Silent Heartbeats 10: Freak
By Maureen
To everyone that thinks they know where I am going: I doubt you know - mainly because I don't! Also, Jamie and Catie did not have sex. I tried to show that 50 billion different ways "there is no sex in Jamie's room" "the condoms were not used" etc etc etc, you can sleep with a person and not have sex!!!!!
***
Dr. Freeman,
I'm not interested in where my father is or where James is. I left Kingsport and am not going to return.
Peter Waite Jr.
Alex Freeman read the email again, wondering how a family could be so uncaring for each other. Jamie had said that he had no idea where his mother was and thought his brother was at the local university a few hours away but wasn't sure. Standing up, he decided it was time for a break from the monotony of paperwork.
Glancing in the common room he saw that nobody was there nor any noise being made to show where they were, which was uncommon for the squad. In fact, they all seemed to be missing; even Jamie wasn't around, although his hearing aids were on the coffee table.
It wasn't like Hank or Val to simply leave like this. Finally he decided to look in the garage. It was open as usual, but the spare ambulance was in the driveway. Alex stood in the garage door shocked at the scene in front of him. Jamie was wearing black board shorts and Brooke was in a blue one-piece bathing suit washing the ambulance, enjoying the first warm day of spring.
Not noticing Alex, Brooke took the hose and sprayed Jamie with water, causing him to yell and run towards her like a maniac, his spiky hair falling flat on his forehead. He grabbed her like a wrestler picking her up high. She squealed but was obviously not in any danger. The on duty squad was sitting a little ways away in the grass staying dry and watching the antics.
Hank noticed Alex first and stood up, offering to go pick up lunch for everybody. Alex agreed and sent Tyler and Hank in the other ambulance to the local rotisserie place to pick up food. Fast food was tiresome and Alex thought a picnic would be nice, especially since they weren't the primary station on call.
"Oh! Alex!" Brooke cried, finally noticing her boss. She turned the hose off and stopped spraying Jamie. "I'm sorry, it's just..."
"It's okay Brooke. Just water," he told the 12 yr old girl. "But why don't you get less on Jamie and more on the ambulance?"
"Sure." She replied, motioning that the hose needed to the sprayed on the ambulance for Jamie. He nodded his understanding and slopped more soap on the side.
In the nearly three months since Jamie had come to live with Alex he had undergone massive changes. He was doing his homework regularly and making good grades on his tests and was quickly becoming fluent in sign language. He and Catie would be taking an advanced class that summer to gain proficiency. Catie, Alex thought, smiling slightly. She had become almost a permanent fixture at their apartment often eating dinner with them or practicing signs with Jamie. Or making out, but Alex wasn't supposed to know that, although he did. Jamie was still making regular trips to his therapist but his night terrors were becoming less and less frequent, as were his nightmares. Overall, life was good.
"So, Val," Alex said, joining her on the grass, "enjoying your spring break?"
"Yeah," she replied, smiling. "School's been getting tedious."
"I can imagine. It's nice to sleep late too."
"Yeah," she agreed, tucking an errant blonde lock behind her ear. She was trying to grow it longer. "So how's Jamie doing? We never talk anymore."
"He's doing alright, it's slow. Catie's been helping a lot," Alex hadn't cared much for the girl when he had first met her, but was amazed by her persistence and underlying good heart. He would never have guessed Catie was such a caring person.
"He's all she talks about. She's so madly in love with him, but is afraid she's going to hurt him more, you know?"
"Yeah, she's talked to me about it. Not much anyone can do." The duo sat in silence for several more minutes watching Brooke and Jamie finish drying the ambulance. Jamie was lifting Brooke up to dry the parts they couldn't reach.
When they finished they joined Val and Alex in the grass to wait for their lunch. "I'm hungry," Jamie complained with a smile. "I've been working hard."
"Or hardly working!" Val pitched in, gesturing to the soaking wet duo. Brooke stuck her tongue out at her older sister and retrieved her t-shirt and Jamie's t-shirts from the garage. She pulled it over her head covering her bathing suit and board shorts.
