A/N Since this is the last chapter,( it's long 2) I'm going to let Val, Hank, Tyler, Brooke, and AshlynValerie, have a point of view., along with the usual point of views of Jamie and Caitie.* Jimmy is a nickname of Jamie
The First Day of the Rest of Your Life
Ch. 11-The Quality of Mercy
(6 years continued- Part 1- Shattered Dreams)
Caitie laid on her bed, dress all in black. She remembered Jamie's response to James death. Shocked, sad, and horrified. It was one of the hardest things she had to do, telling Jamie their only son was gone forever. They could do nothing, but hold each other.
Caitie heard a knock on the door. Were Lyn and Jamie home? Her mind was in a daze. She didn't want to answer it.
"Caitie?" the voice replied. "It's Val. Are you ready to go? The limo's here."
Oh that's right. Caitie thought. Today was the funeral….. Caitie had always thought of herself as a strong person, but with the death of her son, she just seemed to crumble.
Caitie sighed and opened the door. It should have been a happy occasion Val was in New York. But, of course it wasn't.
* * *
Jamie sat motionless in the limo and in one hand he was holding Lyn's. Caitie was sitting the farthest she could from him. Every few moments he's glance in her direction only to find that she would not look back.
"Daddy." he heard Ashlyn whisper in his ear. He looked around, the limousine had stopped. It meant they had reached the grave site. He wasn't sure he was ready for this. He wished Caitie would talk to him, He needed her just as much as he knew she needed him.
He tried to look strait head, away from the headstone and small casket. Don't loss it. He told himself. Don't fall apart.
***
Caitie tried to blink the tears away that threaten to fall down her face. Where were her sunglasses she wondered? Jamie's sixteen year old niece Hannah, was singing a hymn. Oh, she wished James was here to make her laugh and smile.
But, he wasn't.
Her son was gone forever. His life cut short, at six years old. God had been cruel to her. She saw Jamie look at her. Quickly she turned away. Jamie had been driving, when it happened. She couldn't help, but blame him. However, that blame was driving them apart.
* * *
Ashlyn, hated this. Her brother was dead, her parents not speaking and now she was expected to make small talk to people who hadn't even known James.
She remembered him. She remembered when he had been born-
Stop it. she told herself. You will get thru the day as long as you don't think about it.
Guest felled the house. It was a new house. They moved out of the apartment she had lived most of her life in, a few months before. Maybe she could make a mad dash to her room, lay on the bed, listening to music and pretend this whole nightmare never happened? She adjusted her sling. Where was Hannah? Were her friends here?
She looked toward the door way. Her Uncle Peter and Aunt Megan were here, along with their families. Ashlyn had never met them, nor talked to them. She only knew what they looked like through pictures Hanah had showed her, during her many visits here. Ashlyn always wondered why she didn't know her aunt and uncle and why she didn't know her cousins- even Hannah's own little sister. Hannah had once told her that, her mom and uncle had stopped talking to Ashlyn's dad after Ashlyn was born. But, since Hannah had been and still was extremely attached to Jamie she was allowed to see him.
Still, it bothered AshlynValerie. She knew the reason for the silence had something to do with her, thou she didn't mention it to her father. Dad. She thought. What is he going to do when he saw them?
***
Everyone, Caitie knew was there, even Alex Freedman who she hadn't talked to in years. Caitie slipped past the mass of people, grabbed her coat and walked out the door.
***
"Jimmy." Megan when she saw her brother.
"What are you doing here?" he asked harshly.
"I couldn't stay away. Jamie this little feud we've been having has to stop. I'm sorry about what I tried to make you do. I know I was wrong."
"This isn't the time." Jamie said.
"I know. We'll talk later." Peter replied.
Frankly, Jamie didn't really care about he's siblings right now. He need to find Caitie.
* * *
It was about nine at night and she couldn't find her parents anywhere.
"Hannah, have you seen my parents?" she asked her almost sister.
"No, but I want Lyn to meet mine."
