Monday August 29th 2022

Today was the big day, Emmalyn has been so excited for. Jamie and Eddie a little nervous but excited at the same time. It was all day kindergarten, she'd be getting the bus every morning and off in the afternoons. The bus was the one thing Emmalyn was scared about. Beings the last time she was on a bus was when it ended up getting hijacked. I think it's safe to say all those kids are scared.

"Okay! All done, Time to go!" Eddie said putting the finishing touches on Emmalyn's hair. She looked in the mirror and didn't really react to it.

"What's wrong Em? Don't you like it?" Eddie was confused.

"I don't want to go on the bus." She said. That broke Eddies heart, that's not something a 5 year old should have to be worried about.

"Remember there's going to be a police officer on the bus with you and the other kids for the first few weeks of school?" Eddie reminded her looking at her face through the mirror. Emmalyn didn't say anything she looked like she was on the verge of crying. Eddie started to tear up she felt awful. Was she being a bad mom for making her do this?

"Come here sweetheart." She said and pulled her in for a hug. Then she started crying, and it wasn't fake it was true tears of fear.

"Let me go talk to daddy I'll be right back." Eddie didn't want her to see she was crying and left the room to find Jamie. He was in Scarletts room with her finishing up getting her dressed.

"This little monkey is-...what's wrong?...!?" Jamie asked seeing Eddies face.

"Jamie she's so scared to get on that bus. I can't...-" she couldn't speak it made her so upset. Jamie felt awful but he knew she wasn't the only kid scared, he also knew she had it worse then any other because the guy had a hold of her and had a gun on her. Scariest day of his life by far.

"I'll talk to her. Here." Jamie said handing Scarlett off to Eddie. When Jamie got in her room she looked so cute ready for school but she was very upset.

"Hey, what's going on Em." Jamie got down and gave her a hug, she held on so tight to him. Now Jamie understood why Eddie was a mess, he even started to tear up.

"Tell me what would make you feel better." He said.

"I...I...don't want to go on the bus..." she said through her tears.

"I know but what would help you feel better about going on the bus? There's already a police officer that's going to ride along.?" He told her. Frank had ordered a police officer to ride that bus everyday until those kids all came to agreement they didn't need it anymore.

"But... I want you and mommy to come too.." she cried.

"Em mommy and daddy have to go to work too..." Jaime told her, she kept crying.

"I have an idea, how about we follow the bus to school. Would that make you feel better?" Jamie asked. She shook her head yes, all about that idea.

"Okay? Sound good? Let's go get your stuff and go alright?" Jamie said and got up. Emmalyn had lightened up and wiped her tears following Jamie to the door.

Pop had arrived and was playing with Scarlett in the living room.

"Hey pop." Jamie said.

"Hey all good?" He asked and Jamie nodded yes.

"Eddie, we're gonna follow the bus to school and then head to work, Emmalyn said that would help." Jamie told her.

"Okay yeah! Let's do that. That's a great idea." She said and they headed out the door.

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Emmalyn got on the bus fine, the officer actually got off the bus to introduce himself to each kid and said he was here to protect them. That made Jamie and Eddie feel good, this was something cops would get good publicity for, and there was always room for that.

———

They followed that bus to every stop, they were going to be late to work but one day in their lives wouldn't hurt.

———

"Why are you crying?" Jamie asked after the bus got to school and they waved goodbye to Emmalyn.

"She's in kindergarten...!" Eddie said.

"Janko...would you stop..." Jamie said with a laugh but grabbed and kissed her hand as they drove to work. She couldn't stop of course.

"We can't have anymore babies Eddie. I hate seeing you upset." Jamie said.

"It's just my hormones..." she said.

"Exactly...no more babies after this one." Jamie said with a laugh. But then realized that made her cry more.

"...of course we have to see how life is first before we decide for sure though..." he said covering himself after realizing he shouldn't of said that.

"Yeah..!" Eddie agreed.

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"Reagan you're late!" Espinoza hollered from his office when he saw them walk by.

"Sorry boss, got behind a bus." Jamie said knowing he was telling the truth. Eddie smiled and they kept walking.

