Chapter 2
"So where are we headed tonight?" Jamie asked as his twinkling eyes glanced right towards his beautiful and animated passenger while he drove as directed towards Central Park and the East Side of Manhattan. "I'm almost afraid to ask."
"Oh, Jamie Reagan! Don't you worry! You'll love it! I promise!" his new friend gushed as she stared straight ahead and impishly pushed her fingers over to grab the hand he had resting on the center console of his black Ford Mustang. "I'll even give you a choice since you're still technically recovering from being sick. I scoped out two things that are only a block apart. Just park in the garage at 80th and Fifth Avenue… I'll tell you about them and you can decide which direction we walk. We need to celebrate your first day back at work with some adventure."
"Still scaring me a little, Addie," he smirked as he turned where requested to enter the structure and pulled into an open space on the third level. This destination dating thing was a little new to him. Ever since Sydney left, well even before that if he was honest, there had been precious little spontaneity in his romantic relationships. Dana's arrival from the West Coast and their activities were always pre-planned; he had barely even gone out with Jen the ER doc before that fizzled, and for the past two years he and Eddie had always just met after work at a pub or bar with their interactions revolving around eating and drinking or playing beer pong. Wait, check that, he thought; that didn't really constitute dating he reminded himself. Given that fact, his recent love life history was even sadder than he cared to admit, and ironically, the last time he had found himself behaving like this had been back in his first year at Harvard when his brother Joe and then girlfriend and future fiance, Angela Greene, would come to Boston together to show him a good time. Ironic because his current companion just happened to be none other than Angie's youngest sister Addison, virtually a complete dead ringer for her older sibling who had recently followed the same path to the Big Apple from Portland.
"Okay, okay," she said enthusiastically when they got out of the car and started walking towards the exit, the beep beep of the car's locks being set from his remote button echoing behind them. "Now don't laugh…"
"Oh boy, here it comes…" he sighed as he took her hand and braced himself.
"If we go this way," she said while swinging her hand and hips right, "The MoMa is having a late night exhibition of Epic Mbembe Art Wood Carvings, and I just happened to score two free passes from Dr. Holden at St. Vic's," she said as she flashed the tickets at him. "Can you believe she isn't using them?" she asked in all seriousness.
"An evening of Epic Mbembe Art Wood Carvings at the Museum of Metropolitan Art," Jamie deadpanned. Classic. "And door number two?"
"That tall building on the corner there," Addie pointed left as she pulled a trifold brochure out of her other pocket and started to read from the summary. "That's an extreme sports hotspot currently featuring Tall Falls Stunt Jumping with the Manhattan Stunt Company. Adrenaline rush guaranteed!" she proclaimed. "Whether you're looking to overcome your fear of heights or you're a professional stunt person, the Manhattan Stunt Company has the perfect answer for any thrill seeker including the Monday evening class featuring the exhilarating feeling of Tall Falls. The class starts with basic theory and moves into table falls and crash mats so that you can learn the proper technique. Finally, you'll climb the ladder and experience a rush like no other as you free fall from the three story jumping platform to the landing airbag," she looked up and smiled. "You're in for the experience of a lifetime it says!" Her striking, crystal blue eyes were flashing with excitement.
"MoMa and the Mbembe it is," Jamie said as he grabbed her shoulders and steered her right without a second thought. His heart froze at the notion of falling off anything on purpose; he'd always had a strong aversion to heights anyway.
"Dr. Holden told me you would pick that," Addie smirked. "She knew you would be too chicken to jump."
"Yeah, well, I get enough adrenalin rushes out on the street," he admitted. "At least I did."
"Aw, Jamie, you're just about ready to be cleared for full duty. I told you the last time we did your lung function tests that you only had a little way to go yet, didn't I?" That was Addison Greene the respiratory therapist talking now. Luckily for Jamie she had been on her first shift of duty with Dr. Holden, his pulmonologist, the day he had been brought into the ER at St. Victor's gasping for breath. The unexpected sight of a familiar face had been just enough to steady his nerves somewhat, and she had stayed with him for hours, doing her best to calm him and relieve the congestion in his chest so he didn't wind up needing to be intubated as was initially feared. She'd proven to be a real lifeline through that whole first week, and with Linda's prodding after he had been discharged, the two had struck up a fast friendship and decided to explore the possibilities of dating in recent weeks. It's not like I had any other offers, Jamie had thought ruefully, or did I? he considered as his mind snapped back to that look Eddie had given him at the precinct this morning. If he hadn't known better he would have thought she had been ready launch herself at him. His heart fluttered a little at the idea before he dismissed it. Crazy talk, he chided himself. I've obviously been misreading her for years, and Addie was personable, bright, fun-loving and certainly easy on the eyes. More importantly, she was here and interested in going out with him. The biggest drawback? She was truly Angie's 'little' sister and had just recently celebrated her 23rd birthday. Nearly seven years her senior, Jamie felt a little outdated around her, but was determined not to let that dissuade him right now.
The couple made their way into the museum and were able to avoid the rush at the box office with their advanced tickets as Addison was quick to point out. "Who knew a couple of hundred people would be standing in line for sub-Saharan African wood carvers at this time of night," he muttered. A lifelong New Yorker, Jamie had been amazed at some of the odd things to do that his new romantic interest from Portland had ferreted out in his own hometown. There was certainly never a dull moment around her. They spent an hour or so wandering through the exhibit, observing and commenting on the visually dramatic wood sculptures of mothers with their offspring and male warriors created between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, originally part of the monumental carved drums integral to the tribe. Their cultural experience complete, the pair walked outside and sat on a bench after purchasing dinner from a local food truck… at least that was something Jamie felt he had the upper hand at.
"This is delicious!" Addie raved as she basically inhaled her sandwich. "I didn't realize how hungry I was!"
