Chapter Eleven
"Thanks Pop," Eddie sniffled as he Henry put two bags of clothing and supplies in Melissa's living room.
"No problem, sweet girl," Henry replied. "Congratulations, I know you are happy about this and you'll see, Jamie will settle down. He never did well with shock."
"I know but…Henry I can't, I just can't do what he wants no matter what," Eddie sighed. "I can't."
"Oh, I understand that, Eddie. I do. This is your child, and besides it being against the Church, it's again your parental instinct. I'll have a word with Jamie, but for now, let's go one day at a time," Henry advised. "I'm going to go home but if you need me call." Henry paused to nuzzle little JJ the left Eddie to Melissa. "Marcus, help Eddie onto the sofa so she can put her feet up, she had some AD earlier and needs to rest out of her chair okay?"
Marcus carefully moved Eddie to the recliner sofa and covered her with a blanket. "Where's my partner?"
"Last I saw him he was at the hospital, Frank, uh, Commissioner Reagan sent Danny for him. I'm sure Danny can talk to him and he'll calm down and we'll work it out."
"He's nothing if not level headed, it's panic I'm sure of it," Marcus replied. "Lissy, I'm going to change this little one and put him down for his nap. I'll let you two talk."
Marcus disappeared to the back of the house with JJ. "I can't believe it, this is so great!" Melissa smiled. "Isn't it great?"
Eddie leaned back, "Oh yes, I dreamt of this for so long. Jamie's baby inside of me, actually having a baby like a normal woman. I'm so happy, I really am."
"But Jamie…" Melissa sighed "He's…"
"He's being Jamie," Eddie replied. "No, actually he's being…he was crying so hard I have never seen him go like that before, not ever…He didn't even smile, he just sat there and then the abortion talk. He wants me to choose to end this baby's life."
"Eddie it's dangerous for you," Melissa replied. "It's much more dangerous for you than for me. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared for you, that you could die. But as a mother, I know that the minute the doctor said you are pregnant, that baby was the first priority in your life, more than Jamie's wishes, even more than your life. Jamie can't understand that yet, he hasn't formed a bond yet. It took Marcus a few months, until I started to show to really connect and be engaged and he didn't hear the gloomy speeches Jamie did."
"I know," Eddie replied. "I know but…no one is taking this child out of me. If Jamie can't handle it then…"
"One step at a time, Eddie," Melissa replied. "Let's just take a minute and just…be happy. This is a miracle every baby is and you…you have a little miracle inside of you."
Danny slowly approached Jamie. He was seated in the conference room, knees pulled up, blanket around his thin shoulders. "He's actually a bit shocky," Dr. O'Dell informed Danny. "I have never seen a father take it this way. I hope you can talk to him."
"Thanks," Danny replied and sat down on the sofa next to Jamie. "Hey, Kid…Big day huh?"
Jamie looked up at Danny eyes swollen. Danny remembered him as a little boy when he'd find a hurt kitten or would get beat up for standing up to a bully. This was no kitten or bully, this was whole other matter. "Listen, I get you're scared Jamie I do. The word pregnant strikes fear in the heart of a man under the best of circumstances and this is not that."
"I can't lose her Danny," Jamie replied. "I need her, I can't let her do this to herself. We can adopt a baby or get a surrogate, I can't let her, I have to convince her."
Danny put his arm around Jamie, "You're not going to be able to do that, Jamie. The minute Eddie heard she was pregnant she changed, she became a mom and believe me there is no force more formidable in this world than a momma bear fighting for her cub. That baby is Eddie's cub and if she thinks someone is gonna hurt it…" Danny shook his head.
"I don't want to hurt it Danny," Jamie sighed. "I don't, but I can't let Eddie do this when I know that she would face incredible suffering and likely death. She's my wife, I need her, I love her…"
"I know you do, and I get it. I get how terrified you are, I can't say what I'd do in your seat but I get you are coming from fear. I do and Eddie will too."
Jamie sighed, "You have to help me. You have to help me make her see, we can have a baby, she can be a mother, just not this way. Not in a way that can kill her."
Danny listened to Jamie express his fears. When Jamie was calmer, Danny took him by the arm and headed out. "Dad says to take you home, that you and Eddie need a break to let things sink in. He's got her over at Melissa's and Marcus promised to take good care of her."
Jamie nodded, "I need a drink, can we stop?"
"Yeah, we can stop…Let's go kiddo."
While Jamie was being handled by his big brother, Eddie and Melissa continued to talk. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you need," Melissa told her. "You are like a sister to me, and JJ is your godson. I need you to help me with this Eddie, with my baby being deaf. Marcus can teach me sign but my fingers, they aren't dexterous enough…"
"I read a lot about JJ's condition and he might be able to learn to read lips and even talk a little bit too."
"I know it's not as horrible as finding out he has an incurable disease, but…it's a shock finding out your baby isn't perfect."
Eddie took a breath, if their baby was deaf, she could never sign to him or her. Her hands were useless to her, Melissa had much more ability. Still, Eddie was convinced she and Jamie could raise this baby together if he just gave it a chance.
