Chapter Twenty Five
"Hello!" Joey called as he and Molly arrived for Sunday dinner later that week. It wasn't quite the same with Danny, Linda, Jack and Rita, and Sean having dinner at the hospital, but that was the best they could do for a few more weeks until Danny was well enough to leave on the weekends.
"Hi, honey," Eddie greeted. "Oh, Molly that smells wonderful." Eddie took the trifle from her daughter-in-law's hands.
"I used a different liquor this time, the other was too hard on Grandpa," Molly replied. "Can I help with anything?
"No, we have things pretty much arranged, you can sit and relax. Danielle is almost here then we can have some appetizers," Eddie said as Molly went to sit on the other side of the kitchen.
Joey gave Eddie a hug and whispered in her ear, "She's down, she's been down for days if you can talk to her."
Eddie nodded, "I'll do my best."
Joey headed to the living room to talk to his father and grandfather. Eddie turned to smile at Erin, "Would you mind excusing us for a second please. I'll be right out with the rice puffs."
Erin nodded, "I'll take Dad this hot cup of tea."
Eddie sat at the kitchen table, "Are you okay honey? You look tired, did you have a rough case?"
"No, most of my people are okay right now just in the middle of things,' Molly replied. "Too sick to continue not sick enough to pass through yet, no it's…It's Joey and me…We have tried for seven months now to get pregnant, Rita is showing now…We got married the same day and she's showing, her baby is ready to quicken and Joey and I are still trying."
"I know how that is,' Eddie replied. "Jamie and I tried three years for Joey. Three years of temperatures charts and counting and having sex on a schedule, it was very stressful and disappointing. I know how hard it can be honey."
Molly sighed, "We lost a month too because Joseph had to go back to work the other night when it was my time and…Life with a cop."
"That is true," Eddie replied. "We have to go do that sometimes, get up in the middle of the night, rush off. It happens, but I was a cop's wife a lot longer than I was a cop. I understand how you felt that night and it's okay to be upset about it. The first time I went to radiation Jamie had to stay at work on a case and Frank came with me but of course I was sick and scared and I wanted my husband. We have a bad fight that night, a bad one. But we talked it out, we spoke up about our fears and we got through it. Molly, I know you don't want to speak up to Joey about work or make him feel stressed or guilty if he has to leave but honey, he's going to feel it from you and that'll make it ten time worse. Just think about it." Eddie stood up and handed her a tray of rice balls, "Please bring this in to the rest of the family I'll be right there."
"Hello, everyone!" Danielle greeted as she came in the kitchen door. "Hey, Eddie. I just visited Danny, he seems to be doing a lot better."
"That's good, Jamie was concerned." Eddie gave Danielle a hug and took the two loaves of bread she carried with her. "Everyone else is in the living room, I'll be right in."
Danielle headed off and Eddie turned down the heat on her gravy. She felt really hot from standing over the stove. Eddie opened the door to get some air.
Meanwhile, the rest of the family was laughing as Frank regaled them with stories of the past. Joey tried to stay close to Molly, but she was still upset with him. She held it back, and hardened her heart against the sting.
Dinner was ready a half hour later. No one had seen Eddie since Danielle arrived. Jamie was concerned, Eddie love rice balls and hadn't come to eat any. "Excuse me," he smiled at the family. "Lila can you check on supper please?"
Lila got up to check the kitchen, Jamie went in search of his wife. "Dad!" Lila called finding her mother standing on the back porch. "Dad, come here."
Jamie hurried as fast a she could go, "Eddie? What's wrong, honey?"
Eddie turned to Jamie and slid her arms around his waist to hold on. "I don't know, I feel sick. I don't want to make a big deal…"
Jamie stood back and took in his wife's pale face, "You look terrible. Lila, ask your Aunt Danielle to step outside please."
Jamie held Eddie in his arms, "What hurts?
"Nothing hurt, I just feel very hot and light headed. It's probably nothing, you know I haven't been sleeping very well."
Jamie felt Eddie's forehead, "You're burning up. Let's hve Daniell take a look and you go up to bed and lie down. I'll bring you a plate."
Danielle stepped on the porch, "Lila asked me to come out. Eddie, you look terrible."
"She's got a fever," Jamie told his sister feeling very sick to his stomach. Nothing was simple for Eddie.
"Any pain in your head, throat, chest?" Danielle asked taking her pulse. "Rapid pulse…It's probably just a mild infection but to be on the safe side I want to get a urine sample and run some other tests. Jamie, take Eddie upstairs to bed, I'll be up in a few minutes."
"Come on, sweetheart," Jamie whispered. "Right to bed, no arguments."
Jamie held Eddie tight as they walked through the living room. "Mom are you okay?' Joey asked. "Dad?"
"Joe, help grandpa to the table I'll be right down. Mom's okay, just a little under the weather."
Joey looked at Molly, she stood up and followed Jamie and Eddie up the stairs. Danielle came back in with her medical bag and head up the steps. Joey began to follow when Frank said, "Joe, your father gave you direction. Help Aunt Erin get me to the table, they have your mother upstairs."
Erin and Lila put the food on the table. "I'm sure she's fine, you know how your father over reacts whenever your mom has a twinge."