"Yeah, me too," Jamie laughed at the familiar reaction to a meal break… one that had him pining a little for another partnership that seemed to be over. The reality that he would no longer be riding in the RMP with Eddie every workday during their tours was just starting to settle in.
"So," Addie continued as she licked her fingers, "I can't wait for you to see Angie again when she flies in for Darla's wedding in a couple of weeks. She and Michael are so excited about coming back to the city now with the baby due in three months; she figures they won't be doing much travelling for a few years."
"Yes, can't wait," Jamie hedged as he thought about what that reunion might be like. Angie would forever be Joe's girl to him; the two had a real connection and chemistry that had been evident to everyone who knew them. She had been essentially another big sister for all of those years and seeing her married to someone else and expecting a child made Jamie feel uneasy as much as he wanted to be happy for her. She certainly deserved to move on with her life but it was going to be another difficult reminder that his brother was truly gone and missing out on all the past years would have had to offer him. Surely Joe would have been a father himself by now, Jamie thought sadly, suddenly picturing all the empty chairs that represented at Sunday dinners… spaces he had done nothing to fill himself in recent years.
"Hey, why so glum, chum?" Addie finally broke in as she noticed him going all introspective. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Course not," he answered with a smile. "Guess I'm just getting tired. Was a long day at work and I'm not quite back to a hundred percent yet."
"We can go," she offered without a second thought. "You need to take it easy when you feel that way so you don't relapse. I'm working swing the rest of the week, how about you?"
"First," he confirmed. "Still riding a desk." The one drawback now that he was back on the job would be coordinating their shifting schedules.
"Well, I'll definitely see you Friday," she smirked. "You're due back for your next appointment with Dr. Holden at three o'clock and I'll be there early before shift with bells on and my fanciest spirometer. Better bring your best pair of lungs with you so we can finally get you released from her service. Technically we're breaking some rules here while you're still a patient, right?"
"Technically, I guess," he agreed as he reached over and drew her in for a long kiss. Her lips were soft and exciting. "Not that I care much about that right at this moment."
"We're lucky that my new boss doesn't either, although I'm sure she doesn't want me to make a habit of it. Promise me you'll try not to take a nosedive into another pile of bleach bottles anytime soon," she smiled as she gazed in his eyes while they broke apart. "You're such a baby when it comes to being sick. Typical man," she laughed as she stood up and grabbed his hand. "How about Saturday?"
"Maybe at night," he answered. "I might be brain dead at that point though. I've got that big sergeant's test all afternoon. I won't be done with it until after six and then I'll probably end up at the local cop bar with all the other candidates defusing afterwards. Renzulli is really ratcheting up the heat on me. He told me today that the top score will get a promotion directly to the 3-5, so if I do well I might have my gold shield and stripes in no time."
"Oh, nighttime is a no go unless it's pretty late. I have my riding lesson up at the stables scheduled for then. Well, I guess it's good that I'm tied up for the rest of the week," she laughed. "You need to have your butt home studying every night anyway."
"There's Sunday," he added without thinking. "We have our family dinner after church if you're not busy." Whoa, where the hell did that come from? he wondered with a little shock. He hadn't taken a guest to dinner in years since... well since Sydney, but Addison had not been shy about spending time over at the house in recent weeks and seemed to get along well with everyone in the family. In reality, she had been practically related to them at one point, right? It just seemed natural to invite her over. Jamie had always tried to hide his personal life from the rest of the Reagans as much as possible but that didn't seem to be necessary at this point.
"Sounds perfect then... Sunday it is," Addie agreed without hesitation as they walked back to the car. A short drive with a pleasant good night kissing session later, and Jamie soon found himself alone again and turning the keys in the lock of his own apartment door, before throwing them in the basket on the small table in the entry and making his way over to the couch to sink bonelessly back as he kicked off his shoes and propped his feet up on the coffee table. He was determined to take things slow with Addison... no need to rush into anything too fast, he reminded himself.
"So good to be home finally," he muttered as he relaxed in his own space. Moving back here over the weekend after three weeks of living at the family enclave made him appreciate the privacy his little apartment afforded. No one was here to interrogate him about how he was feeling or how the date had gone, although he smiled to himself, it hadn't been half bad. Who knew the Mbembe were such an interesting people? Certainly a better option than flinging himself backwards off of a three-story scaffolding somewhere else he thought with a shudder.
After a few more moments he chewed the inside of his lip thoughtfully and got up to make his way over to a small closet, hesitating before pulling a storage box down off the top shelf and setting it on the coffee table. He rummaged through it for a few seconds before lifting out a framed photo taken during a visit his first year at Harvard. Those same crystal blue eyes that Addison had inherited stared back from a slightly different smiling face, nestled in the center of a campus bench between him and his brother Joe. His throat tightened a little as he realized just how practically identical Angie and Addie were at the same age. He put the photo down on the table and sank back in the chair, staring at it. So much had changed. If he could only go back to that innocent time, before his mother had grown ill with cancer, before Joe had been killed that terrible night. So many things would be different now.
His eyes soon shifted left though and fell upon the thick department study guide laying on the table alongside a stack of hospital bills that were coming due shortly. He sighed as he reached for the book and thumbed through the now completely familiar pages. A promotion would come with a major boost in pay and an increase in benefits. He was determined to take that top spot on Saturday's test. Like it or not, it was time to move on in many aspects of his life.
Aw, now don't be hating on my girl Addie… she's got a good heart and plays a very big role in things that happen later. Our boy is just a bit confused right now but trust me, reality hits him hard at one point. Stay strong Jamko fans, this is a long ride but we'll get there. Next up, Eddie discovers that Jamie might be further out of her reach than she thought, but don't worry! She's got a plan!