I'm going to start speeding up the time jumps a little more, even though I said I didn't want to, but I want to get this story out, and I've been fortunate enough to work from home during the pandemic, but I'm getting called back into the office starting July 6th, which means I won't have as much time to write. I'm definitely not stopping this story though, because I'm having so much fun. I'm going to crank out as many chapters as I can over the next two weeks, and hopefully, I'll be able to average at least one a week after I go back to the office.
After Jamie and Eddie left the precinct, they grabbed takeout and went back to their apartment. Eddie didn't want to admit that she was already starting to feel a little fatigued, because there was still a long way to go in her pregnancy, but she didn't have the energy to cook dinner tonight, and Jamie didn't object to a to-go order from the diner down the street either.
Dinner was quiet and Jamie could tell something was bothering Eddie, but he wasn't sure how much to push. He figured she would talk about whatever it was when she was ready. He was right, and grateful that he didn't have to wait long. They cleaned up after dinner and decided to call it an early night and as soon as they got to the bedroom, Eddie let Jamie know exactly what was on her mind.
"I think I'm gonna talk to Rachel tomorrow," she says as she makes quick work changing into her pajamas and smiles as Jamie strips down to his boxers.
"About what," he asks as he tosses his clothes across the hamper in the corner of the room.
"I really don't want my partner to be awkward around me for however long I'm still on the street, ya know. I mean, Rachel's my friend too. She even brought me the test a couple weeks ago, so I'm just confused, and I don't want it to be weird between us," Eddie admits as she pulls the covers back and slides into bed.
"Well, did you feel any less safe with her today than you usually do?" Jamie questions as he follows his wife and crawls in beside her and they lean against the cushioned headboard. He really is curious about that, because if Eddie doesn't feel comfortable on the streets with Rachel now, he wants to know.
"Not at all," says as she turns her head to face him. She knows what he's getting at and she wants to make sure he believes what she is telling him. "I know she's got my back. I trust Rachel like I trusted you when we were partners," she adds with a smile, and Jamie tugs the covers up to their waists.
"Then maybe just give her the benefit of the doubt," he says and Eddie's brows scrunch in confusion. Those are certainly not words she would expect her husband to say about a partner on the job. "I mean, put yourself in her shoes. If she were the commissioner's pregnant daughter-in-law and you were her partner, how would you feel riding with her? Honestly?" he adds.
"I guess I never really looked at it like that," Eddie responds as she leans her head back against the headboard again, realizing now the burden her partner must feel.
"Rachel probably feels like she has a new added responsibility now, you know. She doesn't just have to have her partner's back anymore. Now she has the responsibility of keeping your unborn baby safe too. That's gotta be a lot to adjust to, especially for a rookie," Jamie says.
"Yeah, you're right. That is a huge weight to carry," she says as she laces their fingers together over Jamie's lap.
"As long as you feel like she can handle that without getting distracted, then I don't think you have anything to worry about. At least for now," Jamie says as he squeezes her hand reassuringly. He doesn't want his wife to be distracted worrying about whether her partner is distracted.
"I admit, I had my doubts about her when my dad first dumped her off on me, and even more so when you wanted to ride with her, but she's proven to be a solid partner for you. She's a good cop, Eddie, and I trust her. I mean, I had my doubts about you when we first started riding together too, remember," Jamie says with a smirk. "But you proved me wrong real fast. Rachel has too and I'm glad you have a partner you can trust. If I can't be out there to protect you every day, then I'm glad Rachel is the one to have your back now."
Every single word is hard for him to say, even though he means them because if he had his way, Eddie wouldn't be out on the streets at all, but he knows that's not how it works. He knows he has to trust her to make that decision when the time comes, and for now, he doesn't want her distracted on the job in any way and reassuring her how much he trusts her and her partner is the best thing he can do right now.
"I love you," Eddie says as she leans into Jamie for a quick kiss. Tomorrow is a new day, and she hopes Rachel will be back to normal. She's grateful for the effort Jamie put into reassuring her tonight because she knows it drives him crazy wondering whether she's safe out there, and even more now that she's pregnant. He could be making this harder on her, but he's not. He's doing everything he can to make it easier.
She's about to doze off, still in her seated position with her head resting against the headboard when she reaches over to the lamp on the bedside table and turns off the light. The sun hasn't set all the way yet and it's not completely dark in their room, but she is exhausted and could easily fall asleep right now.
"Hey Jamie," she whispers through the fatigue that is ever-present.
"Yeah?" His response is just as quiet as hers.
"I can't wait to meet our baby," she says as she drops her head to his shoulder.
