Chapter Fourteen

Jamie's color was paste white as he lay on the pillows. Eddie sat on the edge of his bed, "How is he?"

"He's doing better," the nurse replied. "His pressure is stable now and he's resting quiet comfortably. I'll leave you to sit with him and ease him back to us. We find that it's better for the patients if we have a family member here. Talk to him."

Eddie gently touched Jamie's cheek and touched his hand, "Jamie, I'm here," she whispered. "Just like I promised I'm here for you. Open your eyes, honey. Open your eyes now…"

Jamie's breathing was steady and even, but he didn't stir. Eddie knew in reality that it would take a while before he would come out of the anesthetic, but she wanted to try, she wanted him to hear her voice.

While Eddie slowly and gently spoke to Jamie easing him from sleep, the doctor came in. "Mrs. Reagan," he smiled. 'We have the results and he is totally clear. It was a fat tumor and it's totally gone. No more worries"

Eddie beamed, "That's the best news! Jamie will be so glad to hear that when he wakes up…"

The doctor left Eddie to talk to Jamie again, "Did you hear that?" she whispered. "It's not cancer, Jamie. You're fine, everything is fine. It's not cancer, not at all. You are fine."

Jamie heard Eddie's soft, gentle voice floating through the air. He couldn't quite understand the words, but it was evident of how much love was in her voice and surrounding him as he fought back to consciousness.

"Eddie?" Jamie slurred as he pulled out of the medication and opened his blue eyes. "Eddie?"

"I'm here, "Eddie murmured. "I'm here, Jamie. You're all right. The doctor said so. You're all right, there's not cancer honey. Do you understand? There's no cancer, you're fine."

Jamie smiled, "Eddie…" He licked his dry lips and held her gaze with near reverence.

"Yes," Eddie kissed his lips. "I'm here, my love. I'm here. I'm here, and you are fine. You are just fine, you'll feel better in no time now. I'll be here when you wake up again."

Jamie woke on and off over the next few hours. Each time his eyes opened, Eddie was there smiling softly, assuring him he was okay and there was no cancer. Aside from "I'm pregnant," Jamie had never been happier to hear two word in his life. "No cancer…no cancer," she kept telling him over and over again. Finally, it stuck.

"I'm good?" he asked licking his lips.

"You're good," Eddie replied. "Here…sip…" Eddie lifted Jamie's head and held the straw for him. "You know what I was thinking about?"

Jamie shook his head, "I was thinking about when you were in the hospital with pneumonia and I was in Italy. I was thinking I wanted to be at your side holding your hand the entire time, and how glad I am to have been holding your hand through this."

Jamie squeezed Eddie's hand, 'You know what I was thinking about while I was sleeping…well aside from last night…" He raised an eyebrow. "Our house in Montana with the big wrap around porch. It would be great to rest there, on that porch and recover."

Eddie kissed his hand, "You'll be fine, honey. You'll be back at work in a week."

"I know," Jamie replied. "But there's just…it's too short Eddie. Life is just too short. I…"

"You want to go now, to move now, don't you?" Eddie asked. She knew her husband very well. His eyes told the story.

"I think so," Jamie replied. "The kids are still young, our new baby is still months away…"

"We have the house," Eddie replied. "And you're right, we are wasting too much time. Let's do it!"

They sealed that promise with a kiss, "I'm just going to let your Dad and Danny know you're okay and send them home. I'll be right back, get your rest, I'll be back in just a minute."

Jamie laid on the bed waiting for Eddie to come back. The images of their huge house in Montana, the pretty porch, the ample gardens filled his vision. He imagined them bringing the new baby home from the hospital to that house. He imagined the kids playing hide and go seek in the attic, and making love to Eddie in the walk-in closet of the master bedroom. It was those imagines that stayed on his mind as he once again fell asleep.

Jamie was able to go home from the hospital the next morning, he was a little sore, but happy to be going home with a clean bill of health.

The apartment was quiet when they arrived, no big parties, only a few people knew of the turmoil Jamie and Eddie had gone through the last few weeks. They had kept their cards close to their chests about this scare and would do the same regarding their move. They would, however speak to Frank, and invite him to move with them or to them whenever he desired.

"Home sweet home," Eddie announced as they walked through the door. Max and April headed for Daddy and Mommom as soon as they stepped inside. Jamie was happy to hug his kids and his wife, his arms wrapped tightly around the three of them. Eddie smiled at Linda, "Thanks for looking after them for us."

