Chapter Thirty Seven
Eddie almost ran into the house. The feeling of being watched was making her skin crawl. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps and the hair on the back of her neck stood up…Eddie felt her heart speed up even as the dog next door began to bark. Eddie began to jog then finally run, she didn't think twice about how she got to the door, just that she got there. The only thing she wanted to do was rush to her husband's arms. Still, when she got home and found him distraught over the troubles with Joe, she bit her lip and held it in.
Jamie was fiddling with the television trying to get the picture exactly the size he liked it. He had dropped the brightness and volume due to a fierce headache.
"Jamie?" Eddie called as she stepped into the living room. She could tell he wasn't feeling very well, it wasn't any wonder between Lila coming home with bruises, his falling out with Joe and their own strife had taken a toll. Eddie set her bag down and closed the gap between her and Jamie. "Where's Lila and the twins?" Eddie assumed Frank was in bed already.
"She went out with Dad and the kids, they took them to the carousel and for chicken," Jamie replied. His hand shook as he held the remote. "Can't get this picture right." Jamie's speech was slurring, his pressure was probably through the roof.
"Okay..." Eddie sighed and took the remote from Jamie's shaking hands. "Let's get your feet up, you rest and I'll fix the TV." Eddie propped Jamie's feet on two pillows, making him lie down. She hurried for the ice pack for his head and a blanket to make him comfortable before fixing the picture size the way Jamie wanted it. "Take a breath for me. look at me...do you have pain in your head?"
Jamie breathed in slowly and looked at Eddie. "No, don't worry, honey. I'm just really tired want to sleep but my hands won't stop shaking. You know they do that…"
"Yeah, cause your pressure is too high. Let's hold hands, hold onto me..." Eddie held Jamie's gaze.
"I'm sorry about before. I am sorry I made you feel you weren't a good father."
"It's okay Eddie." Jamie understood her sentiment.
"No, it's not," Eddie replied. "You are a good father, I just think you are...too reserved with Joe. That's all, you can make it right, I know you can."
Jamie nodded, squeezing Eddie's hand. "We will. I love Joe, but I will make things better. I'll show him."
"Let me fix you some blueberry tea," Eddie whispered kissing Jamie's head. "Rest."
Jamie smiled, Eddie's blueberry tea, it was his favor and it made him feel better. Jamie smiled and let go of Eddie's hand so she could make her special brew.
Eddie made the tea in less than five minutes and brought the cup to Jamie. "Here, let me..." She lifted his head. "Sip...I'll sleep down here with you."
A low moan escaped, Jamie smiled after each sip, the pressure in his head was going away as he relaxed his body. Jamie didn't open his eyes, he wanted to keep the throbbing at bay. "Just a rest, when I can we'll go upstairs."
"You are not climbing the steps tonight, our daughter has a black eye, our son is in the hospital, we don't need a fall down the steps to complete the picture."
Jamie gave a slight laugh, "Okay, whatever you say honey." Jamie cradled Eddie against him, trying to hug her.
"Yes...that's it, hold onto me...I love you...fall asleep and rest..." Eddie peppered his face with kisses.
"I love you Eddie, so much.." Jamie whispered, and fell asleep in her arms.
Frank, Lila and the twins returned a half hour later. Lila carried both twins inside as Frank carefully navigated the steps. "Ssh, your father isn't feeling well."
Lila nodded and tip toed up the steps to take the twins to their beds. Both babies were glanced the living room quietly taking the twins up to bed.
Frank collapsed into the chair, catching his breath from the long walk. "Deficits? I thought maybe so I wanted it quiet for him."
"A few, mainly the hands and headache, but it's not wonder. Did you get anything else out of Lila about her decorative face?"
"No," Frank sighed. "She's sticking to her story but there is over 100 years of cop between the three of us and we all know it's a line of crap. Let me have another go at her."
