The family stood outside of St. Lukes saying they're hello's and goodbyes to their fellow churchgoers.
"What did you think Eddie?" Joe asked.
"It was nice, I liked it a lot!" She responded.
"That's good because if you plan on staying with big head over here, it'll be a regular." Joe joked, grabbing Jamie into a headlock.
"Quit it, Joe." Jamie fought back, next thing they knew they were rolling in the grass.
"Stop it before you two! you'll ruin church clothes!" Mary scolded at the two.
"Yeah, you better before Joe starts giving out dead legs like its Halloween candy." Danny and Jamie laughed.
"Keep talking and you're next." Joe finally let Jamie go.
"Malcolm!?" Danny called. The Reagan's eyes looked in the same direction as Danny's.
"Woah!" Malcolm smiled walking over to the group of Reagan's "Hey! Ms. Reagan, Frank." Malcolm shook Frank's hand. He smiled looking over at the Reagan siblings. "Danny, Joe, Erin," He hugged each one individually. Eddie smiled pleasantly but something about this man she could swear she recognizes.
"Jamie." Malcolm approached they're greeting differently, the hug was longer with more emotion. "I've missed you kid," Malcolm whispered to Jamie.
"Malcolm Reid." Frank smiled at the young man. Eddie's eyes widened, he's Mason's brother.
"What are you doing in the city!?" Erin smiled.
"I'm here to visit the folks, I'm also letting them know…. Jade and I are expecting." Malcolm smiled at their reactions.
"Get out!" Erin shouted excitedly.
"Congratulations Malcolm!" Joe hugged him.
"Thank you, guys! but we also got a call this morning to let us know Mason's stone comes in sometime this week and I'm happy I ran into you guys, no better timing."
"It's ready..."Jamie slightly smiled.
"Yep!" Malcolm returned the smile placing a hand on Jamie's head. "Why don't you come by the house sometime? I'm here till next Sunday."
"Come to his game on Friday! it'll be nice catching up!" Joe offered. "If they win they qualify for state."
"That's amazing Jamie! I wouldn't miss it! I'm going to get going but I'll see you all again before I leave." The family waived him off.
"Seems like yesterday you two were in high school together," Erin mentioned.
"Yeah, but who knew he'd marry Jade and they'll be expecting a kid 6 years later." Joe chimed.
"High school sweethearts." Erin beamed. The Reagan's said a few more greetings after the encounter with Malcolm.
"We'll let's get home and get dinner started." Mary led the way.
"Alright one more game," Jamie asked out of breath, picking up the rolling ball.
"No way kid," Danny responded in the same out of breath stance.
"Joe?" Jamie looked at him holding the basketball.
"17-year-olds and their stamina.." Joe jokingly hissed.
"You both are lazy… I'm going to get a water bottle." Jamie announced.
"Grab me one too." After Jamie ran into the house Joe waved Erin over, who was sitting on the porch.
"He doesn't seem depressed to me." Erin gave her assessment, after church Joe and Danny told Erin all about Jamie's current situation and asked if she could watch them after dinner.
"That's the thing.. when most people are they don't show it but trust me, he is…"
"What are mom and Dad going to do?" Erin pouted.
"They haven't told him yet, but.."
'Where are the waters' Jamie thought after searching the fridge and pantry after finding nothing.
"Hey, mom where are the water bottles?" Jamie called out but got no response. He closed the refrigerator and began walking into the living room where he heard Eddie laughing and his mother talking.
"And here he is at age 7 in his Spiderman costume, he wore it for weeks you wouldn't believe the smell!" Jamie's eyes widened in horror as they're giggling.
"Okay, okay that's enough." Jamie walked over trying to take the photo album.
"No way Jamie!" Eddie moved the book further from his reach, moments later he gave up on trying to take it. He rolled his eyes, "Mom where are the water bottles?"
"Oh, in the garage! there should be 3 packs." Mary confirmed.
"What time is it?" Eddie looked over at the clock.
"7:39," Mary spoke. "It's a school night I should be getting you home." Mary stood up from the couch.
"Linda and I can drop her off on our way," Danny said walking into the living room. "We both have early shifts anyways so it's no big deal."
"Oh thank you! I'll go grab my things!" Eddie added, rushing off. Jamie met her upstairs in his room watching her from the door frame gathering her belongs.