Jamie caught the t-shirt when Brooke threw it, right on his face. He pulled it off his face and used it as a towel to dry his hair a bit, his hair spiking naturally with the water. Tyler and Hank drove back up then with the food. *What?* Jamie asked, not realizing they were gone.
*Food,* Alex signed back, as Brooke and Val helped carry the bags to the grass for an impromptu picnic. The dispatcher would alert them to a call.
Jamie didn't pay much attention to anyone as he ate. They had brought back an array of food, two chickens, macaroni and cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, glazed apples plus biscuits and gravy, etc. A perfect picnic on a perfect day.
Val tapped him on the shoulder, interrupting his attempts to devour the cinnamon apples, *What's new?* she signed slowly, trying to draw him into the conversation.
"Not much. Same shit, different day," Jamie replied, smiling. Before anyone else could say anything, Alex began to sign furiously at Jamie, obviously mad.
"But -", Jamie began, but soon, he too was signing rapidly, the duo moving too fast for anyone else to follow. "Yes sir."
"Did I miss something here?" Hank asked.
"Jamie needs to watch his language, at least while he's at work." Alex said, indicating that he could speak almost however he pleased at other times.
Jamie just rolled his eyes and reached for a piece of the cherry pie for dessert.
***
A few hours later everyone had left except Jamie and Alex. Jamie was sweeping the front entryway to the station while he waited for Alex to finish his paper work. Catie walked in, tucking a lock of hair behind her ears.
*Hey Jamie.* she greeted him, kissing him lightly on the lips.
*Hey yourself.* he replied, propping the broom up against the wall. *What's up?*
*Not much,* she replied, *flunked a math exam, but that's nothing new.*
*Have you started thinking about college yet? You're going to be a senior soon.* Jamie and Catie walked into the common room and sat down to talk, they hadn't seen each other in almost a week due to school and conflicting schedules. It was only a few weeks before school ended for the summer.
*And you'll be a sophomore, again.* Catie said, almost hesitantly. This was not a comfortable topic for her. On the one hand they were the same age, but on the other, he was two grades below her.
"Yeah," Jamie replied, softly. "So?"
*Nothing. Nothing at all. I had fun after the dance,* Catie signed, smiling. Even though it was nearly two weeks earlier, the memories were still at the forefront of her mind, causing her to smile all the time.
*I wanted to say thanks.* Jamie said, a seeming non sequitur.
*For what?*
*For not, you know...having sex. It would have been the wrong time.* Jamie signed awkwardly, his nervousness obvious.
*It's okay,* Catie replied, not mad at all. With the night terrors and stress, he didn't need anything that could even possibly upset him more. As pleasurable as making love might be, neither was ready for it. *Maybe one day, and if not, well, a relationship isn't based on sex.*
Catie leaned forward and kissed him once again. "I can't do this and sign you know," Jamie murmured softly.
Catie kissed him again, and Jamie wrapped his arms around her, signing forgotten.
"Excuse me, love birds," Alex said, interrupting their make-out session on the couch. Both immediately blushed scarlet, the cliché scene playing out true to form.
*Time to go," Alex signed, tapping his watch. *Catie, will you come to dinner?*
*Sure, Alex," Catie replied, *let me call my parents.*
A few minutes later the trio had piled into Alex' car and were headed over to the local Olive Garden. Alex refused to cook on the weekends so they frequently went out for dinner or Jamie cooked. Not that he was able to cook much that was eatable, everything was edible, but whether a person would eat it or not willingly was not happening.
They ate their meal fairly quickly, enjoying the unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks. To the casual observer it appeared to be a man out with his two teenage kids. Alex paid the check and they headed back out to the parking lot. As they left a middle-aged couple was also exiting. Alex held the door for them politely and didn't notice when the woman's wallet fell out of her purse. Jamie picked it up off the pavement and he and Catie followed the couple to return it while Alex headed towards his car.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Jamie called out, trying to catch up to the couple, they were speed walking in the darkened parking lot and making it difficult for the couple to catch them.
"Ma'am!" Catie called out, helping, "you dropped your wallet!"
