Chapter Twenty Nine
"I can't believe they would do that, Nina," Jamie sighed as he worked on finding his balance on the crutches. "They made her cry, she didn't even want to tell me."
"I know Jonas and he is a jerk," Nina replied. "But Clarence is a good guy, he sometimes inserts himself into things and comes out looking bad, but his intentions are good. I'm so sorry for you wife. What kind of pt is she getting?"
"She gets a maintenance therapy," Jamie replied. "Stretching, range of motion, but the learning part, the gathering of knowledge and such that's long past."
"It doesn't have to be," Nina replied. "Do you think she'd be upset if I approached her about some exercises. I know she has to be careful because of the baby but there are a few things I might be able to help with."
Jamie smiled his 1000 watt smile, "I think eddie would really like that. Thank you Nina."
"My pleasure Jamison," she replied as they heard raucos begin in the hallway.
Jamie couldn't help but laugh hearing Jonas' big mouth swearing and hollering. "Towed it, the damn cops just towed my car! Just up and towed it away!"
Jamie looked at Nina, "Be right back." Jamie carefully walked out to the desk, Marcus was approaching from the other end.
"Oh good, the cops did their job," Marcus replied. "You see that guy over there, he's one of the top homicide detective in the city."
Danny gave a little wave as he stepped out of his hiding place. "He has a lot of people that owe him, so just be glad it was cops that towed you precious car."
Jamie smirked, "That's right. You see, Danny over there is my brother and Marcus' godfather and he gets kind of riled up when so called professional men pick on our wives. You know who else gets a little riled when you pick on our wives?"
Jonas was glaring at Jamie. "Us!" Jamie snapped. "You are a nurse, you are supposed to promote peace and healing! Instead you make snide comments about our wives who are both far better people than you could ever hope to be! You aren't fit to shine their shoes! You have been reports by our wives and by us to the board of this hospital!" Jamie thundered. "You will offer an aplology to both our wives and you better mean it!"
"And if I don't?" Jonas pushed.
"If you don't," Marcus replied. "Every cop in this city will be on notice to watch you like a the dog you are and when you screw up and we all know you will they will be on you like flies on dog crap!"
"And if they don't catch you doing something wrong," Jamie continued. "Which they will, but if they don't, I will kill you disguising, judgmental upidy butt until Hell won't have it again! Our wives will be here in twenty minutes."
Danny held his tongue until Jamie and Marcus went back to their rooms. It has been his utmost pleasure to work with the traffic guys to give Jonas a little distress, now he was going to give him a little message. Danny got both guys by the collar and moved them close to the wall, "Just listen here," he almost growled. "You speak about my brother and his wife again in anything other than a pleasant manner and dealing with him and his partner will be cake compared to what I'll do. That better be a good apology!"
When Eddie and Melissa arrived to take Jamie and Marcus home, there were greeted by their husbands and Jonas. Eddie stopped her chair when she first approached then took a deep breath into her stomach. "Come on, Eddie, don't let him make you upset."
Eddie took a deep breath then drove closer. "Mrs. Reagan," Jonas began. "Mrs. Beal. I would like to apologize for my rude comments the other day. They were ignorant and wrong and I'm very sorry I mouthed off like that. I was showing off for a colleague that doesn't think very much of me. You weren't supposed to hear or get hurt."
Melissa glared at him, "You never know what another person has been through until you go a mile in their shoes. You have no idea what we've been through. How hard our lives are, or their lives!"
"Lissy," Marcus sighed. "Enough now, settle down."
"No, she shouldn't have to!" Eddie snapped. "We are people too, we have feelings, we have hearts and minds, just like anyone else does! You insulted us and you degraded something that means the world to us!"
"I know I did," Jonas sighed. "And your husband made it clear, believe me. I am sorry I was rude but I do have work."
They let Jonas go. Jamie leaned down and gave Eddie kiss on her lips. "Is the van out front?"
"No, your dad sent a car,' Eddie replied. "Jamie, you know I want you home more than anything, but Marcus can't help with his stitches and there no way I can…"
"You can stop worrying about that this very minute," Henry declared as he walked into the hospital room with his suitcase. "Three musketeers together again and Marcus, I'll be around to help you if you two need it. You ready to go?"
Eddie felt a huge weight lift off her heart. Having Henry there with them to help was going to be a blessing. Jamie's injury had awakened some insecurities in her, she was wondering how she would care for him, but that was only half true. The other part was worried how she could care for their baby. Someone would have to be there every day to help her even hold their baby. That had been on Eddie's mind more than she'd like to admit.
Henry helped Jamie to the van and supervised Melissa and Eddie getting inside. They dropped Marcus and Melissa off first then headed for Eddie and Jamie's house. "I have the bed turned down already if you need to lie down Jamie. Your therapist made a list of things you'll need to have here and they'll be delivered later today before she comes over tomorrow. I'm going to be in the back bedroom so you two have as much privacy as possible."
Jamie smiled at Henry, "Thanks Pop. You've had a few rough days Eddie, do you want to lie down and take a nap with me?"
Eddie smiled, "I'd love that." Eddie only planned to sit with Jamie until he fell asleep, she wanted to get up and make Chesnica for dessert the next day. Jamie was able to help put Eddie's legs up on her wedge, then he slipped his arms around her and pulled her close. "This, is what I dreamt of in the hospital, lying her with you in my arms, our baby between us. This is the best medicine of all."