"Me too," he says as he stretches his arm across her body and his fingers push the cotton fabric of her tank top out of his way as he rubs soft circles over her still flat stomach. His eyes are glued to her belly as he thinks about how much more beautiful his wife is going to be as their baby grows inside her and he scoots down the mattress to place a sweet kiss just above her navel.
The melodious moan and slow rise and fall of her belly that his touch elicits causes Jamie's lips to move upwards along her stomach as he grips her waist gently and pulls her down closer to him. He drags his hand up her side, taking her shirt with him as he peers deep into her eyes. His own are filled with love and desire as Eddie raises her body and Jamie tugs her shirt over her head. No other words need to be said in this moment as he dives for her mouth in a greedy kiss.
It didn't take Rachel long to relax around Eddie once she came to terms with the added responsibility on her shoulders and she even apologized to Eddie for acting weird around her after she first found out. They settled back into their normal routine as partners and the rest of Eddie's first week on full duty went by peacefully.
Now it's Father's Day weekend, and Jamie and Eddie have volunteered themselves for family dinner duties and enlisted the help of Sean, Erin and Joe. The plan was to spend most of the day at Frank's, to celebrate the dads in the family, instead of the usual couple of hours for dinner only, and the guys were going to cook burgers on the grill.
It was the first of two dinners that they had to keep quiet about their big news, and they were both a little nervous about being able to hold their tongues for the entire day. Just being there for a regular dinner would be easier, since there was usually some big topic of discussion that kept everyone's attention for the entire duration, but Sunday they would be there for several hours longer, and the guys would likely be indulging in a few beers on the patio while Jamie grilled, and Erin would most definitely be pouring a few glasses of wine for her and Eddie while they took care of the side dishes in the kitchen.
Eddie wasn't sure exactly how she was going to refuse the wine without giving their secret away and had been anxious about it all day Saturday, but she was at least grateful that she hadn't really experienced any of the typical symptoms of early pregnancy yet, like mood swings, morning sickness, food aversions or weird cravings, and hoped she could come up with something believable to not give herself away.
That ended Sunday morning though when Jamie was making breakfast, the usual pancakes and bacon for Eddie and a kale and protein smoothie for himself and the sound of the blender from the kitchen startled Eddie awake. She dragged herself out of bed, still groggy and now a little nauseous, but thankful that Jamie let her sleep in since the fatigue was now setting in good and hard and the weekends were the only time she could get a few extra hours of sleep. At first, she didn't connect the nausea to the pregnancy, figuring it was likely a result of hunger since they ate dinner early Saturday evening and it's now after nine Sunday morning, but the second she walked out of their bedroom, pressing through the nausea and ready to put something in her empty stomach, the smell coming from the kitchen sent her running the opposite direction as she bolted for the restroom. She's not sure if it was the smell of the pancakes, bacon, or the kale and protein, but she hopes the latter because if this baby causes a food aversion to her favorite breakfast, she's in for a long ride.
Jamie stopped what he was doing as he noticed the green hue to his wife's face when she ran away from the kitchen. He followed after her but was met with a closed bathroom door and the sound of Eddie heaving on the other side.
"Eddie?" Jamie says softly, his voice filled with concern for her as he taps on the door.
"Don't come in here," she begs. Her response was reactionary because she can't remember a time where Jamie, or anyone for that matter, has ever seen her throw up, and hugging the toilet with one arm and attempting to hold her hair back with the other is not something she wants him to see...ever.
Jamie doesn't listen to her, because he's Jamie, and the sound of distress in his wife's voice on the other side of the door is not something he can turn around and ignore, and he pushes the door open slowly as he steps inside.
"I said don't come in here," she mumbles as her voice echoes through the toilet bowl and Jamie takes a few steps closer.
"Why not," he asks cautiously as he kneels down beside her.
"Because... I don't want you to see me like this," she says, making it a point not to look over at him. His presence beside her is comforting though, but she feels embarrassed and sort of weak, not physically, but emotionally, and even though she's gotten a lot better at letting Jamie see her with her walls down, this is new and she's not sure how she feels about it.
"Eddie that's ridiculous," he says through a smile, although making sure his wife can't see the humor in his face. He's not smiling at her discomfort one bit, but at the ridiculous notion that she thinks she's not going to let him be there to comfort her through the ugly parts of this.
"No it's not," she grumbles, but another wave hits her and she's heaving again. Jamie reaches for her hair, taking hold of it for her as she continues to dump the contents of what she thought was an empty stomach into the toilet.
"Well, you better get used to it," he says as he rubs her back softly.
A/N: Up next, Father's Day BBQ at Frank's house. Will Eddie and Jamie be able to keep their secret, and will Eddie be able to keep her food down in the presence of all the Reagans?