"Mom, dad, Uncle Peter. This is Lyn." Hannah introduced. Suddenly, Lyn was huddled into a sea of arms. This definite reunion seemed out of place and not well timed. It should have been at a wedding, graduation, holiday, or birth not a funeral, especially not James'. All she wanted right now was to find her parents and go to bed.
It didn't happen that way. Hours later, Lyn fell asleep to the sound of her realities talking, and not of her parents, and when Lyn rolled over to face the doorway she saw straight into her little brother's room. It was then that she started to cry.
***
Jamie searched the streets for Caitie. It took hours to find her, but he did, in a café that they use to go to when they were in collage.
"You've been avoiding me." he told her. She remained silent. "It's your fault." she muttered brushing past him.
* * *
(several weeks later- Part 2- Mistaken)
Jamie was tried. He had been spending more time at work. He was avoiding Caitie. They had worked their schedules so they didn't have to see each other. Jamie knew that he had not caused the accident, but still he felt guilty. Caitie blamed him, but he wasn't mad. She need to blame someone. He just wished the whole thing hadn't had happened. That James hadn't of died, that he had never picked them up that day. However, you can't change the past.
***
(Colorado)
"We should have stayed in New York longer." Val told her husband, late one night.
"Caitie and Jamie have to work it out on their own. They just lost a child, they don't need company." Tyler said practically. He thought about he's own children, particularly John, what he would do if something happened to one of them.
Something already did.
Tyler still hadn't figured out how, to deal with he's youngest son's Autism. They had all come a long way since High school and the squad. A lot of things had not gone the way, Tyler planned. Hadn't for all of them.
***
(California)
"Why don't you come out here?" Brooke spoke over the phone to Nick.
"I have a job remember? Some of us don't have management positions at twenty-five, honey." he replied.
"Just for the weekend… China's so far away."
"I finish interviewing on Wednesday. Then I'll ask my boss, Okay? After that I won't have to go overseas for another six months."
"Alright. I'll talk to you later then. Love you." she smiled to herself as she hung up the phone.
She wondered how Val and Tyler were handling John's illness as well as Caitie and Jamie with James. She was sorry her job kept her away from the funeral, that she couldn't be there for "Auntie Caitie", and that she couldn't see Val. Tyler, and her little nephews as much as she wanted to. She sighed turned off her computer and headed for home.
***
(New York)
He was glad to offer. Caitie and Jamie seemed to need some time to themselves. Plus Hank had really hadn't got to spend a lot of time with Lyn before. But, Lyn seemed bothered by something. After a few weeks she told him what it was. Apparently. Jamie and Caitie hadn't been talking for weeks and the thirteen year old feared they would get divorced. Hank hoped that they'd work it out. He knew how much they loved each other.
Hank also felt guilty, he was happy and he's life was going well, while his friend's wasn't.
***
Caitie played the tape of the answering machine over and over again.
"Mr. and Mrs. Waite, I'm Officer Johnson, I've been wanting to get in touch with you, but have kept missing you. I have news on your accident. The trucker who ran you into had fallen asleep on the wheel when he ran into you."
Caitie cut the message there. She had been wrong. It hadn't been Jamie's fault and she had blamed him all this time. Oh, God." she thought to herself. She wanted to repair the damage she had done to her marriage. The only problem was she didn't know if it could be fixed.
***
(Kingsport)
Jamie was glad he was away from New York. It felt good to be home again and away from everything that had been going on. He hadn't seen Megan and Peter. It was funny, when Ashlyn was born he had wanted them to forgive him, now they wanted him to forgive them. Tyler had told him that they had spoken to Ash at the funeral. Hw wished they hadn't. Now he'd have to explain to her that her uncle and aunt hadn't wanted her to be born, that they thought it would ruin he's life.
Anyway, he had called his brother and sister and had invited them to dinner. He wanted to resolve the years they had put between them.
***
(Colorado)
Val had her hands full. With Rob and Ben at two and one, Johnny and her work at the hospital, she was extremely busy. Plus she and Tyler had gone to every doctor to try and help Johnny. Must said they should start therapies soon after the age of one. Val was scared. The doctors said he'd be delayed in language and social skills., and later might develop mental retardation. Or his symptoms would improve as he matured and be able to led a fairly normal life. He could also have to take medication if he became a danger to himself or others. Val worried about Ben and Rob. Right now it was too soon to tell, how severe or not severe his Autism was.
