Chapter Thirty Five
Nancy couldn't remember driving faster in her life. It was unlike Eddie to call out of the blue so whenever she saw her number on caller ID she picked up. There were a few times that it was something exciting about the baby and a few times when Eddie had needed help urgently.
Today was different. Her young friend hadn't even spoke her name, she just began to cry. She knew she was needed to get to her quickly and help her. With a little coaxing, Nancy managed to get out of Eddie she felt disconnected from her baby, she wasn't able to manage why. Still Nancy had an idea…
Nancy had a key to the house, she let herself in and was greeted by Ray bounding out of the bedroom. "Hey big boy," Nancy greeted. "Hey, where's your Momma? Where is she?"
Ray led Nancy to the bedroom where Eddie was lying on her side crying into her pillow. "Hey, hey, what's wrong? What's the matter?"
Nancy sat on the edge of the bed and gently rubbed Eddie's hair and shoulder. "Take a good deep breath and tell me the most awful thing first."
Nancy was experienced in dealing with crisis, being a mother of four and a nurse as well. Most things, she knew, didn't seem so terrible once the worst part was off your chest.
Eddie lifted her head, her arms still cradles against the baby bump. "Jamie felt the baby kick," Eddie finally sniffled. "I tried so hard but…"
Nancy remembered that moment with her own kids, the excitement of feeling life moving inside of her and the desire to share it with her husband Paul. It was wonderful sharing that with her husband and other children, a bonding experience between them. Eddie couldn't feel the child moving within her to bond with it, nor could she from the outside.
"Oh, I'm sorry honey," Nancy sighed. "Come on now, sit up…" Nancy helped Eddie into the sitting position and wiped her eyes. "Let's think this through, the baby is moving inside. He or she is healthy and in just five months you'll be able to see the baby and snuggle the baby…"
Eddie shook her head, "No…Jamie has me doing more therapy, maybe I can get a little bit but...Nina was moving my arms up and down and side to side and I didn't feel a thing, not a thing…" Eddie sobbed. "It's not fair, I want this baby so much and I'm not going to be able to be a real mother. I won't be able to be alone with my baby ever. Not ever…"
"You won't have to be, you have friends and family that love you and will be willing to help you. It's going to be okay."
Eddie nodded, "I just really want to feel it, you know. I feel separated from the baby, it's growing inside of me but I can't…"
"Well, there is more than one way to feel connected. For instance in a few more weeks, you can watch the baby. You can eat something sweet and they'll be a little activity, you can see the foot or the hand going on your naked belly. Of course there's the heart beat too. When I had two of my kids, I was high risk just like you and the doctor gave me a monitor, I have it in my car, I had a feeling it was something like this. How about you sip this water…" Nancy handled Eddie a cup and straw. "I'll go get it and we can listen to the baby. You can learn their patterns by their heartbeats. I'll be right back."
Eddie took a couple of breaths and drank some of the cool water. She heard Nancy open and close the door. She stepped inside with a medium size Doppler monitor. "Here we go, let's get your top open and expose your tummy." Nancy put her hand on Eddie's stomach, "Hello, in there little one. Mommy wants to see you moving around a little bit, how about a wiggle or two?"
Nancy fed Eddie two M&Ms to push her blood sugar up a notch or two, then gently patted Eddie's belly. "There it is, you see?" A tiny rippled went across Eddie's stomach. "That's your baby, that's what Jamie felt, but you can also see."
Eddie's face broke into a huge smile, "Hi, baby. Mommy's here and I can't wait to meet you. Can you put my hand there so she can feel me?"
Nancy picked up Eddie's hand and gently laid it on her belly to follow the child's movement. "You want to listen to the baby for a bit?"
Eddie smiled, "Can we?"
"Of course, let me get you set up on your belly and we'll just listen to the music."
Jamie pushed to door open and limped inside. His leg hurt after a full day of work, he hoped to find Eddie and Pop busy in the kitchen, but instead of smelling dinner he smelled Nancy's sunflowers perfume. In the distance, Jamie swore he could heart the familiar swish swash of the baby's heartbeat. Why would she be listening to that? "Eddie?"
Eddie calls from the bedroom "In here Jamie come in lamb chop."
Jamie stepped into the bedroom and saw Nancy sitting on bed smiling with Eddie. The Doppler was attached to Eddie's belly as the comforting sound of the baby's heart beat played. Jamie felt sick.
"Jamie cone here Nancy is playing the heart beat that's our baby's heart beating." She lifted a hand out to him smiling wide.
"Why are you doing that?" Jamie asked. "Is she okay? Is the baby okay?"
Nancy nodded, "Eddie will talk to you about it later but this was just an idea I had to help Eddie feel connected to the baby. We saw the baby's little feet and now we are listening to the baby. Later, I'll help you learn how to take this on and off for when Eddie wants to hear the baby."
Eddie looked over her eyes round and wide excited to hear the baby. "Jamie come here please sit with me I want to hear this together, listen..."