"My pleasure, Max and April did a little show for us, they are so well behaved," she gave both kids a hug. "Rest up, Jamie. See you Sunday."

Max and April went off to play with their toys while Jamie sat down on the couch with Eddie. She elevated the leg where the surgery took place and took off his shoes. "That will be hard, being on our own, no family to fall back on, but I think it's time to spread our wings."

Eddie agreed, "Maybe your Dad will say yes, he might decide it's time to come with us, and not be alone, but if not, there's always Tina and Lou…"

"Oh, that is a visual I do not want to see…" Jamie laughed and shook his head at the memory.

Jamie rested the first two days, not really feeling sick, but he was tired from the medication he had been on in the hospital. On the third day, Eddie woke up after him, she'd been getting up in the night to check on him and it had caught up to her. When she padded into the kitchen, Jamie had the kids playing in the living room and was at the table working on his computer.

"What you looking up?" Eddie asked.

"Movers," he replied. "It costs a lot of money to pack up your life and move all the way across the country. Just because we have the money doesn't mean we should blow it."

"I love my practical hubby," Eddie smiled. "But let's talk for a minute now about this move. We talked in the hospital after we were both under an immense amount of stress. Are you sure this is what you want to do? Are you ready to leave the NYPD and your family and make this move? I'm retired, I have no real ties here now but you and the kids. My home is where you are and you and the children are my family. That's not the case with you."

Jamie took a deep breath, "I agree, it's a surprising choice. Eddie, I thought I could die. I never vocalized that to you and you never did to me, but we knew it was a reality. If I learned anything from that and from Tom's death it's that life is too short. Tom had all the money in the world, he jogged, he ate right and he died very young. I'm pretty sure in those last seconds of his life, he wasn't wishing he worked more. He was wishing he lived more."

Eddie bit her lip, remembering Tom and how she cared for him, though Jamie was the love of her life. "I understand that, and I agree with you. Life is too short, I just need to make sure we both feel this way, that it's mutual and we made the choice clear headed."

"We did," Jamie replied. "We did, we shouldn't want to have that beautiful house sit there until we are in our fifties. If this didn't teach us anything else, it showed us that we might not have the time that we think we do. I'm sure I want to do this."

Eddie smiled at Jamie and gave him a kiss on the lips, "Then let's do it."

Life went back to normal very quickly for the family. The kids were in their routine and Jamie was back at work on Monday like the doctor promised. Eddie's paperwork for her hospice volunteer work was approved and she would start to do that two days a week. She was so moved by those little kids and their plight. If she could make that easier she would do it.

She brought coloring books, blankets, crayons, even paints for the little ones. There were books and stuffed toys as well, she spared no expense and Jamie didn't mind either, he had been as deeply touched as she was.

On her second week, Eddie dashed into the hospital, she didn't want to be late for David, and he was counting on her to read with him. As she ran through the ER entrance she saw Mrs. Turner, being treated on a gurney.

"Make a hole..." a nurse ordered wheeling the gurney back so they could treat her turning her head back.

Eddie stopped and looked at the nurse, Ruth had lost her hair, she must usually wear a wig. She was sick, that was very clear. Eddie left her name at the desk before going up to keep her promise to David.

David was waiting for her holding the book he wanted her to read. His eyes lit up when Eddie walked in "you did come I have a book for you."

"Of course I came and here...I brought you a peach. You said you like peaches..." Eddie sat in the bed, she was seeing the signs...and it stung. "Now give me the book."

David smiled taking the peach "Thank you, I do love peaches." he rested against her arm settling in for the book. "I'm glad you came..."

"Me too..." Eddie replied and began to read. It hurt that this little one was sick and often alone. She pushed him about his parents.

David answered questions assuring his parents were at work but would come later on tonight. "Mommy cuddles me until I fall asleep and daddy rubs my hair."

"I see...but you miss them during the day huh?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah it gets really lonely and boring here all by myself. Daddy used to play with me a lot," David nodded.

Eddie knew what she was going to do. When David fell asleep she left a $25,000 check at the nurses' station. "Make sure his parents get this."

The nurse promised-she would personally give it to his parents when they showed up. David fell asleep holding the book Eddie read against his-chest smiling.