Chapter Forty Five
"Jamie, if we forgot any of the incidentals we can pick them up on the road," Eddie assured her anxious boyfriend. Today they were finally leaving on their trip to Virginia, their first vacation as a couple.
"We can't replace your meds or any of your devices," Jamie replied. "But we have them. Are you good?"
"I am," Eddie replied. "I have the tunes all set, we just need you to mount this Mustang and hit the road."
Jamie laughed, Eddie was like a kid at Christmas time. Jamie got into the car and started the engine. He turned the car towards the Goethals Bridge.
Eddie commanded her cell phone to begin playing the playlist she had spent days making for this trip. Jamie looked over at her, belted into the seat, pillows for her arms, a pillow under her feet, and behind her back. This would be tough, but he knew it would be worth it.
The made it just south of Philadelphia before having to stop for gasoline and for Jamie to use the bathroom. Jamie unloaded Eddie's chair and placed her in. "The ramp is on the side. You think you will be okay at the table?"
"I'll be fine Jamie it's not like you're going for hours. Go to the bathroom it's bad to hold it," Eddie teased him.
Giving her one more quick glance Jamie started towards the bathroom leaving Eddie alone. It only took a minute for Eddie to realize she was hungry so she decided to roll down a few feet where a candy machine sat.
Other visitors turned hearing her coming keeping their ground as she rolled closer. "Excuse me please."
Eddie grumbled at the machine realizing she wasn't able to feed the money in. "Damnit, what takes so long to pee?"
"Excuse me miss do you need help?" Eddie looked up surprised someone voluntarily offered, but even more surprised to see a teenager holding onto a younger boy no more then six.
The teenager kept one hand on the younger boy's shoulder stepping around him. "Yea thanks I'm trying to get chips."
Jamie came out of the bathroom turning back towards the van in time to see some teenager giving Eddie a bag of chips.
"Everything okay," Jamie asked jogging back over. The younger boy looked up at him side stepping around his brother and pulled on the older boy's shirt sleeve.
The teen leaned down listening to his brother, looking up at Jamie. "Is it true your NYPD?"
Jamie nodded amused no matter how far away from New York he got people would still recognize him. "Yeah."
"We saw you on TV when you tried to save that little girl," the teen told Jamie. "Nice to meet you, Ma'am."
"You were supposed to stay at the table," Jamie teased lightly.
"They have Buffalo Blue Cheese chips," Eddie protested. "That I need you to open."
Jamie opened the bag and secured the proper devices for Eddie to eat. He got them both some fruit and sandwiches to pick on before taking Eddie in the family bathroom to examine her catheter and bag. "You're all good,"
Eddie looked up at Jamie and reached out her neck for a kiss, "I'm more than good."
They got back in the car and headed south making good time into and through parts of Maryland until they hit Washington D.C. The speed slowed to a steady crawl.
"I hate traffic," Eddie griped taking a sip from a water bottle with long straw. "We aren't going to make the restaurant at this rate," she complained.
"Relax," Jamie soothed. "Are you stiff, do I need to pull off and stretch you out?"
"No, I'm good, just sick of this…mess."
Jamie had no choice but to laugh at her, "I know baby…not too much longer. The GPS says this will clear in about a half hour."
Back in Brooklyn, Henry, Linda, and Melissa, via Skype, were busy planning a special surprise engagement part for Jamie and Eddie. "It has to be small," Henry insisted. "Eddie still does not like crowds, so let's go over what we have here. The family that makes ten including Jamie and Eddie Marcus and Melissa, make twelve and Father McMurray is thirteen. Who else should we ask?"
"What about Renzulli, he's been their Sergeant forever," Linda suggested. Henry wrote him down.
"She has another friend," Melissa spoke up. "Kara and maybe few other cops that they are both close to."
Henry made a few more notes on the page and got the number to an even twenty, "I think this is good," he smiled. "Melissa, honey, you can stay here the night before and night after if that's better for you."
Melissa blushed, "Actually, I'm leaving the facility Sunday and moving in with Marcus. He just sighed a lease on a new place so I'll be just a few bridges away in the Bronx. Thank you for the offer though."
Henry smiled, "Okay honey, then I'll let you go and we'll see you here on party day. Thank you for your help."
Melissa clicked off of Skype leaving just Henry and Linda, "I'm so glad Eddie had Melissa, someone who gets it and then she has us and Kara Walsh as well. Why is Father on the list? Is Eddie even Catholic?"
"She will be," Henry snickered. "Just don't say you know because she is telling Jamie on the trip. Eddie is converting."
"That's lovely, you didn't push her into that did you?" Linda asked with a raise of her eyebrow.
"Of course not, she asked and I made sure she had the right connections, she made the choice on her own…"
It took an additional hour to get out of the traffic jam and cross into Virginia. "Jamie…we need to make a stop. I'm cramping and I need a bag change."