John was very much different then her other sons. He was quiet, and didn't respond when she or Tyler cuddled him, which made both their hearts break. Johnny also needed to be awaken to be feed, much unlike Ben and Rob, who when they were babies who cried and cried when they were hungry.
***
(New York)
Damn it. Caitie thought. She had forgotten Jamie was away in Kingsport. She wanted to talk to him, to apologize and try and fix there marriage, and their broken family.
She couldn't fix Jamie and her problem, now she was going to get he daughter.
***
(Kingsport)
Making up with Megan would be easy., but he knew it wouldn't be with Peter. They hadn't been close to begin with, plus Jamie had missed major moments in his older brother's life. He's wedding, and the birth of he's twin sons.
"Hi." Megan replied, when she saw her brother.
"Meggie." Jamie said , haven't using that nickname for her in over thirteen years. Megan understood, and hugged Jamie on the spot. "There is a lot be have to catch up on, but later." Megan replied, then gesturing towards Peter and then walked into the kitchen to greet her parents.
"I'm sorry." Jamie started.
"No, you shouldn't be. We had no right to try and tell you what to do with your unborn child. You were right when you said I'd change my mind when I had children. There is no way I could give up my sons." Peter replied.
***
(Five years later- Part 3- Changing Times)
After Jamie' return to New York, Caitie and Jamie began to fix the problems that had threaten to tear apart their marriage, and Ashlyn came home.
During that time, AshlynValerie became a teenager. She played sports and got excellent grades in school. When she was sixteen she begged her parents for a motorcycle, and after a year they surprised her with it. She still and always would miss her brother but mostly she tried not to think about it. She thought of when they took a trip to Disneyland when she was fourteen, her first date, at fifteen when her dad spent an half hour interrogating her date, her mom helping her get ready for prom at seventeen, and now her graduation from high school. She would be leaving New York for Miami, on a sports scholarship and a major in journalism, this summer.
***
While Caitie was still very successful lawyer, Jamie was an EMT and a college drop out. Although, Caitie and Ashlyn repeatedly said it didn't matter, because he was good at being an EMT and he liked it. But, he didn't feel that way.
Now, felt like the perfect time, to go back to college. He was still young at 34 and with Lyn gone, he had more time. Tomorrow he'll enroll in some classes.
***
(Colorado)
Five year old John had not gotten any better, even with the therapies. He didn't like social settings, and barely responded to he's two older brothers. One moment he'd say a whole paragraph of words on one subject or another, the next he wasn't even able to say "I'm hungry."
Val didn't know what would happen to him. She hoped that when he got older, his condition would get better. For now, all she could hope for is that one day he'd be able to say Mom.
***
(California)
Brooke quickly unpacked her things from her latest trip, which had been to see Hank, who now lived in Massachusetts. He was doing well, so was Angela and Molly. Brooke was glad for them.
Brooke, jumped at the ring of the doorbell. But, then went to go open it wondering who it was.
"Nick? What are you doing here? I thought you were in Africa on assignment." Brooke exclaimed when she saw her ever traveling boyfriend.
"I had to ask you something." the 31 year told her, pulling something out from he's pocket. "Will you marry me?"
"Of course." Brooke said kissing him.
***
(10 years later)
Many things had changed in the past decade. Brooke was married, Val and Tyler's children teenagers, John's life still uncertain Hank's daughter out of collage, Jamie also a collage graduate and Lyn married and now just giving birth to her first child.
Caitie and Jamie stood astonished at the sight of their first grandchild, Heather. They had come a long way since Ashlyn's birth 28 years before.
Jamie gently kissed Heather and then his daughter remembering when she had been a baby, and how he felt. "This is the first day of the rest of your life."
***
A/N Wow that was long! I hope the end wasn't too corny. I'm finally done with this story and it only took me almost a month and a half! ;-) I hope you guys liked this.