"Don't forget this," he handed her, her perfume spray.
"Thanks." She tossed her bag over her shoulder, finally coming face to face with him.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" Eddie chimed. Jamie responded with a gentle kiss on her lips, his hands at her waist bringing her closer.
The kiss broke "Definitely will." Jamie smiled butterflies in Eddie's stomach swirled, something about this kiss was different, and she liked it. "I'll walk you down."
"It's about time…" Danny ranted "I was about to barge up there."
"Shut up Danny." Joe laughed at his comment.
"Thank you guys for having me over, I really had a great time today," Eddie said
"You're always welcomed," Frank assured.
"I'll see you later Eddie thanks for staying over." He gave her a hug, she got the same feeling.
"Okay see you," She walked out the front door, for some reason, she couldn't look Jamie in the eye. Jamie didn't think anything of it and said his goodbyes to Danny and Linda.
"I should get going too... Nikki is at home with Jack." Erin hugged her siblings then her parents.
"I want to see my granddaughter Erin!" Mary scolded.
"I know mom but she has a cold and she would've been screaming and crying all over the place today, she definitely will be here for next Sunday," Erin assured. "Bye guys!" Erin left next.
"I'm going to go shower." Jamie left to go upstairs. After he disappeared up the stairs Frank said;
"We'll talk to him when he's out..." 30 minutes later Jamie emerged from the steaming bathroom, shirtless and in his boxers, his hair still went he kept a towel in hand to dry it. After entering his room he found pajama pants putting them on. He opened his AP English textbook and began reading.
Three soft knocks were heard at his door and it opened. "Hey, Jamie."
"Jamie?" Jamie questioned Joe's greeting, it's usually 'J' or 'Kid' not long after Frank and Mary entered and Jamie's question answered itself.
"We wanted to talk to you." Jamie shut his textbook at his mother's words. "About?" Jamie already was annoyed, Joe had to of told everything to their parents about yesterday.
"We know you won't express how you feel and what you're going through to us but maybe you can to someone else." Jamie's eyebrows rose at his father's words. Jamie already began shaking his head in disagreeance. "Someone who can help you a little better than we've have been-"
"I'm not going to see a shrink!" Jamie snapped. Joe and Mary roll their eyes simultaneously Jamie's reaction similar to Danny's.
"A Therapist sweetie," Mary added.
"I'm not crazy," Jamie argued.
"Nobody said you were J..." Joe sat down on his bed.
"It'll only be three or two times a month and if you're making progress you don't have to go anymore if you don't want to," Frank responded.
"What makes you guys think if I can't talk to you, I'm going to talk to a complete stranger?"
"Maybe that's just it... maybe you don't want to open up because you know we're family and you're afraid of what we will think and we will never think anything bad of you…" Mary added. Jamie thought long and hard at his mother's response.
"Your appointment is next Wednesday." Frank acknowledged. "We're doing this because we love you."
Jamie sat in his desk at school paying no attention at all to what the teacher was saying, he was pissed off, he couldn't believe Joe would tell their parents about the Incident that happened last Saturday with them and Eddie, it was something out of Danny's and Erin playbook, not Joe's. He was also mad at the fact his Parents scheduled him an appointment with a therapist he had no idea he was going to see less than 18 hours ago and to top that Eddie was being weird.
"Right Mr. Reagan?" The teacher called claiming his attention and drawing the other student's attention to Jamie, he looked up confused as ever. "Pay attention, Mr. Reagan." 'Great' he thought, 'Another thing to annoy the hell out of me some more.'
"Eddie!" He called out, she looked over at him Immediately looking away, saying a few things to Denise before walking over to him.
"Hey." She looked everywhere but at him.
"What were you and Denise talking about?" He wondered.
"Just about gym and-" He gently grabbed her chin turning her face his way to make eye contact." Her eyes widened and she blushed like crazy. She turned anyway trying not to let him see how red her face had become.