"If she'll open up to anyone, it's you," Eddie sighed. "You have a special way with her…"
Lila came down though to help Frank, "Come on Grandpa, let's get you to bed. Okay?"
Frank hesitated glancing at Jamie quietly. He always worried for his kids, Danny still in rehab and Jamie…
"Go on Dad, I have him," Eddie replied "We'll see you in the morning..."
Nodding, smiling slightly Frank pushed himself up. "Night sweetheart."
Lila changed the padding on Frank's c-pap while he changed and got ready for bed. Her face was sore and she so wanted to talk to her grandpa about what happened to her that day, but if she told Frank he'd feel obliged to tell Jamie and Eddie. They would be so ashamed of her…
Lila looked at her bank balance on her phone, it was so low…and she didn't get another payment from Steven's death benefit for three weeks. Before Lila could formulate a plan, Frank stepped out of the bathroom.
"So…are you done trying to pretend that the eye is an accident?" Frank asked. "I know when an eye is bumped and I know when an eye is hit head on and that one was. What's going on with you Lila? It's grandpa, talk to me."
Lila bit her lip. "Grandpa, I'm okay. I was out with a few friends, a couple of them had a few too many beers and while they were tripping around I got an elbow. I'm embarrassed to tell Mom and Dad I was out wilding like that. Please understand."
"I do," Frank replied. "You are blowing off steam and trying to connect with people and that's good. That human connection is very important but you have two babies and a family that loves you, all right? Don't lose sight of those things. Make good choices, grief and sadness is not an excuse to run the train off the tracks."
"I'm trying, Grandpa," Lila sighed. "Let's get you into bed, you were out really late."
Lila helped Frank get situated in bed and get his mask on him. "You know Reagans do more than try…" His tone held a hint of warning.
"I know, Grandpa," Lila replied and turned his machine on. "Sleep well, I'll do better."
Frank nodded, his eyes drifting closed, "I know you will."
When Jamie woke up the next morning, his headache was gone. He felt the gentle warm pressure of Eddie cuddled up beside him. "Eddie," Jamie nudged her. Their bodies would be furious at them for sleeping this way. "Eddie wake up honey." Jamie looked down at her as she slept, she looked…so soft, so sweet, so beautiful.
Eddie opened her eyes and stretched out her back, "Oh, why did you let me agree to this?" Eddie playfully slapped Jamie's hands as he ran them up the front of her blouse.
"You were worried and fussing at me," Jamie laughed. "I picked my battles. Come on, I'll help you up." Still Jamie held Eddie closer, and stole a kiss.
Jamie wiggled out from underneath Eddie and the helped her to her feet. "Thank you for last night, I feel so much better." Jamie kissed Eddie's lips and smiled down at her.
Jamie and Eddie held each other's gaze until they heard the sound of the twins babbling as Lila brought them to the living room. "There are my babies!" Eddie smiled and leaned over to snuggle the babies. "You slept good, I didn't hear you all night."
"They slept very well," Lila replied. "Mom, can you keep an eye on them today? There's a group at school I want to check out, other single parents and stuff, like a support thing…"
"Sure," Eddie replied. "We're going to cancel Sunday dinner since Joey can't come, Aunt Erin, Jack and Rita are out of town, and Sean is working. I'm going to meet up with Aunt Linda for dinner, then meet Dad and Grandpa at the rehab hospital visit Uncle Danny."
"Actually, Eddie, Dad and I aren't going to go. Dad didn't sleep well and I want to go by Joe's house and settle that matter between us," Jamie raised his eyebrow. "I don't want to let it sit again."
Eddie smiled, happy Jamie was going to make talking to their son a priority. Since Steven died, it didn't seem like anything was normal in their life, this might be a good step toward that.
"Sure, I can do that," Eddie replied. "I'm glad that you are going to do this. Did you check I with Molly yet? I haven't."
"She texted while we were still asleep they were going to be home around noon, so I'll let them settle and go over after dinner. Joey needs to get a little rest before we sort things out," Jamie replied. "Let's get some breakfast going and wake up the old one."
