made lunch. Both kids ate their sandwich and fruit quietly.
"Hmm yummy," Eddie danced in her chair after taking a bite. "Miss Mary milk please."
Smiling at the request Mary poured milk into two sippy cups for both of them. Jamie picked up a grape with his pincer grasp looking to Eddie as he ate.
After lunch was finished Mary helped wash the kids up and settled them on the living room couch for a quiet movie before nap time while she cleaned up the kitchen. Eddie wrapped her arms around her body with a small shake. "Eddie cold?"
Jamie pulled the large blanket Mary kept on the couch over himself and Eddie.
"Thank you Jamie."
They settled against the couch laughing at the cartoon on the television through quickly closing eyes. "No nap," Jamie muttered under his breath, talking more to himself then anyone else.
"No, no nap." Eddie's eyes closed, opening again catching herself trying to fight off the exhaustion.
Their battle didn't last very long as both kids fell asleep somehow managing to hold hands with their heads laying near each other. Jamie's other hand held onto the blanket that covered them both while they napped.
Mary stood in the doorway smiling at the picture she came across after finishing her chores. She carefully picked up Jamie and Eddie to carry upstairs into Jamie's bed. "Eddie," Jamie whispered as he was set down first on his mattress.
"Eddie is right here honey." Mary carefully lay Eddie down and tucked them both in for their much needed nap. She closed the blinds, turning the room dark and shut Jamie's light off so they could rest. Turning back for a quick check she smiled at the best friends once again fast asleep with Jamie's arm around Eddie protectively.
Eddie woke up first just a little past two reorienting herself to what room she was in. Turning over where Jamie slept she smiled, climbing down to play quietly until Jamie woke up.
Only fifteen minutes passed before Jamie woke too slowly, the curls sticking up on his head. "Eddie," he beamed, sliding down to join her. "Eddie my friend. He pulled a bear down from the bed onto her lap. "Eddie have my bear."
The front door opened downstairs followed by Frank's voice asking if anyone is home. "Daddy home!" Jamie dropped the toy for Eddie's hand and took her downstairs careful on each step. "Daddy!"
"Hey bud," Frank caught Jamie in his large arms for a bear hug, smiling at Eddie. Kneeling down on one knee he offered a hug to Eddie smiling. "I came home early to spend some time with you guys. Daddy is just going to change then we can play."
Good to his word Frank changed his clothes and took the kids out back joined by Danny, Erin and Joe. Joe lifted Eddie up high smiling when she made the basket. "Woo she did it. We won the game!"
Time flew by and before they knew Lena returned to pick up her daughter. Eddie pouted her lips together but turned to hug Jamie obediently. "Bye bye Jamie. "
"Bye bye Eddie." Jamie held onto his friend so she wouldn't have to go. His blue eyes trailed after her the entire time Eddie walked back to her mother as Lena thanked Mary for taking such good care of her daughter. He waved a little hand until Eddie disappeared inside the house with the mom's.
"Hey, it's okay kid Eddie will be back real soon. What do you want to play until dinner's ready," Joe asked, kneeling by his brother's side.
Jamie shook his head quietly focusing on the empty doorway. "Eddie no go bye bye. Eddie stay and play with Jamie. " He plopped himself down on the grass not once taking his eyes off the doorway Eddie and her mom exited.
"Eddie had to go to her house but she's coming back to play with you. Do you want to go inside and color a picture for her," Frank asked softly. Nodding his little head Jamie extended both arms up, laying his head on his daddy's shoulder.
Frank rubbed his youngest's back while carrying him inside to the living room for a coloring session with Erin. "Jamie is so sad Eddie left," Frank whispered softly once Jamie was engaged.
"You should have seen him today Frank. We went to the park and he held her hand, helped her and wouldn't leave her side." Mary smiled, "I think we're going to be seeing Eddie around her for a very long time."
They paused, watching Jamie carefully pick out crayons to scribble a picture with Erin. "I just hope they stay friends no matter what happens."
Mary said nothing but had no doubt that they would remain not only the best of friends but maybe more as they got older.