Jamie found a rest area with vending machines and a family restroom. The first thing he did was stretch Eddie's legs and arms, "Lean back a little bit and stretch out that middle section." Jamie used that opportunity to check her bag. "You're not full honey," he told her. "You still want me to swap it out?"
"I feel like there is pressure," Eddie replied.
Jamie moved the car to the back of the parking lot and began to reset the catheter line. He was at the most delicate part when a Virginia State Trooper approached, "Show me your hands."
Jamie put his hands up, "I'm an NYPD Officer, this is my girlfriend and I'm setting her catheter." Jamie explained to Eddie's total embarrassment. "She's disabled and needs it reset."
"Is this true Ma'am?" The trooper asked a humiliated Eddie who still had her dress up around her waist.
"Yes, please leave," she instructed firmly.
Jamie turned his attention back to Eddie and finished her catheter. "Is that better, less pressure?"
"Yeah, it's good. Some people have no respect…like anyone would be dumb enough to rape someone in broad daylight at a public rest area. Let's go…the GPS says only two more hours…"
The device was almost precisely right. They pulled into the parking lot of the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel in one hour and fifty minutes. Jamie left Eddie in the car with the engine running while he went to check them in. "And we have a handicap accessible room with a stall shower?"
"Oh yes, Sir," replied the clerk. "I'm sure you and your Mom will be happy here."
"Actually, she's my girlfriend. I need to book her two massages at the Spa for four pm or so each day. It's medically necessary so…"
The clerk explained to Jamie the massages offered at the spa and the price. It was exceptional but he paid it without thinking too much, it was for Eddie's comfort and care. Jamie drove their car to the door closest to their room and unloaded Eddie first placing and some lighter luggage in her wheelchair. Eddie drove in behind Jamie and into the corridor leading to their room.
The room was decorated in a gentle colonial style sporting a large king size bed, bathroom with a stall shower and a tub for ease in bathing. "Oh Jamie this is a lovely room." Eddie drove herself closer to the bed. "Let's unpack quickly and go eat, I'm starving."
Jamie laughed, "When aren't you starving?" Jamie quickly unloaded their clothes and necessary hygiene and medical items then opened the door for Eddie to drive them to Huzzah Eatery, the restaurant on hotel grounds. "I read their pizza is out of this world, if you like non New York pizza and the have other southern food."
Jamie ordered them both draft beers and the server brought popcorn as a snack while they waited. Jamie put Eddie's spoon on her hand so she could scoop the popcorn. They ordered nachos to share; Eddie ordered fried chicken and Jamie fish and chips. "This is so nice…" Eddie smiled. "I'm so glad you thought of this. Do we have a program tonight?"
"No, I thought it was best for us to rest tonight, start fresh tomorrow!" Jamie smiled. "Dinner is in the modern part…a restaurant my father went to a few times called Berrets…" Jamie picked up Eddie's hand and kissed it.
"Well if it has the Frank Reagan approval I know I'll love it," Eddie replied as their nachos came. Jamie served Eddie with a generous portion. "Do you want help? Those are hard to do with straps."
Eddie nodded. Jamie used the alternate bite method until most of the plate was clear. When the main course came, Jamie pulled the chicken off the bone and let Eddie feed herself. He was so proud of all she was learning to do. It was an incredible accomplishment just a little more than a year after her injury. They shared a root beer float for dessert the headed back to their room, each one tired from the long trip. Jamie laid Eddie in bed, they decided that she would shower in the morning and he would shower now. While Jamie was in the shower, Eddie thought about how lucky she was. Just a few months ago, a relationship with Jamie had been a dream. Now she had it and it was so real.
"What are you thinking?" Jamie asked softly sliding into bed smelling of Irish Spring and cocoa butter.
Eddie sighed, "I'm thinking I am the luckiest girl in the world…So many people in my position never get to know this feeling. I love you so much…and you…"
"Love you too," Jamie whispered. Jamie pulled Eddie close, making sure that her legs stayed in line. "Let's get some sleep, it's going to be a busy day."
Eddie nodded, resting against Jamie enjoying his closeness. They worked so hard and Now it is going to be very hot tomorrow so I think the first thing we should do is get you a hat to keep the sun off your head and face. I want us to have fun, mostly you. I want this trip to be so special…"
Eddie agreed and nuzzled Jamie with her face. They had come so far, worked so hard to be able to be intimate with each other. She would have the special connection on this trip even if she had to push a little. It was with the dream of Jamie's body that close to hers that Eddie fell asleep.
A/N: Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. Colonial Williamsburg is one of my favorite vacation spots so I thought I'd take Jamie and Eddie there and let them experience it. It's a little restrictive for the disabled but where there's a will there's a way.
Next Update – December 29th – Jamie and Eddie take another big step.