BTW Here is a link for Autism that I used, if you'd like more information on it:
AOL Keyword: Autism
Coming up next a story about Hank.
The First Day of the Rest of Your Life
Ch. 11-The Quality of Mercy
(6 years continued- Part 1- Shattered Dreams)
Caitie laid on her bed, dress all in black. She remembered Jamie's response to James death. Shocked, sad, and horrified. It was one of the hardest things she had to do, telling Jamie their only son was gone forever. They could do nothing, but hold each other.
Caitie heard a knock on the door. Were Lyn and Jamie home? Her mind was in a daze. She didn't want to answer it.
"Caitie?" the voice replied. "It's Val. Are you ready to go? The limo's here."
Oh that's right. Caitie thought. Today was the funeral….. Caitie had always thought of herself as a strong person, but with the death of her son, she just seemed to crumble.
Caitie sighed and opened the door. It should have been a happy occasion Val was in New York. But, of course it wasn't.
* * *
Jamie sat motionless in the limo and in one hand he was holding Lyn's. Caitie was sitting the farthest she could from him. Every few moments he's glance in her direction only to find that she would not look back.
"Daddy." he heard Ashlyn whisper in his ear. He looked around, the limousine had stopped. It meant they had reached the grave site. He wasn't sure he was ready for this. He wished Caitie would talk to him, He needed her just as much as he knew she needed him.
He tried to look strait head, away from the headstone and small casket. Don't loss it. He told himself. Don't fall apart.
***
Caitie tried to blink the tears away that threaten to fall down her face. Where were her sunglasses she wondered? Jamie's sixteen year old niece Hannah, was singing a hymn. Oh, she wished James was here to make her laugh and smile.
But, he wasn't.
Her son was gone forever. His life cut short, at six years old. God had been cruel to her. She saw Jamie look at her. Quickly she turned away. Jamie had been driving, when it happened. She couldn't help, but blame him. However, that blame was driving them apart.
* * *
Ashlyn, hated this. Her brother was dead, her parents not speaking and now she was expected to make small talk to people who hadn't even known James.
She remembered him. She remembered when he had been born-
Stop it. she told herself. You will get thru the day as long as you don't think about it.
Guest felled the house. It was a new house. They moved out of the apartment she had lived most of her life in, a few months before. Maybe she could make a mad dash to her room, lay on the bed, listening to music and pretend this whole nightmare never happened? She adjusted her sling. Where was Hannah? Were her friends here?
She looked toward the door way. Her Uncle Peter and Aunt Megan were here, along with their families. Ashlyn had never met them, nor talked to them. She only knew what they looked like through pictures Hanah had showed her, during her many visits here. Ashlyn always wondered why she didn't know her aunt and uncle and why she didn't know her cousins- even Hannah's own little sister. Hannah had once told her that, her mom and uncle had stopped talking to Ashlyn's dad after Ashlyn was born. But, since Hannah had been and still was extremely attached to Jamie she was allowed to see him.
Still, it bothered AshlynValerie. She knew the reason for the silence had something to do with her, thou she didn't mention it to her father. Dad. She thought. What is he going to do when he saw them?
***
Everyone, Caitie knew was there, even Alex Freedman who she hadn't talked to in years. Caitie slipped past the mass of people, grabbed her coat and walked out the door.
***
"Jimmy." Megan when she saw her brother.
"What are you doing here?" he asked harshly.
"I couldn't stay away. Jamie this little feud we've been having has to stop. I'm sorry about what I tried to make you do. I know I was wrong."
"This isn't the time." Jamie said.
"I know. We'll talk later." Peter replied.
Frankly, Jamie didn't really care about he's siblings right now. He need to find Caitie.
* * *
It was about nine at night and she couldn't find her parents anywhere.
"Hannah, have you seen my parents?" she asked her almost sister.
"No, but I want Lyn to meet mine."
"Mom, dad, Uncle Peter. This is Lyn." Hannah introduced. Suddenly, Lyn was huddled into a sea of arms. This definite reunion seemed out of place and not well timed. It should have been at a wedding, graduation, holiday, or birth not a funeral, especially not James'. All she wanted right now was to find her parents and go to bed.