"Eddie? What's up? You won't make eye contact with me and you've been avoiding me since this morning." Jamie asked with genuine concern. "Did I do something? Because If I did, I'm sorr-"
"No!" She shouted louder than she had expected. "No" She lowered her tone. "You haven't done anything wrong and you know I would tell you if you had... it's just, I don't even know Jamie." He tried to comprehend her explanation. "It's like-" The bell interrupted her before she could explain herself. 'Literally saved by the bell.' she thought. "I have to go.. I'll talk to you after school." She dashed off before she could even explain, leaving Jamie puzzled.
"You just ran off?!" Denise reacted to the story Eddie had just told her. Denise held her feet down for each sit up. Eddie blushed in embarrassment at her reaction. "Why are you avoiding him again?" Denise asked the question once again.
"I really don't know myself! seems like after he kissed me last night I felt this feeling and I never felt like this with him... Even after our first kiss." Eddie explained.
"What does it feel like?" Denise was intrigued.
"Like I want to kiss him and do things with him but I can't even bring myself to look at him at the moment," Eddie explained. Denise finally caught on.
"You're attracted to him." Denise simplified.
"I guess but I've always been attracted to him that's why we're dating." Eddie tried to simplify.
"No like you're attracted, attracted to him…" Denise eyed her. Eddie was still not catching on. "You want to have sex with him." Eddie looked at her in horror.
"Denise!" Eddie halted her sit-ups.
"Don't tell me I'm wrong." Eddie thought long about her question. "You're a virgin?" Denise was pretty sure she knew the answer to her own question.
"Yeah, aren't you?" Eddie responded innocently.
"I've dated Micheal for a while now and lost it a while back," Denise stated.
"No way.." Eddie was shocked.
"Way," Denise responded. "But don't think what you're doing is weird or how you're feeling because of it's not… I felt the same way and I was unsure of what the feeling was but when you're ready you'll know there's no rush to it, Jamie is a great guy and you're lucky but don't avoid him too much longer because he'll get the wrong idea. And now that you have an idea of what that feeling is maybe it won't be so hard for you to actually talk to him again." Denise giggled.
"You think he is?"
"Honestly I don't know but if I had to guess I'd say no," Denise responded.
"Really?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah, he's had two other relationships since I've met him freshman year, but honestly I could be wrong." Eddie didn't look too happy with Denise's answer. "But really Eddie if he is or isn't, is not a bad thing I wasn't Michael's first, he had other relationships before ours but we've almost been together 10 months." She looked at Eddie. "You'll be okay."
Eddie walked to meet Jamie in their usual meeting spot. As she walked through the crowded hallways she hoped that what Denise said was true, about knowing what it is and probably not acting weird anymore.
"Hey, are you good?" Eddie jumped a little bit at his sudden appearance.
"Yeah, I'm good." She actually looked at him which sure as hell shocked her.
"Alright.." He continued the eye contact trying to confirm if she was okay. "Well I wanted to tell you after you left last night, My parents and Joe came into my room telling me I have to go see a shrink two or three times a month." Jamie agonized.
"Maybe it'll be good for you though." Jamie was shocked at her response.
"No way! seeing a shrink isn't going to help me out." Jamie grunted.
"First of all it's a therapist and plenty of people see them for numbers of reasons, don't look at it as such a bad thing," Eddie explained.
"Then that makes less time for me to see my beautiful girl." Jamie grabbed her waist, bringing her closer. She definitely had the same feeling but didn't give into it.
"We're always going to hang out together," She smiled giving him a soft peck on the lips.
"I'll call you after practice?"
"I'll be waiting." She smiled.
Eddie walked up her driveway noticing a car that isn't usually at the house causing her to rush through the front door, she laid her bag down at the entrance and rushed into the kitchen finding her mother and father at the dining room table drinking from their mugs.
"Edit! It's lovely to see you." her mother Lena greeted.
"What are you guys doing here?" Eddie asked.
"Well, we do live here!" Her father Armin countered.
"I didn't mean it like that but Lisa told me you guys weren't going to be back for another few weeks," Eddie stated.
"Well, we got a call from the school and your prom is this weekend! and since you have never been, Amrin and I thought it would be a wonderful idea that we would be here for your last one." Lena explained. "Maybe we can have Charles, son, escort you to the dance" Eddie looked at her mother in horror, Lena continued before Eddie had any chance of interrupting. "He is your age and a very nice boy and I don't want to hear anything about it Edit! You're a senior in high school you have to go to prom!"
