"That's the game" the umpire announced.
"Jeez." Joe stumbled. The announcer finished reading off the games score giving winning credit to the opposite team.
"Did he choke?"
"Shut it, Danny." Erin scolded.
"Well, I'm not the first one who's going to say this." Danny pointed out. Starting over at Jamie hunched over on the bench, messing around with his glove.
"Do you think it's because Eddie is out of town."
"I doubt it-" Joe replied.
"I should go talk to him-" Frank began.
"I'm coming too, we'll meet everyone in the parking lot." Joe and Frank headed over.
"J," Joe said softly. Jamie turned his head wiping his eyes. Frank's eyes widened, cautiously walking over to Jamie, Joe following close behind. "Kid, what's up?"
"Nothing Joe, let's just go." Jamie lifted his bag onto his shoulder.
"Jamie tell me what's wrong." Joe saw sadness consuming his brother. "Is it the game?" Jamie shook his head no, closing his eyes tightly trying his hardest not to let out a sob.
"Jamie, talk to me." Frank brought him into a tight hug. Jamie buried his face into his father's shoulder, Frank felt his shoulder getting wet. Joe threw his hands up in confusion silently mouthing something to his father.
"Did something happen Jamie?" but their questions were again left unanswered.
"Joe, can you let everyone know that we'll be over soon," Frank suggested, maybe if he and Jamie were alone he'd open up. Joe agreed and jogged off.
"Jamie listen I need you to talk to me." Frank retracted from the tight hug, looking his son in the eyes. "Just tell me what's wrong." Frank did his best to stay calm but his worry consumed him.
"Everything was good and then it just hit me again." Jamie sat down on the bench hiding his face In his hands. Frank took a seat next to him. "Mason... He's never coming back and the more I think of it I just-" Jamie continued to weep.
"Jamie," Frank put his arm around Jamie bring him close. "It's hard to believe it's been almost 2 months now." A sob escaped from Jamie's mouth. "I know that somewhere inside of you there's a boy curled up in a ball of pain… but remember, you're not alone, Mason was your best friend he never wanted you to be like this.."
"I miss him so much." Jamie sobbed uncontrollably.
"I know." Frank comforted his son.
"Dad, is everything okay?" Joe was finally able to ask his father.
"Jamie's up in his room." Frank sipped his mug.
"Yeah, what happened." Danny sat beside his brother.
"He misses him," Frank spoke. Danny sighed taking a seat at the table.
"Awh man." Joe gulped.
"I expected that this would've happened sooner or later"
"Really?" Joe questioned.
"If I'm being honest, so did I," Danny responded. "That's just something you'll never get over."
"Yeah.." Joe pondered.
"Mary and I talked about maybe letting him see a Therapist once a week or once a month-"
"A shrink dad?" Danny expressed loudly.
"Will you keep it down." Joe shushed.
"Maybe the therapist could be somebody he could actually open up to."
"Hey, Jameson." Eddie hovered over his bed. Jamie peered one eye open.
"Hey." said in a sleepy surprised tone, rubbing his eyes.
"It's 11 am why are you still asleep."
"Mmh tired." Eddie squinted her eyes at his response.
"You're usually up," Eddie replied.
"I'm not today," Jamie answered sleepily. Eddie wasn't too sold. Jamie was usually up before 8 at the gym or just up. "Who let you in, anyway," Jamie said but not in the way he meant.
"I'll just go then." Eddie tossed her bag onto her shoulder.
"Hey, hey hey hey." Jamie jumped out of bed and grabbed her hand, she spun around meeting his eyes. "I didn't mean it like that." Eddie stared at his bed head hair.
"Your mom let me in," Eddie answered his question taking her hand from his. "And wheres your clothes." Eddie scanned him up and down, shirtless in his boxers.
"I was just asleep like 5 seconds ago." Jamie opened his drawer taking out a pair of gym shorts putting them on. "Did you get back to New York this morning?"
"Yeah first thing I thought of doing is peeking in on my boyfriend to see what's he's doing."
"Sleeping." Jamie laid back into his bed.
"No let's go to the gym or for a walk, or go get lunch, you already missed breakfast." Eddie paced.
"How about we.. lay down." Jamie opened his arms giving her in invitational look. She accepted his offer laying into his arms.
"I missed you." Jamie softly said. Eddie's heart stumbled at his words, the words Mary had told her fifteen minutes ago flooded her thoughts.
"Hello, Ms. Reagan" Mary opened to a lovely familiar face.
"Eddie please stop with the formalities, You know you can call me Mary. Come in." Eddie accepted the invite entering. "When did you get back?"
"This morning." Eddie smiled taking a seat at the dining table
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Oh, no thank you, I haven't heard from Jamie so I thought I come by," Eddie replied.