It didn't happen that way. Hours later, Lyn fell asleep to the sound of her realities talking, and not of her parents, and when Lyn rolled over to face the doorway she saw straight into her little brother's room. It was then that she started to cry.
***
Jamie searched the streets for Caitie. It took hours to find her, but he did, in a café that they use to go to when they were in collage.
"You've been avoiding me." he told her. She remained silent. "It's your fault." she muttered brushing past him.
* * *
(several weeks later- Part 2- Mistaken)
Jamie was tried. He had been spending more time at work. He was avoiding Caitie. They had worked their schedules so they didn't have to see each other. Jamie knew that he had not caused the accident, but still he felt guilty. Caitie blamed him, but he wasn't mad. She need to blame someone. He just wished the whole thing hadn't had happened. That James hadn't of died, that he had never picked them up that day. However, you can't change the past.
***
(Colorado)
"We should have stayed in New York longer." Val told her husband, late one night.
"Caitie and Jamie have to work it out on their own. They just lost a child, they don't need company." Tyler said practically. He thought about he's own children, particularly John, what he would do if something happened to one of them.
Something already did.
Tyler still hadn't figured out how, to deal with he's youngest son's Autism. They had all come a long way since High school and the squad. A lot of things had not gone the way, Tyler planned. Hadn't for all of them.
***
(California)
"Why don't you come out here?" Brooke spoke over the phone to Nick.
"I have a job remember? Some of us don't have management positions at twenty-five, honey." he replied.
"Just for the weekend… China's so far away."
"I finish interviewing on Wednesday. Then I'll ask my boss, Okay? After that I won't have to go overseas for another six months."
"Alright. I'll talk to you later then. Love you." she smiled to herself as she hung up the phone.
She wondered how Val and Tyler were handling John's illness as well as Caitie and Jamie with James. She was sorry her job kept her away from the funeral, that she couldn't be there for "Auntie Caitie", and that she couldn't see Val. Tyler, and her little nephews as much as she wanted to. She sighed turned off her computer and headed for home.
***
(New York)
He was glad to offer. Caitie and Jamie seemed to need some time to themselves. Plus Hank had really hadn't got to spend a lot of time with Lyn before. But, Lyn seemed bothered by something. After a few weeks she told him what it was. Apparently. Jamie and Caitie hadn't been talking for weeks and the thirteen year old feared they would get divorced. Hank hoped that they'd work it out. He knew how much they loved each other.
Hank also felt guilty, he was happy and he's life was going well, while his friend's wasn't.
***
Caitie played the tape of the answering machine over and over again.
"Mr. and Mrs. Waite, I'm Officer Johnson, I've been wanting to get in touch with you, but have kept missing you. I have news on your accident. The trucker who ran you into had fallen asleep on the wheel when he ran into you."
Caitie cut the message there. She had been wrong. It hadn't been Jamie's fault and she had blamed him all this time. Oh, God." she thought to herself. She wanted to repair the damage she had done to her marriage. The only problem was she didn't know if it could be fixed.
***
(Kingsport)
Jamie was glad he was away from New York. It felt good to be home again and away from everything that had been going on. He hadn't seen Megan and Peter. It was funny, when Ashlyn was born he had wanted them to forgive him, now they wanted him to forgive them. Tyler had told him that they had spoken to Ash at the funeral. Hw wished they hadn't. Now he'd have to explain to her that her uncle and aunt hadn't wanted her to be born, that they thought it would ruin he's life.
Anyway, he had called his brother and sister and had invited them to dinner. He wanted to resolve the years they had put between them.
***
(Colorado)
Val had her hands full. With Rob and Ben at two and one, Johnny and her work at the hospital, she was extremely busy. Plus she and Tyler had gone to every doctor to try and help Johnny. Must said they should start therapies soon after the age of one. Val was scared. The doctors said he'd be delayed in language and social skills., and later might develop mental retardation. Or his symptoms would improve as he matured and be able to led a fairly normal life. He could also have to take medication if he became a danger to himself or others. Val worried about Ben and Rob. Right now it was too soon to tell, how severe or not severe his Autism was.