Finally they reached their car as the older couple were getting in. "Ma'am," Jamie said, "you dropped your wallet," he held out the bulging leather billfold to her.
"You stole my wallet!" the woman shrieked, becoming hysterical. She quickly opened it, ignoring the protests of both Jamie and Catie, "There's a twenty missing from here!"
Catie quickly translated for the woman.
"No ma'am, I didn't take it! It fell out!" Jamie protested, a sense of déjà vu washing over him. This same scene had occurred only months before with a patients wallet. "I didn't steal your money!"
"Punks! I'm calling the police, don't go anywhere!" The man snarled, mumbling to himself about the youth of today.
"Shut up the both of you!" Jamie yelled. They quieted. "Now, don't say a word! Lady, I don't know what preconceived misconceptions you have, but your wallet fell out and I returned it, without taking your money. Don't bother with your lame excuses or stereotyping of me, I can't hear it and I don't want to! Just remember this lesson: not all punks or Goths are bad. In fact, most of us aren't!" Jamie grabbed Catie's hand and turned, leaving the couple stunned.
As Jamie and Catie left they could hear Jamie ranting about what had just occurred. Jamie's EMT badge fell out of his pocket onto the ground near the car and the woman picked it up, still not quite believing what had occurred. "'James Waite,'" she read aloud. "'EMT, station 42.'"
Jamie was shaking with rage over what had just occurred. Catie related the tale to Alex who replied, "No offense, but with the current stereotypes it's not a far fetched conclusion. Look at why Jamie is an EMT."
Both Jamie and Catie glared at him but didn't reply, having to concede the truth. Later that night, he fell into bed, exhausted, not noticing his missing badge.
***
The next morning, Jamie was back at the station working on unloading the current shipment in the garage when the lady from the night before walked in. "Excuse me," she said to the first person she saw, Tyler, "I'm looking for James Waite? is it?"
"Oh! You mean, Jamie, he's in the garage. I'll show you where it is." Tyler led her back to the garage, where Jamie was wearing his uniform pants and his 'disobey' shirt. He was stacking boxes that had already been inventoried onto the dolly to move them back into the storage room.
*Hey,* Tyler signed, tapping him on the shoulder. *This woman wants to see you.*
Jamie instantly recognized her as the woman at the restaurant and his eyes narrowed, thinking she was going to slap a lawsuit or some other nonsense on him. "Yes?" he asked.
"I'm Anna Hackberry," she said, holding her hand out. "I don't believe we were properly introduced last night."
"Jamie Waite," he replied, shaking it briefly. "Um, before this becomes really embarrassing, you should know that I'm deaf."
"Oh, I -" Mrs. Hackber became flustered, not sure how to act anymore.
"Write what you want to say on here." He handed her a pad of paper and a pen.
/I wanted to apologize for what I said last night and the money, none was taken./ although, she thought, if she had known he hadn't heard her she would never have come!
Jamie shrugged. "It happens a lot. I should be used to it by now."
/This is not the first time you've been falsely accused?/
"Third false since August I think. Second involving a wallet." Jamie said soberly. He omitted the one positive accusation that he was put on probation for. "But thanks for coming down here to apologize."
She fished through her purse and pulled out her wallet. She opened it and handed Jamie his badge back that he had dropped as well as $20. /You dropped your badge and I owe you this. I immediately jumped to conclusions./
"Thank you," Jamie replied, taking his badge back and clipping it to his pants. He had wondered where it had gone once he had woken up but had figured it was in his locker and never went to look. "but I can't accept your money. It's against the rules."
/Were you on duty last night?/ Jamie shook his head in reply. /then take it. I won't tell./
Jamie accepted the money and stuffed it into his pocket. "Thank you. I, ah, hope you won't instantly judge people by their appearances anymore."
/never again/ the woman replied. She turned to leave, waving good-bye over one shoulder. Jamie waved back, hoping that she had learnt her lesson.
A/N: ha!! They did not have sex people and if Catie's pregnant it is not Jamie's doing!!! So ha ha ha!!! And if she is, well, I'm not writing that fic!!! I also love the Olive Garden, it is one of the best restaurants ever!