"Yeah, Jamie…"
"Yeah, where is he by the way."
"Upstairs sleeping."
"It's 11:30." Eddie's eye widened.
"Jamie's been depressed.." Mary added sadly. Eddie's facial expression changed completely. "He doesn't show it but he's suffering and I'm really worried about him."
"I had no idea he always seems so….. not depressed.."
"He's always been a child that hid his feelings, but at his last game, he just broke down... Now I'm just fingering out what to do. Just don't tell I told you or that you know, our little secret." Eddie smiled softly
"I promise... I won't." Eddie was stuck in thought.
"If you want you can head upstairs and wake him up if you like."
"I missed you too, but we will not be sleeping all day." Eddie got out of the bed, "Let's go Jameson." She pulled his hand trying to get him out of bed
"Where are we going," Jamie muttered, she continued to pull his hand.
"For a walk now come on." Eddies voice was serious.
"Ughhh fine." Jamie got out of bed. "Imma take a quick shower."
"I'll wait for you downstairs then." Eddie smiled kissing him on the cheek then she ran off downstairs.
"Do you own anything other than sweatpants?" Eddie greeted Jamie after he came downstairs 30 minutes later.
"What else would I wear?" Jamie defended grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.
"Want some lunch?" Mary giggles at their encounter.
"Sure!" Eddie smiled.
"Yeah sounds good mom." Jamie took a seat at the table as well.
"Here you guys are." Mary placed the two sandwiches plates on the table. "I'm going to do a few hours at St. Victors, Joe will be over when he's off, bye honey." She kissed Jamie on the forehead. "Bye Eddie!"
"Bye Mary! Thank you for the lunch!"
"Bye, mom thanks!" Mary was off.
"That's weird," Jamie said after hearing the front door close.
"What?" Eddie answered with a mouth full of food.
"She never lets me stay home alone with a girl," Jamie replied.
"How many girls have you tried to stay home alone with," Eddie asked, eyebrow raised, Jamie laughed.
"Just you." Jamie tried his hardest not to laugh.
"Aww, I'm honored," Eddie smirked. "What's the plan for today?"
"Well, we could go to the mall, I can use some new sweatpants," Jamie said sarcastically.
"Oh please, that's all you wear," Eddie complained.
"Let's not pretend that you didn't take three pairs of mine to your house." Jamie tilted his head looking at her questionably.
"Actually it's five." Eddie chuckled
"Great! I'm lower in stock than I even thought." Jamie rolled his eyes.
"So, what's up Jamie." Eddie's tone changed completely. Jaime noticed the change in tone and squinted curiously.
"What do you mean." He continued to eat his sandwich. Eddie was unsure of how to approach the conversation without giving away the fact that she has spoken to Mary but this was a topic that couldn't be left on spoken about.
"I'm worried about you is all," Eddie stated.
"Why is that?" She wasn't sure if Jamie was annoyed by the conversation.
"Well for starters you lost your game on Friday-"
"Gorman is a good school-"Jamie interrupted.
"Will you just shut up." Eddie angrily said, Jamie, shocked at her outburst "Jamie I'm not stupid I know something's been bothering you why can't you just open up." He sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know things have been bothering you and you don't want to say anything about them and I want to know why?"
"You've obviously been talking to my mom." Eddie's skin crawled at his assessment.
"Jamie are you serious?"
"Eddie just drop it." Jamie was annoyed.
"No, I'm not Jamie just talk to me what is wrong why can't you just talk to me!"
"Maybe because it doesn't matter!" He yelled. Eddie sat back looking at him sadly. "None of it matters you want to know why?" Jamie stood out from his seat, "Because no one understands what I'm going through! I lost my best friend from kindergarten! My brother.." Jamie tried to slightly calm his tone. "This year We buried him and although I'm good with words I can't explain how that hurts... So I choose not to open up because nobody understands. I choose to carry that pain on my own."
"That doesn't mean we don't want to help you, That doesn't mean we don't want to help you grieve and be there for you-"
"Crying and sulking in front of everyone isn't going to bring him back." Jamie pondered
"How do you think that makes me feel? or your family feel knowing that you're suffering but you're putting on a brave face to hide it-" Eddie explained Tears forming in her eyes. Jamie's heart stumbled. "And you're right crying and sulking in front of everyone isn't going to bring him back and from the bottom of my heart I am truly sorry for that, but neither is hiding your feelings in carrying that pain on your own."
Finally updated! Right, when we thought Jamie was doing better he got worse :( Please review/ like I promise I won't abandon this story for that long again! Bad or good reviews appreciated. Plenty of more storylines to come in the story