John was very much different then her other sons. He was quiet, and didn't respond when she or Tyler cuddled him, which made both their hearts break. Johnny also needed to be awaken to be feed, much unlike Ben and Rob, who when they were babies who cried and cried when they were hungry.
***
(New York)
Damn it. Caitie thought. She had forgotten Jamie was away in Kingsport. She wanted to talk to him, to apologize and try and fix there marriage, and their broken family.
She couldn't fix Jamie and her problem, now she was going to get he daughter.
***
(Kingsport)
Making up with Megan would be easy., but he knew it wouldn't be with Peter. They hadn't been close to begin with, plus Jamie had missed major moments in his older brother's life. He's wedding, and the birth of he's twin sons.
"Hi." Megan replied, when she saw her brother.
"Meggie." Jamie said , haven't using that nickname for her in over thirteen years. Megan understood, and hugged Jamie on the spot. "There is a lot be have to catch up on, but later." Megan replied, then gesturing towards Peter and then walked into the kitchen to greet her parents.
"I'm sorry." Jamie started.
"No, you shouldn't be. We had no right to try and tell you what to do with your unborn child. You were right when you said I'd change my mind when I had children. There is no way I could give up my sons." Peter replied.
***
(Five years later- Part 3- Changing Times)
After Jamie' return to New York, Caitie and Jamie began to fix the problems that had threaten to tear apart their marriage, and Ashlyn came home.
During that time, AshlynValerie became a teenager. She played sports and got excellent grades in school. When she was sixteen she begged her parents for a motorcycle, and after a year they surprised her with it. She still and always would miss her brother but mostly she tried not to think about it. She thought of when they took a trip to Disneyland when she was fourteen, her first date, at fifteen when her dad spent an half hour interrogating her date, her mom helping her get ready for prom at seventeen, and now her graduation from high school. She would be leaving New York for Miami, on a sports scholarship and a major in journalism, this summer.
***
While Caitie was still very successful lawyer, Jamie was an EMT and a college drop out. Although, Caitie and Ashlyn repeatedly said it didn't matter, because he was good at being an EMT and he liked it. But, he didn't feel that way.
Now, felt like the perfect time, to go back to college. He was still young at 34 and with Lyn gone, he had more time. Tomorrow he'll enroll in some classes.
***
(Colorado)
Five year old John had not gotten any better, even with the therapies. He didn't like social settings, and barely responded to he's two older brothers. One moment he'd say a whole paragraph of words on one subject or another, the next he wasn't even able to say "I'm hungry."
Val didn't know what would happen to him. She hoped that when he got older, his condition would get better. For now, all she could hope for is that one day he'd be able to say Mom.
***
(California)
Brooke quickly unpacked her things from her latest trip, which had been to see Hank, who now lived in Massachusetts. He was doing well, so was Angela and Molly. Brooke was glad for them.
Brooke, jumped at the ring of the doorbell. But, then went to go open it wondering who it was.
"Nick? What are you doing here? I thought you were in Africa on assignment." Brooke exclaimed when she saw her ever traveling boyfriend.
"I had to ask you something." the 31 year told her, pulling something out from he's pocket. "Will you marry me?"
"Of course." Brooke said kissing him.
***
(10 years later)
Many things had changed in the past decade. Brooke was married, Val and Tyler's children teenagers, John's life still uncertain Hank's daughter out of collage, Jamie also a collage graduate and Lyn married and now just giving birth to her first child.
Caitie and Jamie stood astonished at the sight of their first grandchild, Heather. They had come a long way since Ashlyn's birth 28 years before.
Jamie gently kissed Heather and then his daughter remembering when she had been a baby, and how he felt. "This is the first day of the rest of your life."
***
A/N Wow that was long! I hope the end wasn't too corny. I'm finally done with this story and it only took me almost a month and a half! ;-) I hope you guys liked this.
BTW Here is a link for Autism that I used, if you'd like more information on it:
AOL Keyword: Autism
Coming up next a story about Hank.