"I know," Lila replied. "But mom's done so well lately I'm kind of scared of that. It's like when Grandpa has a good run and someone gets a cold we hold our breath for the pneumonia."
"He is doing well isn't he? As much as I don't like having to share my father with another Reagan sibling I do think she refreshed the family a bit," Erin admitted. "Hopefully she can help your Mom, she went from fine to sick in like five minutes."
Lila nodded, "Mom does those things."
"I'm going to have you give a urine sample tomorrow," Danielle told Eddie. "But for now let's just rule out the basics."
Danielle with Molly's assistance examined Eddie's arms and neck, they didn't find any lymphedema or swelling. Jamie paced nervously, whenever Eddie got sick it rattled him. "What is it?"
"I don't know," Danielle replied. "Not cellulitis, doesn't appear to be upper respiratory. Eddie's pressure is a little low so it could be sepsis…I want to see the urine sample, the sudden onset could indicate acute nephritis. Do you have pain in your back or your legs?
"No," Eddie replied. "Just hot and weak…very tired."
"Sleep," Danielle encouraged. "It's the best thing for you right now. I'm going to give you an injection of Anceph when I get back from my office. That will start helping if there is infection anywhere in your body. Tomorrow, I'll send the lab by to collect blood and urine, we'll have an idea if I can treat you or if you need to see you oncologist. Jamie would you mind terribly if I spent the night in the guest room. I'm pretty sure it's simple, but with Eddie's history I want to be safe."
"Of course, we really appreciate this, Danielle, don't we Eddie?" Jamie asked stroking Eddie's hand. She was burning hot, it scared him. IF she was septic again…
Eddie nodded and shut her eyes. Jamie sat down and stroked her forehead, kissing her head. "You want me to heat some broth?"
"No, go down and have Sunday dinner, I will feel better after a nap. Don't fuss."
Jamie sighed, "No, I'm going to eat up here with you. I'll just go down and make a plate and be right back upstairs."
Jamie kissed Eddie on the lips then headed down to make a plate for himself and some extra for Eddie. He hoped the aroma would tempt her appetite.
Eddie fell asleep seconds later in the comfort of her own bed. Her back and stomach ached but she didn't want to make a big deal of things. Downstairs, Frank offered the blessing with a special prayer for his son and for his daughter-in-law. He could sense the family was on edge. Joey was focused on two cases, a recently broken but not finished child porno ring and the murder at Danny's rehab hospital, with a partner that even Frank wasn't convinced was up to the job. Jamie was trying to support his brother and held him with the loss of his friend and his autonomy, and Lila was still grieving over the sudden death of her husband trying to get on her feet. Frank knew he would hav to step in here eventually.
The one that worried him the most was Molly. His usual bubbly granddaughter in law was increasingly quiet and solemn. Whenever he started to get tired, it seemed something would happen that he would have to dig deep. As he looked around, he knew Molly was the key to keeping Joey in line and under wraps. When the meal was finished, Frank planned to approach Molly, perhaps she was missing her mother and he could offer her a skype session to ease the homesickness.
Erin and Lila began to clear, and Joey went to check up on Jamie and Eddie. Frank sat down in his recliner taking a deep breath. He was surprised to see Molly had approached him. "Papa Frank, can I talk to you? I need you to help me with something and I hope you say you will."
"Of course sweetheart," Frank answered sitting up in his chair. His blue eyes watched her sit her sit across from with a nervous expression. Frank frowned at this leaning forward closer to her. "Is everything okay?"
"No," Molly replied. "I know I should talk to Papa Jamie but I know he'll get angry with me if I ask him. The new partner of Jospeh's, I feel like I'm sick whenever I think of her.
"No," Molly replied. "No...I know I should talk to Jamie, to Papa Jamie and ask him for help but I know he'll get angry. This new partner of Joseph's...I feel like I am sick whenever I think of her. It's not because he loved her once and it's not because she's so pretty, I'm not that kind of wife. I'm frightened, I'm scared for him with this person as his back up. I can't make it go away. I'm sick whenever Joseph leaves now."
Frank offered her a soft, knowing smile at the young woman clearing this throat. "It's not a problem Molly. Mary used to feel that every time I left the house , but she is a police officer trained like Joe."
Frank sighed quietly and met Molly's eyes, "Of course I'll help you, Molly girl, but how sure are you that Joe will be angry?"
"He'll think it's because it's someone he used to love," Molly replied. "He'll think it's a matter of my trust in him and it's not. Please talk to Papa Jamie and make him change them, but please don't say I asked. I'm beggin ye, Papa Frank. Please."
"I won't say anything but I can't promise that he'll change it honey. I think it's a good idea that you express your fear though," Frank admitted softly.
"I can't," Molly replied and began to cry. "I can't admit it when I'm already such a failure as Joseph's wife. I haven't gotten pregnant yet and he wants babies so badly…" Frank was shocked when the girl laid her head on his lap and sobbed.
A/N: Molly is bonding with Frank and Eddie…that is par for the course when you live with chronic illness. It can come up to bite you when you least expect it…Thanks for the great comments and the loyal readership. Until next time…
Next Update – April 6th – Jamie and Eddie recall one of their first romantic moments, Frank takes care of his brood.