With the insurance problem solved Jamie focused his energy on helping Eddie find an apartment. She had her heart set on living in the city so Jamie started there. She was three months now and they wanted to find an apartment to get the baby's room ready before he or she was born. Anything they found didn't seem like the right fit.
Jamie was getting ready for a midnight tour after coming home at five. He slept in with Eddie cradled in his arms then they went for a walk to the park. Eddie sat on the couch in shorts and a tshirt with her computer in front to look for apartments. She had started classes again with money she saved up since receiving a partial scholarship. The terms that came with the scholarship was for her to take a full load of 12 credits so most of her free time was spent studying.
When she wasn't studying Eddie was getting sick in the bathroom or peeing and not just in the morning. She brought a small pail over to the couch just in case she couldn't make the bathroom. It pained Jamie to leave, especially overnight but he had to go in. When at home she refused to wear a bra due to sensitivity in her chest when it was on.
Setting the bottle of water down after her latest episode Eddie turned back to the computer. She scrolled down through several studio apartments hoping the nausea was done. At the bottom she stopped on a four bedroom in the upper east side. "Hey Jamie, look at this."
Jamie appeared from the bedroom, badge and off duty on his hip as he sat beside her. The hallway opened into a combination kitchen and living room with a separate dinning area. Their room, the main bedroom had a spacious white carpet under a king sized bed and windows along the wall. It also offered two other bedrooms and a smaller office room.
"Two and a half mil for it. That's not bad and we both have good credit. I'll email the realtor for a walk through. It looks perfect though, the baby has his or her own room and we still have two other rooms. Maybe a guest room or office who knows," Eddie talked fast while typing an email to the realtor.
It did seem perfect but the bedroom angle stayed with Jamie. "It is a great price, especially for the city. The bedrooms though, we never actually talked about kids or having a family. This baby just happened and I don't regret it. I just guess now that you brought it up.."
Eddie turned to him after sending the email and chuckled. His cheeks were pink and that made him even cuter. "Really? You are so cute when you get embarrassed but don't be. You should be able to ask me anything. I'm not easily offended. Yes, this baby was a surprise but who knows. I never thought about having kids but maybe we can have two, one each would be nice or whatever."
"I love you Eddie. I have to go or I'll be late. I'll try and call if I can but if you need call me or Pop okay," he kissed her quickly then nearly ran through the door to avoid being late.
Left alone in the apartment Eddie pulled her knees up behind her and stared at the books waiting to be opened. Studying definitely wasn't on the table for tonight. She went into the bedroom, changed and turned on a movie for background noise. Under the covers she lay awake, rubbing her stomach slowly. The sickness had been pretty bad even in her third months and she still had six more to go.
Then they would have their baby, a combination of her and Jamie. She tried picturing what the baby would look like when her eyes widened. In six months they would have a baby. She was twenty years old and the only thing she could cook was lasagna. Eddie hugged the pillow a little tighter as she tried drifting off. Tomorrow she would talk to Jamie.
She didn't hear or feel Jamie come in that morning but there he was fast asleep when she woke up. Even in his sleep he looked tired. Throwing the covers back Eddie quietly made a beeline for the bathroom to get sick. It had been a bad night, up and down every few hours without Jamie there.
Once the wave of sickness passed Eddie washed herself up then went right into bed slowly so she didn't wake Jamie. Somehow he felt it though, he moved his arms around her smiling. She had a doctor's checkup later but right they needed sleep.
At two thirty Jamie and Eddie sat in the doctor's exam room with Eddie laying down. She turned to smile at Jamie when the doctor came in. "Good to see both of you. Edit, how are you feeling," Dr Brian ignored her clenched jaw at being addressed as Edit.
"I've been really sick lately like most of the night and some mornings," Eddie admitted. "And really tired, one I can't shake. I pee a lot too and my breasts started feeling tender."
While she explained how she felt Dr Brian half listened as he read the nurse's latest reports. "Well, I am seeing you gained a bit of weight outside the typical range for this period. Try and rest more, watch what you eat and monitor your weight. Any sudden increases, bleeding or just any concerns come in right away."