"I'm not going with Noah!" Eddie snapped. Her mother was ready to interrupt but Eddie continued "Because I already have a date!"
"You do?" Her father questioned.
"Yeah, dad."
"And what's their name?" Armin asked.
"His name is Jamie."
"Jamie?" Lena repeated, laughter heard in her voice.
"Yeah what about it?" Eddie was annoyed.
"You can't possibly be thinking of going to a dance with a boy named Jamie… It's a girls name!"
"We'll Jamie is my boyfriend so I am going to the dance with him!" Eddie's outburst shocked her parents.
"Boyfriend?" Her father repeated. "And I have never met this 'Jamie'." Her father was the more reasonable of the two but he asked the question as her mother would.
"That's because you guys are gone all the time!" Eddie defended.
"I'm sorry for that sweetie." Her father sympathized. "If you would like to go to prom with Jamie, It's okay.." Lena looked at her husband. "We would love to meet him before prom." Eddie smiled at her father.
"Meet him? That's an understatement." Lena sneered.
"David." Jamie smiled walking into the Reid home.
"Hey! Jamie." David closed the door behind him.
"Malcolm! Jamie is here!" Malcolm ran down the stairs spotting Jamie.
"What's up kid." giving him a tight hug. "Practice today?"
"Yeah, I just got home from it." Jamie sat at his usual spot at the dining room table.
"I told dad that you guys could be heading to the playoffs after this upcoming game." Malcolm rejoiced.
"I'm so proud of you and the guys." David beamed. "You all should be proud."
"I agree to that," Malcolm smirked.
"I know I haven't been to any of your games and I'm sorry for it… It's another thing I apologize for to Mason at Sunday mass…" David spoke. "But there's no way I'm missing your game on Friday or when you guys take state." David patted Jamie on the back.
Frank pulled into the parking lot of Jamie's new therapist, Jamie had been quiet the whole ride contemplating how pissed he was.
"Here we are." Frank put the car into park. Jamie had yet to even look his father's way. "I'm sorry your missing school today." Silence in the air. "Jamie?" Frank called but was ignored. "Listen." His father's tone changed into a sturdy but caring one. "I know this is something you had no interest in doing and it might seem embarrassing or annoying but I know this is something that could really help you-"
"And how do you know that?" Jamie Interrupted still not even making an effort to look his father's way. "You've never had to go to Therapy over a loss I just feel weak... I don't want to explain how I feel to others especially when I don't know them. You just don't get it.."
"You're wrong," Frank remarked. Jamie finally looked at his father. "You're wrong about that… 19 years ago before you were born I had a partner named William Carter. We got a call that there was known gang members wanted for questioning seen in one of the housing projects. The call was bogus, but at the time we had no idea and Will rushed in, it didn't feel right... Next thing I knew, shots rang out from somewhere above and Will was hit in the neck." Frank paused remembering the memory. "He died at the hospital." Those words sent shockwaves crawling through Jamie skin.
"I'm sorry I didn't know." Jamie quaked.
"But I have gone to a therapist to speak about loss... that loss in particular... because I felt guilty, I knew something wasn't right but I let him run in anyways maybe I could have saved him... I contemplate that sometimes even to this day. But Will being the person he was, I know there was nothing that could have done to stop him, he loved the job and it was what he did." Frank giving his son a slight smile. "I haven't told that story in a very, very long time but I wanted to tell you it because I want you to know it's okay. It's not embarrassing."
"Okay… I'll give it a try." Jamie agreed, removing his seat belt. Frank smiled walking his youngest boy into the building, Frank signed him in signing paperwork and finally heading over to the waiting area to sit with Jamie.
"Hey, dad." Frank looked at his son.
"Thank you for caring so much, I'm grateful for you." Frank had the biggest smile on his face.
"I love you kiddo." Frank kissed the top of his head.
"Jameson Reagan." The kind lady called him over.
TBC
The next Chapter will be posted in a few days! Sorry for the wait but I made this chapter longer than usual to make it up! And the next chapter will definitely be interesting! Meeting Eddie's parents, Prom, Mason's tombstone, Eddie and Jamie have the talk? Let me know if you like the stories direction and let me know your idea's on how I can make it better! Sorry for the errors in spelling my Ipad is badly cracked LOL