By Maureen
To everyone that thinks they know where I am going: I doubt you know - mainly because I don't! Also, Jamie and Catie did not have sex. I tried to show that 50 billion different ways "there is no sex in Jamie's room" "the condoms were not used" etc etc etc, you can sleep with a person and not have sex!!!!!
***
Dr. Freeman,
I'm not interested in where my father is or where James is. I left Kingsport and am not going to return.
Peter Waite Jr.
Alex Freeman read the email again, wondering how a family could be so uncaring for each other. Jamie had said that he had no idea where his mother was and thought his brother was at the local university a few hours away but wasn't sure. Standing up, he decided it was time for a break from the monotony of paperwork.
Glancing in the common room he saw that nobody was there nor any noise being made to show where they were, which was uncommon for the squad. In fact, they all seemed to be missing; even Jamie wasn't around, although his hearing aids were on the coffee table.
It wasn't like Hank or Val to simply leave like this. Finally he decided to look in the garage. It was open as usual, but the spare ambulance was in the driveway. Alex stood in the garage door shocked at the scene in front of him. Jamie was wearing black board shorts and Brooke was in a blue one-piece bathing suit washing the ambulance, enjoying the first warm day of spring.
Not noticing Alex, Brooke took the hose and sprayed Jamie with water, causing him to yell and run towards her like a maniac, his spiky hair falling flat on his forehead. He grabbed her like a wrestler picking her up high. She squealed but was obviously not in any danger. The on duty squad was sitting a little ways away in the grass staying dry and watching the antics.
Hank noticed Alex first and stood up, offering to go pick up lunch for everybody. Alex agreed and sent Tyler and Hank in the other ambulance to the local rotisserie place to pick up food. Fast food was tiresome and Alex thought a picnic would be nice, especially since they weren't the primary station on call.
"Oh! Alex!" Brooke cried, finally noticing her boss. She turned the hose off and stopped spraying Jamie. "I'm sorry, it's just..."
"It's okay Brooke. Just water," he told the 12 yr old girl. "But why don't you get less on Jamie and more on the ambulance?"
"Sure." She replied, motioning that the hose needed to the sprayed on the ambulance for Jamie. He nodded his understanding and slopped more soap on the side.
In the nearly three months since Jamie had come to live with Alex he had undergone massive changes. He was doing his homework regularly and making good grades on his tests and was quickly becoming fluent in sign language. He and Catie would be taking an advanced class that summer to gain proficiency. Catie, Alex thought, smiling slightly. She had become almost a permanent fixture at their apartment often eating dinner with them or practicing signs with Jamie. Or making out, but Alex wasn't supposed to know that, although he did. Jamie was still making regular trips to his therapist but his night terrors were becoming less and less frequent, as were his nightmares. Overall, life was good.
"So, Val," Alex said, joining her on the grass, "enjoying your spring break?"
"Yeah," she replied, smiling. "School's been getting tedious."
"I can imagine. It's nice to sleep late too."
"Yeah," she agreed, tucking an errant blonde lock behind her ear. She was trying to grow it longer. "So how's Jamie doing? We never talk anymore."
"He's doing alright, it's slow. Catie's been helping a lot," Alex hadn't cared much for the girl when he had first met her, but was amazed by her persistence and underlying good heart. He would never have guessed Catie was such a caring person.
"He's all she talks about. She's so madly in love with him, but is afraid she's going to hurt him more, you know?"
"Yeah, she's talked to me about it. Not much anyone can do." The duo sat in silence for several more minutes watching Brooke and Jamie finish drying the ambulance. Jamie was lifting Brooke up to dry the parts they couldn't reach.
When they finished they joined Val and Alex in the grass to wait for their lunch. "I'm hungry," Jamie complained with a smile. "I've been working hard."
"Or hardly working!" Val pitched in, gesturing to the soaking wet duo. Brooke stuck her tongue out at her older sister and retrieved her t-shirt and Jamie's t-shirts from the garage. She pulled it over her head covering her bathing suit and board shorts.