Eddie and Lila headed to the kitchen to start breakfast with the twins, leaving Jamie to wake up Frank. He found his father awake and sitting in the chair in his room. "How long have you been up?" Jamie asked.
"Almost all night," Frank replied. "Things on my mind, getting old." Frank chuckled. "I heard Eddie and Lila starting breakfast so let's go and eat…" Frank stood up feeling the lack of sleep.
Pancakes and ham were the food of the day, and the family in the main house enjoyed the meal and the time together. Finn and Reagan each nibbled on a pancakes making a mess of it but enjoying themselves. "Yes," Eddie thought. Things were feeling more normal…finally.
Lila left right after the meal without even helping clean up. Jamie washed and Frank dried while Eddie took the twins to get the dressed. She didn't mind helping Lila out, she loved the extra time with her grandchildren.
Eddie reached into her bag to text Linda she would be bringing the twins to their dinner before going to visit Danny, perhaps she would want to bring Lizzy. Eddie couldn't find her phone where she usually kept it. "Hey, Jamie, keep an eye on the kids for a second, I have to run upstairs…" Eddie could not remember where she laid her phone. Frank and Jamie shared a questioning look then turned to entertain the twins.
Eddie solved her communication issue by calling Linda from the landline Frank insisted they keep. They planned to meet with the grandchildren at the park and snack on hot dogs and pretzels before having dinner and seeing Danny at the hospital.
Jamie sat down at the kitchen table to do the Sunday crossword. Frank paid for two subscriptions so that he and Jamie could both keep their minds sharp and agile, and often as not, they could race each other to the finish. Frank was still a match for Jamie. Jamie just finished his puzzle when the bell rang.
"Sully, good to see you!" Jamie smiled as he let Steven's best friend into the house. "Lila and the twins aren't here, but would you like a drink anyway?"
Sully nodded, "Uh, Jamie, is Eddie at home? I found her phone out near the garden, I'm sure she's missing it." Sully handed Jamie the phone, it was caked in mud and the screen had a significant crack in the top near the ear piece. "Mud…Where did you say you found it?" Jamie asked as they headed into the kitchen.
"Over by your herb garden," Sully replied. "Just over where the fence is bent."
"The fence isn't bent," Frank piped up. "Eddie is meticulous about that thing, she's out there rain or shine. She'd never let anything happen to that fence without being all over Jamie. Misty, the cat across the way, got in there once and she nearly blew a gasket. No way she would leave that fence down like that."
Jamie and Sully headed outside to the garden, Frank bringing up the rear with the oxygen. "I found it right here," Sully told both seasoned detectives. The sunlight caught the screen so I saw it lying there."
Jamie knelt down to examine the garden, "Someone walked through here, there are footsteps, about Eddie's size and oh no…" Jamie sighed. "This plant is her favorite, her Meadowsweet…she uses it for when she gets those fluid flares."
"What I'd like to know," Frank said as he studied the path. "Is why she would cut a path from her car door straight to the front door like that? And look at the depth of them prints, the spacing…"
"She was running," Jamie sighed. "And she fell…" Jamie touched a deep and larger indentation. "From what? And why didn't she say anything to me about it?"
"Why indeed…" Frank wondered as the three men stood studying the ground with more questions than they had before coming out and no answers to be had until Eddie got home.
A/N: Things are escalating for Eddie and her stalker, within the next few chapters, much of the family is in danger and the other members join together once again to do what Reagans do best.
Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers, Werks, JLMayer, Jamkorules, Yanks302021, Dorvell…and many many more. This Wednesday, 5/17, please look for Meet Me In Montana under the pen name Partners621. This piece is a 50/50 shared effort with my friend, NancyReviews. We hope you take this journey with us. For a summary, leave a sighed review or contact me via email.
Next Update – May 18th – Jamie presses Eddie about her phone, Jamie and Joey reconnect.