"You're really tired, I can see. You need all the rest you can get, the baby will make you tired more tired than physical therapy. You nap and I'll fix a dinner that was guaranteed to go down easy. Rest…"
Melissa tucked the blanket around Eddie and went to fix dinner.
"How can she do this?" Jamie slurred into a glass of whiskey without the water back. "It's so dangerous, I know she loved the baby, I love it too, it's ours but what life can that baby have with no mother. Always knowing that because he or she is alive, Eddie is dead."
"You don't know that will happen, Kid," Danny soothed. "You don't know that will happen. What you do know is that Eddie is having a baby, your baby, and Jamie you are scared of losing Eddie let me warn you, as your big brother, you keep this up and you will lose her. You are scared of her dying, that MIGHT happen but Jamie, you push her on this abortion stuff, you will lose her, that WILL happen."
Jamie slid of the stool, "Not if I can talk some sense into her. I can make her see reason, I can."
"I'm sure you can but not right now, right now you need to go home and sleep it off. Come on kid…"
Danny slid his arm around Jamie, "Let's go home, you sleep on it, tomorrow everything will be better you'll see."
Jamie went along with Danny, and shut his eyes on the ride home. Danny walked Jamie inside, "You go on in there."
Danny made sure Jamie was tucked in the sofa. He fed Ray and changed his water then headed home thinking how he was going to explain Jamie's freakout to Linda. Ray wandered over to Jamie, looked at the place where Eddie usually sat and barked.
"She's not here, Ray," Jamie sighed. "She's not here, she went someplace.." Jamie reached out and pet the dog behind the ears. "They going to let me keep you? Or will I lose you too when I lose her?"
Ray watched Jamie with soft soulful eyes, then licked his hand. "You miss her, I know," Jamie replied. "I miss her too, let's go get her okay? You go wait for us and I'll go bring her home. She'll hear me out, she has to see it. She's so smart…"
Jamie rubbed Ray again and called for a taxi to ferry him off to his wife's temporary accommodation.
"Who on earth is that?" Melissa asked spying a taxi pulling up as she finished clearing the table from their supper.
Marcus looked out the window seeing Jamie stumbling from the taxi up the front lawn. "Lissy, Eddie you two stay inside, he's drunk and he might be disorderly…"
Marcus headed out to the lawn and headed Jamie off. "What's going on Jamie? Why are you here?"
"I'm here to for my wife," Jamie said. "I have to talk to her Marcus, I have to make her understand."
"Jamie, all you are going to make her do is get upset. This is the best place for Eddie right now, she needs Melissa to talk to about how she's feeling. You're hurting her heart not wanting this baby."
"I do want to have a baby," Jamie griped. "I just don't want her to have it."
"Well that's pretty stupid, my friend, she is pregnant now. It's different…"
"Eddie!" Jamie called out. "Eddie, I need to talk to you…You can't do this…Eddie!"
Eddie and Melissa sat in the window watching Marcus trying to calm Jamie down. Jamie started for the house a few times, calling out to Eddie. The day had been very emotional and tiring for her, she did not need this added stress. "Melissa…' Eddie sighed turning her face away. "I can't believe he's doing this. I…'
Eddie stopped when she saw Jamie take a swing at Marcus. Marcus responded with a quick sharp punch knocking Jamie down on the grass.
"Come on, Man, let's go home, sleep off this stupor… We'll get some ice on the eye. Come on to the car…"
The knock to his behind had subdued Jamie, "I don't understand, Marcus. I don't understand…"
"I know, come on, let's go…"
While Marcus was busy handling Jamie, Melissa and Eddie sat down together for another talk. Eddie was in tears, her arms once again fixed over her belly. "He thinks he loves me more than I love him but I think it's the opposite. I love him so much that I could never do anything to forsake our child because that love is a joint love and I'll protect it with my life. I might do fine, I am going to see the best doctors, but if I don't at least there will be something left behind. It will be the greatest thing I've done….the most natural thing this body would've done, the most natural thing it will ever do…"
Melissa nodded, "It is and it's really unfair of Jamie to do this and say this before you even see the specialist."
"I don't know how I can forgive him for this, Melissa, as much as I love him. This is my child, I'm responsible for it's life. I already love this baby and no one is going to hurt it. I know Jamie thinks this is right but it isn't. I have to make him see reason. I have to."
Melissa leaned over and patted Eddie's shoulder, "He will, Im sure of. It's scary, all of this mom stuff, but you can do it. I know you can."
A/N: Technically, this is supposed to update on the 28th but I was being annoyed by people when I typed the summary and said the 27th so I waited until very late so I sort of stayed on schedule. Thanks for understanding.
STELLA! Yes, I temporarily had Jamie channel Stanley, but the poor guy is in such a state of panic he can't see straight. Danny, Marcus, Frank, and Henry…they have their work cut out for them trying to get Jamie to calm down and settle.
Next Update – March 3rd – Jamie continues to struggle with Eddie's pregnancy, Eddie decides it's time to go home and reason with her husband