"I'll go fix something for dinner," Nancy offered. "I think you should both rest, Jamie, loosen the brace and elevate you legs, I can see from here it's swelling up."
Nancy headed out of the bedroom and began to make chicken parm for Jamie and Eddie's dinner. Jamie did as she advised, his leg did hurt. "I didn't know you had plans with Nancy today," Jamie whispered and he held Eddie close listening to the baby.
"I didn't, I called her to come, I was…I was so depressed, I felt so dark…"
"Why Eddie why didn't you tell me how you felt? Eddie you can tall to me about anything you know that right?" Jamie sighed, brushing his hand over her stomach with each beat made. "Eddie I want to know whenever something is going on with you okay I love you so much."
"I didn't want to upset you," Eddie admitted. "I didn't want you to feel bad about feeling the baby, it was such a precious moment for you. I was jealous and it was so silly to feel like that. I didn't know what to do and Nancy helps sometimes when I get confused like that."
Jamie kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry Eddie, I really wanted you to experience this too because it was special. I'm not angry you called Nancy just confused, if this is helping them we'll keep doing it."
Eddie laid her head on Jamie's chest, listening to his heart along with their baby's. She fell asleep in Jamie's arms. When Nancy came in with dinner, Jamie nodded at his sleeping wife. "I'll go now, I expected she might nod off. I wrote out how to connect the machine and you can call me anytime either of you need. Rest that leg, I'll see you next week for dinner?"
Yeah oh Nancy thank you for helping her, see you for dinner" Jamie wrapped his arms around Eddie, pulling the covers up around, leaning over to miss her head. He cradled her while she slept hands resting over her stomach.
Jamie at the chicken that Nancy brought for him and let Eddie rest. Sometimes it was hard for her to get sleep, other times she was exhausted. Eddie needed all the sleep she could get. Two hours later, Eddie woke up and smiled. "Hmm, I'm hungry. What time is it?"
"After eight," Jamie replied. "You've been through a lot Angel, you need rest."
"Yes and I need food. Nancy said she was making dinner…"
"I'll heat it up for you, it was good," Jamie replied. "You want to eat in your chair or stay here?"
"Here," Eddie replied. "I'll get up tomorrow, I promise I was just need to rest more today."
Jamie nodded, "Later we'll listen to the baby again, I think we should do that each night. I think that will be fun."
Eddie smiled and shifted a bit in bed as Jamie went to heat up her dinner and present her with a surprise he picked up earlier that day hoping to put a smile on her face.
Eddie looked at her belly, there was no impression of the baby, it was still. "You sleeping little one? That's okay, Mommy's really tired too. I am going to love you so much," Eddie told the little bump.
Jamie returned smiling at he little talk Eddie was having with the baby. "You are one lucky little baby," Jamie told his unborn child. "To have Eddie for a Momma. Close your eyes a minute, Angel."
Eddie shut her eyes as Jamie eased a box onto her lap. "Okay open."
Eddie looked at the box, with the wrapping paper already lifted up from one corner. "Jamie, what did you do?"
"I bought you a little present, go on and open it," Jamie encouraged as he cut the chicken into bite size pieces and made sure the pasta wouldn't clump.
Eddie worked on the paper, getting it off in two or three pulls. Jamie helped Eddie lift the lid of the box. Eddie gasped at what was inside.
Carefully, Eddie unfolded the soft, flowing maxi dress. It was white with delicate pink roses embroidered along the dress. The color dipped deep enough to show the changes pregnancy had made to Eddie's body and show off her sculpted shoulders. "Oh Jamie, oh it's beautiful," Eddie gasped. "I can't wait to wear it."
Jamie smiled down at her, "It's pretty, you will make it beautiful." Jamie dipped his head and captured his wife's lips in a soft but stirring kiss.
Two hours later, Eddie's dinner was once again being reheated. Jamie carried the tray in and laid donw on his side to watch her eat. "Why are you watching me chew?" Eddie asked.
"I'm enamored with you and what you do to me even though the doctor forbade up to make love," Jamie replied. "You drove me crazy, your kissing and the sounds you made…"
"You make me feel so good, so special…it's easy to love you and to be loved by you. I'm sorry I wasn't more open about how I was feeling."
"Don't apologize, you meant well and everything is going to be okay," Jamie assured Eddie. 'How's that chicken?"
Eddie nodded, enjoying the meal her friend had cooked and the company of her husband and child while she ate it.
Across town, Melissa and Marcus were also both awake, but their night was not so blissful. Tonight was the fourth in a row Melissa had awakened the house with her screams…Marcus was at his wits end to help her. He knew one thing though, tomorrow he was going to get to the bottom of it, once and for all.
A/N: Seems both Nancy and Jamie had some ways to help Eddie, and she and Jamie found a chance to be intimate as well. And Poor Melissa, what's going on there…
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 12th – Melissa and Eddie have some fun in the sun.