Jamie caught the t-shirt when Brooke threw it, right on his face. He pulled it off his face and used it as a towel to dry his hair a bit, his hair spiking naturally with the water. Tyler and Hank drove back up then with the food. *What?* Jamie asked, not realizing they were gone.
*Food,* Alex signed back, as Brooke and Val helped carry the bags to the grass for an impromptu picnic. The dispatcher would alert them to a call.
Jamie didn't pay much attention to anyone as he ate. They had brought back an array of food, two chickens, macaroni and cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, glazed apples plus biscuits and gravy, etc. A perfect picnic on a perfect day.
Val tapped him on the shoulder, interrupting his attempts to devour the cinnamon apples, *What's new?* she signed slowly, trying to draw him into the conversation.
"Not much. Same shit, different day," Jamie replied, smiling. Before anyone else could say anything, Alex began to sign furiously at Jamie, obviously mad.
"But -", Jamie began, but soon, he too was signing rapidly, the duo moving too fast for anyone else to follow. "Yes sir."
"Did I miss something here?" Hank asked.
"Jamie needs to watch his language, at least while he's at work." Alex said, indicating that he could speak almost however he pleased at other times.
Jamie just rolled his eyes and reached for a piece of the cherry pie for dessert.
***
A few hours later everyone had left except Jamie and Alex. Jamie was sweeping the front entryway to the station while he waited for Alex to finish his paper work. Catie walked in, tucking a lock of hair behind her ears.
*Hey Jamie.* she greeted him, kissing him lightly on the lips.
*Hey yourself.* he replied, propping the broom up against the wall. *What's up?*
*Not much,* she replied, *flunked a math exam, but that's nothing new.*
*Have you started thinking about college yet? You're going to be a senior soon.* Jamie and Catie walked into the common room and sat down to talk, they hadn't seen each other in almost a week due to school and conflicting schedules. It was only a few weeks before school ended for the summer.
*And you'll be a sophomore, again.* Catie said, almost hesitantly. This was not a comfortable topic for her. On the one hand they were the same age, but on the other, he was two grades below her.
"Yeah," Jamie replied, softly. "So?"
*Nothing. Nothing at all. I had fun after the dance,* Catie signed, smiling. Even though it was nearly two weeks earlier, the memories were still at the forefront of her mind, causing her to smile all the time.
*I wanted to say thanks.* Jamie said, a seeming non sequitur.
*For what?*
*For not, you know...having sex. It would have been the wrong time.* Jamie signed awkwardly, his nervousness obvious.
*It's okay,* Catie replied, not mad at all. With the night terrors and stress, he didn't need anything that could even possibly upset him more. As pleasurable as making love might be, neither was ready for it. *Maybe one day, and if not, well, a relationship isn't based on sex.*
Catie leaned forward and kissed him once again. "I can't do this and sign you know," Jamie murmured softly.
Catie kissed him again, and Jamie wrapped his arms around her, signing forgotten.
"Excuse me, love birds," Alex said, interrupting their make-out session on the couch. Both immediately blushed scarlet, the cliché scene playing out true to form.
*Time to go," Alex signed, tapping his watch. *Catie, will you come to dinner?*
*Sure, Alex," Catie replied, *let me call my parents.*
A few minutes later the trio had piled into Alex' car and were headed over to the local Olive Garden. Alex refused to cook on the weekends so they frequently went out for dinner or Jamie cooked. Not that he was able to cook much that was eatable, everything was edible, but whether a person would eat it or not willingly was not happening.
They ate their meal fairly quickly, enjoying the unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks. To the casual observer it appeared to be a man out with his two teenage kids. Alex paid the check and they headed back out to the parking lot. As they left a middle-aged couple was also exiting. Alex held the door for them politely and didn't notice when the woman's wallet fell out of her purse. Jamie picked it up off the pavement and he and Catie followed the couple to return it while Alex headed towards his car.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Jamie called out, trying to catch up to the couple, they were speed walking in the darkened parking lot and making it difficult for the couple to catch them.
"Ma'am!" Catie called out, helping, "you dropped your wallet!"