Eddie moved so her head was against Jamie's chest, "Yes, it is. I remember being in the hospital right after it happened. You would get on the bed with me sometimes there right?"
Jamie nodded, "Yeah. The doctors and nurses would all get upset with me but I didn't care. I knew deep down that you would feel me and know I ws with you and how much I needed you to live. Without you, I don't know if I could have gone on."
Eddie's eyes misted, "Jamie, I need you to promise me something right now. There's always going to be a chance that I…"
"Don't.." Jamie said quickly. "I don't want to hear that."
"I know," Eddie replied. "But we're going to be parents in five months, I need you to hear it. If something happens to me, it's important that your heart be open. Don't close yourself off to loving again or living again, especially for our baby's sake. Promise me."
Jamie kissed Eddie's hair, "I won't close myself off but I can't promise to be happy with anyone but you. You are my life, my world….You only get one soulmate and you're mine."
"Yes, but you can love again. You can find love again and I want that for you."
Jamie sighed, "I promise to make sure our child knows it's mother. I promise not to close off my heart, Eddie. I promise to try."
Eddie leaned up and kissed Jamie on the lips. That was all she could ask for the time being. Jamie received her kiss then deepened it, forgetting for the moment, everything that was wrong in the world. In each other's arms, things had a way of feeling better, even during the worst of times.
When the kiss broke, Jamie kept his arms around Eddie letting the medication he took for the pain in his leg take hold. He felt his eyes getting heavy and eventually fell asleep with his Eddie lying against him like a teddy bear.
When Eddie was sure Jamie was asleep, she slid away from him and transferred to her chair. She was haphazard, her baby weight already beginning to affect her abilities. Ray saw that she was fixed in her chair as properly as possible until she got to the kitchen where Henry finished the job. "Okay, so talk me through this…we use a live yeast?"
Eddie nodded, "You got it."
"This looks really good," Nancy praised as she changed Marcus' bandage. "And JJ's bottom is all better but use the Butt Paste for a few more days. Marcus, you need rest
'Thank you," Melissa replied. "I keep telling him that he has to rest and let me nurse him for a change."
"Listen to you wife," Nancy scolded. "You only got a scratch but it was a deep scratch and you lost blood. You have to take care of you so you can get back on your feet. No off to bed with you, I will straighten up here and get dinner started. Melissa, JJ is probably ready to eat soon."
Sure enough fifteen minutes later JJ was crying loudly to be fed. Melissa took her boy and offered him the full bottle. "He's growing so well," Nancy smiled. "Are you two done with kids or…"
"Well, Marcus wants at least one more and I've only got the one brother and we don't get along at all so I'm thinking three is good. What do you think, JJ? You want to be a big brother."
"JJ will grow up with Eddie and Jamie's little one, too. I have four and it's a good number. They sort of paired off but when it comes down to it, they know what family is. Tell me about your brother."
"He just has some issues realizing other people exist in the world besides him," Melissa replied. "My parents died very close to each other. My father about a month after my accident and my mother just before it. The only relative I had left was Tommy and well you know where I ended up living. It wasn't really my choice though it is probably what I would have chosen to do. It would have been nice to be offered though. He was the only child for ten years until I came along."
"Jealous," Nancy sighed. "I'm sorry you aren't closer to him, but you have us. I always tell my kids and this is true so remember this. You have two families, the one you are born with and the one that you choose. You have chosen yourself a wonderful family and you've had yourself one too."
Melissa smiled at Nancy, "Yeah, I did get really lucky. Eddie always says that if she never got hurt she and Jamie would never have acted on their feelings…Guess it's the same for me."
Nancy took JJ and put him down for a nap, then made sure dinner was ready to go except for the finishing touches before heading home.
When JJ cried again, Melissa scooped him from his bed and held him tight. "Mommy's got you, let's go see Daddy." Melissa held JJ with one arm and drove with the other. Marcus was just getting out of bed. "I smell dinner. Come here little man."
JJ reached up for his Daddy, he had missed his cuddles when he was in the hospital. "You okay, Lissy? You look a little down."
"I am okay," Melissa replied. "Just tired, I didn't sleep well without you here. JJ didn't either, he missed you."
"Well I missed you too, what do you say to having dinner then getting a good night sleep all three of us. I think we earned it."
"You know we did," Melissa replied. "Oh, on the dining table is the book Henry brought by, he said if you can pass the tests in that book you are on the road to passed the Sergeants' exam."
"When did I say I wanted to take the Sergeant's exam?" Marcus asked arching an eyebrow.
"Oh, you didn't, but that's a good rank to be to ride a desk," Melissa replied. "Marcus, you married a C8 quad and have a baby, we can't lose you. It's a desk sergeant or selling cars, which one is up to you."
Marcus had to laugh, Melissa could be very forceful when she was serious, but there was no way she was actually serious about his…Was there?
A/N: Big brother Danny, he can tease his brother but no one else better open their mouths…And his godchild to boot…Thanks for the steady and loyal reviewers, I'm very pleased to see some many new readers. For those of you looking to see Henry come back into the mix, he's on his way!
Next Update – April 28th – Eddie, Linda, and the baby are put in danger.
