Chapter Eleven
Jamie and Danny sipped their beers, "So... what's got you so glum chum?" Danny asked.
Jamie put his glass down looking up at his brother "just have some stuff going on Danny."
"Oh, the baby business causing you a little grief, is it?" Danny asked. Jamie shook his head, 'I have to tell you, just because, not a word to anyone, promise?"
Danny raised a quiet eyebrow face serious seeing the look on his little brother's face. "Yeah of course kid."
"Eddie found a lump..." Jamie began and Danny quickly assumed it was Eddie that HAD the lump. "Oh, no, what about the baby."
"No not on Eddie on me. She's worried so I went to the doctor and he recommended a few specialists."
"Oh wow, Kid..." Danny felt his heart stop. "Wow, well anything you need you know that. I'm sorry..."
Jamie nodded quietly, "thanks Danny I'm going to make an appointment but don't tell dad or the family yet until I know."
"I won't," Danny replied. "But Linda can probably have helped you get in with a good doctor. Sometimes those things take a week or two weeks."
"She can't tell anyone though yeah the doctor said it had to be taken care of," Jamie paused.
"You nervous? Any idea what it is?" Danny asked. "Here, you need more than a beer. Take a sip of whiskey for the inside of you.
Jamie shook his head "No it doesn't hurt but the doctor wants it checked, probably for."
"Cancer," Danny was the one to hit the nail on the head. "It's likely not though, there's so many other things it can be. And even it if it is, in reality, they have great treatments now. I'll mention it to Linda casually and see if she can help with a good doctor."
"Thanks Danny, am I nervous? Y, but I don't want to show Eddie and worry her more then she is."
Eddie is fine," Danny replied. "There is no stronger woman. She's tough as they come, don't worry about her. What about game of darts before you go home?"
Jamie agreed taking a quick sip from his drink then followed his brother to the darts. "She is, but I can't help but worry about her worrying. She's carrying my…"
"Yes, she pregnant, but you don't have to put the kid gloves on unless she's having complications and she's not. Eddie won't appreciate being put in the Jamison Reagan worrywart bubble," Danny replied.
Jamie laughed, "I can't help it. I missed so much of April…
"Excuses, excuses, you were born with wrinkles you worry so much, now go ahead and shoot…" Truth be told, Danny was concerned, but until there was a reason to be, why waste the energy?
Jamie stepped up raising a hand and shooting the dart hitting close to bullseye. "She is."
"Let me know if you need anything," Danny told him. "I'll mention it to Linda, I'm sure she'll be there for Eddie too."
"Thanks Danny." Jamie got quiet waiting for his turn lost in his own thoughts.
Eddie shook her head "No nothing like that. After we woke up we were, you know, and I found a lump. The doctor wants a specialist to check it."
"Oh, wow, Eddie," Kara soothed. "It's okay, I'm sure everything will work out. You're holding things back for Jamie, so he doesn't worry. It's okay, you know that."
"Yeah I hope so I can't help but worry Kara. He's making an appointment I don't want him to see I'm worried."
"Then you talk to me so you can be supportive and a rock for him," Kara replied. "If he is sick, we'll go from there, but it's all what ifs right now. So, let's leave it at what if okay?"
Eddie nodded gratefully "thanks Kara you're a really great friend." She reached for a cookie Kara bought for them.
The two moms looked at their kids playing together, "So did you and Luke talk more about geography?"
"Yes," Kara replied. "And for now, we plan to stay in New York. He's doing well with the NYPD and I'll have a good job to go back to after the baby is born. Luke's not wild about that idea, but…"
"But, that's part of you,' Eddie replied. "There are days when I miss it, that's for sure, but I don't regret leaving the job. The time I have with my kids and being there whenever Jamie can be, not being on opposite sides of the clock."
Kara nodded, "I compromised with Luke. I'm going to ride a desk after the baby comes, but for now we're going to stay here in New York and vacation in Montana like you guys."
"Well you are free to stay at the house anytime you want," Eddie replied. "April, honey, leave your dress down, the boys don't want to see your ducky undies."
April laughed and turned herself right side up, "Boys have undies too, Mommy," she told Eddie. "Max has dino undies."
"Yes, he does," Eddie confirmed. "But we don't show off our undies, okay…go play."
"She's too smart for her own good," Kara laughed. "So, what's going to happen next? You know you can leave the kids here with me no matter what."
"I do and I appreciate it Kara," Eddie replied. "The NYPD doc said specialist so fast…" Her eyes misted and her bottom lip quivered just a bit. She would never let Jamie see this, but this was her best friend. She can be as scared as she wanted with her. Kara reached across the table and held Eddie's hand in her own.
"Yes, he did so you find the best and you go there," Kara soothed. "You find the best doctor there is. You did it for Max, you did it for me. Let's see the list, I know you have a copy of it. We'll rank them now and you can talk to Jamie when he gets home tonight."
The idea of action made Eddie feel better and she nodded, "Okay, let's get the laptop away from Alex."
They got the top three doctors names and phone numbers. In the morning, Eddie would call their GP and have him narrow down the list and get the appointment. She was not waiting when it came to Jamie's health. Not one second longer than she had to.
Eddie took two sleepy children home with her from Kara's. Jamie was already home resting on the couch. He got up to help put the children in their beds. April was asleep on Eddie's hip and Max was so tired he kept bumping into the walls. Jamie scooped him up and laid him down, he was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
Jamie laid his head on Eddie's lap when they settled down by the TV to talk. "I have the names of the top three rated urologists in New York. I'm going to call Dr. Benson in the morning and get an appointment for tomorrow. If you can call out that would be good."
"Eddie, I'm not getting an appointment anyplace for at least a week," Jamie replied. "It takes a long time to get in with the "best."
"Not when your last name used to be Manning it doesn't," Eddie replied. "Trust me, we'll be in a doctor's waiting room before the end of business tomorrow. Just trust me."
Jamie nodded, "I'll bet you two weeks of sheet duty that we have to wait at least three days" Jamie replied.
"You're on, oh ye of little faith," Eddie laughed. She knew she was right.
Jamie and Eddie arrived home to the kids coloring in their mats and Frank watching TV. "Hey, how's it going?"
"It's great of course" Frank smiled from the chair where he engaged the kids in play. "How about you two?"
"Can we talk to you Dad?" Jamie asked sitting down with his hand in Eddie's.
"Of course Jamie.." Frank sat back pursing his lips not liking the look on his son's face.
"Eddie and I just came from Dr. Benson office. A few days ago, Eddie found a lump on my left testicle. The doctor thinks that it has to come out, that it's a concern." Jamie voice was tight with emotion
Frank breathed out slowly calmly speaking "Is it? When is the surgery? You know if you need anything in here."
"We want you to keep it quiet for now and I need you to be at the hospital to be there for Eddie" Jamie sighed. "We won't know for at least a week."
"Of course I understand and I will not say a word until you want to tell the family."
"If it's nothing," Jamie replied. "And I hope it is. No one need to know."
Frank nodded slowly "If you need anything call me. I won't say anything to the family but they'll want to be there when you have surgery."
"No!" Jamie was firm " You and Danny that's it. No Erin no one else."
Frank sighed "Okay wait and when you're ready tell your brother."
"Danny knows," Eddie replied. " Jamie told him the day we found out."
"Okay I'm sure he agrees if you need us to watch the kids or help out we will be happy to."
They changed the conversation for the next few hours, talking about the kids and sharing pizza and salad for dinner