"Hey we were...he doesn't have to know we did it on purpose" Jamie said looking at Eddie with a wink, Eddie laughed. They headed off to get changed and head to roll call.

————

They got home at 6, pop had both girls eating dinner at the table, spaghetti just like Eddie had got out.

"Huh mommy and daddy are home!" Emmalyn said excited when she saw the door opening and ran to give them both a hug.

"How was kindergarten!?" Eddie asked, she couldn't wait to hear about it.

"Good! I ate lunch there AND I got a prize!" She told her very excitingly.

"Oh! What for!?" Eddie asked so excited.

"Because I told my teacher another little boy needed help at recess." She said.

"Aw! Em good job! That makes me so happy!" Eddie told her and gave her another hug, Jamie just smiled at pop. He had already heard all about her day.

"Yeah and we got plenty of leftover spaghetti, Scarletts doing well with it." Pop said as Jamie made his way over to grab a plate. Emmalyn went and sat back down to finish eating and Eddie went to the kitchen to also get a plate of food.

"This looks good pop." Jamie said scooping some on a plate, only to catch notice at the glistening of Eddies eyes standing next to him waiting. He figured it was about the story Emmalyn just told about her helping another kid.

He finished and handed the spoon to her, set his plate down on the counter and then came up behind her with a hug, resting his hands on her belly. He laid his head next to hers and kissed her on the cheek. Eddie knew that meant he was acknowledging her emotions and it made her smile.

————

Pop left and Emmalyn told Jamie and Eddie all about her day, she loved her teacher Mrs.Huffman, and the bus was okay. The officer made her feel better but she thought it was fun they didn't have to wear seatbelts.

"I got homework too!" Emmalyn said excited and opened her back pack.

"Homework on the first day!?" Jamie asked surprised. Emmalyn handed it to Eddie to see.

"Oh it's just an all about you paper, it's fun haha." Eddie laughed. Jamie sighed in relief.

"Eh!" Scarlett yelled trying to get out of her high chair.

"We'll have to do that after we clean up dinner okay?" Eddie said and gave it back to her. Jamie got up to get Scarlett out.

"You made a mess haha." Jamie told her looking at all the spaghetti sauce on her face, hands, and down the front of her.

"I can do it myself." Emmalyn told her and went off to the coffee table in the living room.

"Em you can't read yet, I'll help you as soon as you're sister is cleaned up." Jamie told her and went to the nursery. She got mad and threw the paper and pencil on the floor.

"Hey what's the matter?" Eddie asked clearing the table.

"I can't read." She said. Eddie walked over and picked up the stuff.

"Yeah I know Em that's why you go to school, to learn how to." Eddie told her and sat down to help her do the paper.

"Why can't you teach me." Emmalyn asked.

"I could probably try but that's what your teacher is for. Mommy doesn't know how to teach honey. That's why mommy is not a teacher." Eddie told her. Emmalyn didn't say anything else so Eddie helped her fill out the paper.

———

The rest of the night was good. They got both girls down fairly early now that Emmalyn was in school all day. It was nice and gave Jamie and Eddie a chance to spend time together just the two of them(and baby). Jamie gave her a foot massage while they watched tv.

"You're quiet." Jamie said.

"What? No I'm not." Eddie said.

"Yeah you are, what?" Jamie questioned.

"I'm just thinking." Eddie said.

"About what?" He asked.

"Em. Earlier when she wanted to do that paper, she was mad she couldn't read. I told her that's what school is for. But then she turned to me and said-why can't you teach me." Eddie told him.

"Okay...?" Jamie was confused.

"Well I told her I'm not a teacher." She said.

"Right...? Eddie I don't understand what your point is." Jamie said.

"That scares me. I'm a mother to soon to be 3 kids and I wouldn't know the first step to teaching them how to read." Eddie said.

"Eddie that's what teachers do. You aren't a teacher, you're a cop. As parents we teach them first words, colors, right from wrong, but it takes a special person to be able to teach a child how to read." Jamie told her.

"Yeah I know, I know. I just felt useless when she asked me that." Eddie said.

"Don't. Remember you can't do it all, and that's okay." Jamie told her. She nodded and understood.

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