Finally they reached their car as the older couple were getting in. "Ma'am," Jamie said, "you dropped your wallet," he held out the bulging leather billfold to her.
"You stole my wallet!" the woman shrieked, becoming hysterical. She quickly opened it, ignoring the protests of both Jamie and Catie, "There's a twenty missing from here!"
Catie quickly translated for the woman.
"No ma'am, I didn't take it! It fell out!" Jamie protested, a sense of déjà vu washing over him. This same scene had occurred only months before with a patients wallet. "I didn't steal your money!"
"Punks! I'm calling the police, don't go anywhere!" The man snarled, mumbling to himself about the youth of today.
"Shut up the both of you!" Jamie yelled. They quieted. "Now, don't say a word! Lady, I don't know what preconceived misconceptions you have, but your wallet fell out and I returned it, without taking your money. Don't bother with your lame excuses or stereotyping of me, I can't hear it and I don't want to! Just remember this lesson: not all punks or Goths are bad. In fact, most of us aren't!" Jamie grabbed Catie's hand and turned, leaving the couple stunned.
As Jamie and Catie left they could hear Jamie ranting about what had just occurred. Jamie's EMT badge fell out of his pocket onto the ground near the car and the woman picked it up, still not quite believing what had occurred. "'James Waite,'" she read aloud. "'EMT, station 42.'"
Jamie was shaking with rage over what had just occurred. Catie related the tale to Alex who replied, "No offense, but with the current stereotypes it's not a far fetched conclusion. Look at why Jamie is an EMT."
Both Jamie and Catie glared at him but didn't reply, having to concede the truth. Later that night, he fell into bed, exhausted, not noticing his missing badge.
***
The next morning, Jamie was back at the station working on unloading the current shipment in the garage when the lady from the night before walked in. "Excuse me," she said to the first person she saw, Tyler, "I'm looking for James Waite? is it?"
"Oh! You mean, Jamie, he's in the garage. I'll show you where it is." Tyler led her back to the garage, where Jamie was wearing his uniform pants and his 'disobey' shirt. He was stacking boxes that had already been inventoried onto the dolly to move them back into the storage room.
*Hey,* Tyler signed, tapping him on the shoulder. *This woman wants to see you.*
Jamie instantly recognized her as the woman at the restaurant and his eyes narrowed, thinking she was going to slap a lawsuit or some other nonsense on him. "Yes?" he asked.
"I'm Anna Hackberry," she said, holding her hand out. "I don't believe we were properly introduced last night."
"Jamie Waite," he replied, shaking it briefly. "Um, before this becomes really embarrassing, you should know that I'm deaf."
"Oh, I -" Mrs. Hackber became flustered, not sure how to act anymore.
"Write what you want to say on here." He handed her a pad of paper and a pen.
/I wanted to apologize for what I said last night and the money, none was taken./ although, she thought, if she had known he hadn't heard her she would never have come!
Jamie shrugged. "It happens a lot. I should be used to it by now."
/This is not the first time you've been falsely accused?/
"Third false since August I think. Second involving a wallet." Jamie said soberly. He omitted the one positive accusation that he was put on probation for. "But thanks for coming down here to apologize."
She fished through her purse and pulled out her wallet. She opened it and handed Jamie his badge back that he had dropped as well as $20. /You dropped your badge and I owe you this. I immediately jumped to conclusions./
"Thank you," Jamie replied, taking his badge back and clipping it to his pants. He had wondered where it had gone once he had woken up but had figured it was in his locker and never went to look. "but I can't accept your money. It's against the rules."
/Were you on duty last night?/ Jamie shook his head in reply. /then take it. I won't tell./
Jamie accepted the money and stuffed it into his pocket. "Thank you. I, ah, hope you won't instantly judge people by their appearances anymore."
/never again/ the woman replied. She turned to leave, waving good-bye over one shoulder. Jamie waved back, hoping that she had learnt her lesson.
A/N: ha!! They did not have sex people and if Catie's pregnant it is not Jamie's doing!!! So ha ha ha!!! And if she is, well, I'm not writing that fic!!! I also love the Olive Garden, it is one of the best restaurants ever!