"Thank you doctor," Jamie offered a hand out to shake with the doctor. He turned to help Eddie off the bed so she could rest.
For the entire car ride back Eddie used her window to rest against, barley saying two words. When they got to the apartment an unfamiliar smell lingered in the hallway, something between spicy food and meat. "Ugh Jamie, I'm going to be sick," Eddie hurried ahead of him with every ounce of strength to keep from throwing up.
In the safety of their apartment she threw her bra off into the hamper after using the bathroom. When she came out in a large shirt and boxers Eddie sighed, "I swear these fit me just a week ago. Do I look fatter to you," Eddie held up her shirt and modeled her stomach.
That was a question with no good real answer so Jamie deflected it. "It's probably like the doctor said, pregnancy weight. If you want to wear some of mine they're in the bottom drawer. We can get larger sizes for you so you're comfortable."
"So I am fat. I knew it," Eddie took the boxers off in exchange for Jamie's. They were to big but more comfortable to move around in. "Jamie, I'm only three months. Is this normal?"
Jamie shrugged, unsure himself. "I mean if it was I'm sure the doctor would have said right? Come here Eddie. The doctor wants you to relax and I agree. He didn't seem concerned so let's just monitor it and see okay?"
He took a seat on the bed behind Eddie carefully pulling her against him. He placed his hands on her shoulders and started massaging slowly. "Okay? Relax Eddie and get some rest. Close your eyes."
The ease of his strong hands gave Eddie no choice but to relax. She closed her eyes, laid down on him and took deep, slow breaths. Jamie held Eddie quietly while rubbing his fingers over the sides of her stomach. "Jamie? I'm scared about having this baby. It just hit last might that we're going to be responsible for a life."
"I am too Eddie. If we're being honest I'm scared to death but I know that baby will be loved. Every decision we'll make together," Jamie kissed the top of her head.
For the rest of the day they took it easy, even ordering in food to let Eddie relax. Before he left for tour Jamie hugged Eddie a little tighter. "I love you so very much Eddie. Call me or Pop if you need anything and try to rest," he whispered in her ear. "And I mean anything. "
With one last kiss he left for the second midnight tour in three nights, a rookie's lot. Eddie turned the television on hoping for a good ball game or something to watch but she was so exhausted the only thing she watched was her eyelids.
Sleep only lasted a few hours before she was forced up to get sick in the toilet. "Ugh," she groaned, more at the tenderness in her chest each time she threw up.
The pattern lasted all through the night forcing Eddie out of bed so often she wondered if it was even worth trying to sleep. She took to the living room where her books lay. Not in the mood to study she turned on the television and found a movie.
Her head drooped but the turning in her stomach kept Eddie awake. Out of her peripheral vision Eddie caught sight of her cell, tempted to call Jamie. Instead she text him, Hey lamb chop I wanted to check in. Up getting sick so text me while you can. Love you.
She didn't think anything of it when Jamie never text her back. When they first started going out he told her sometimes they got so busy he wasn't able to answer his phone. Phone in hand Eddie sat back trying to focus on the movie she found.
At around three thirty in the morning Eddie wiped her mouth as she came out from the bathroom to sit back down on the couch. She groaned, sitting down slowly and rubbed her stomach. "Want to ease up a little," she sighed. Lifting the shirt a little so her belly showed Eddie stared down hard. Was she crazy or was her stomach bigger?
The sound of keys jingling inside the apartment door lock quickly turned Eddie's attention. With cell phone in hand she rushed into the bedroom, closing the door and ducked behind the bed. One quick look around the room and Eddie found a pair of scissors on the dresser.
Footsteps tapped against the wood floor gently making it creak. She held her breath not hearing the television anymore. From under the doorway a shadow crept up among the hallway light. Holding her breath Eddie half ducked behind the bed ready to jump out as the door opened slowly.
Eddie's eyes blinked twice trying to adjust to the light coming in. She didn't move from her spot until a soft voice spoke her name.