Chapter Eighteen

In spite of his own pain and anger, he squeezed her hand in solidarity over their loss. They both were grieving their son and while Jamie had been back to this spot several times this was Eddie's first.

"This is where this whole nightmare began. I miss my boy so very much, now I've lost you both." Jamie stood next to Eddie saying nothing their eyes locked before he walked back to the table where Mary waited for her ice cream.

"Cookies and cream and sprinkles right?" Jamie asked. Mary shook her head, "No, chocolate chip...And chips on it."

That had been Joey's favorite. "Are you sure?" Jamie asked.

Mary nodded with a few tears running out of her eyes. "I miss Joey, we were here with Joey."

Eddie couldn't contain it, she started to cry along with Mary. She looked up at Jamie "Why here of all the ice cream places, why here?"

Jamie took a breath and said matter of fact, "This is the last place Joey was Joey."

Eddie looked down, "I never got to say goodbye."

The moment was pretty intense. Mary was trying to stop crying, sniffling and wiping her cheek on her sleeve. Eddie took out a tissue for her, "Here baby use this on your eyes."

Mary wiped her face and put the tissue down on table. Jamie went to order the ice cream while Bella looked around the brightly lit room. She saw something that enticed or amused her and pointed at the wall "Aah…' she squealed happily kicking her legs and feet. No one could be said while Bella showed such delight.

Jamie delivered the ice cream, he didn't even have to ask Eddie what kind she wanted, he knew her well. Mary looked at her bowl, chocolate chip with chips and sprinkles, the sprinkles were always her favorite part. She smiled at her Daddy and started to eat her treat.

"Can we do this all the time?" she asked her parents as she worked on the confection.

"Honey, Daddy has to work a lot of therapy days," Jamie replied. "But I'll tell you what we can do, we can do this each time you learn something new. If Daddy had to work we'll do it the next day."

Eddie was happy to hear him make that promise, she hoped it meant that he saw a future for them even if it was just as Mary and Bella's parents. She hoped when the shock wore off they could talk about it, but nothing was for certain at this point in time.

Mary was happy with Jamie's answer as well and settled down to finish her ice cream. Eddie kept looking over at Jamie, he kept focused on the girls. It wasn't time to get into this yet, he needed more time to absorb what had happened to their marriage, to their trust. He had made up his mind about one thing, he could not share a bed with Eddie, not now, not for a long while, if ever.

When they got home, Eddie put both girls in for a nap and Jamie prepared to leave for Charlie's. "I can't stay here, Eddie. I tried for a few days, but I just can't do it. I'm going to crash at Charlie's and see how that feels, because this is not working."

Eddie took a deep breath, she knew that was coming, but she didn't know it was going to hurt this much. She didn't argue with him, she just let him go.

He couldn't tell his family about this, he couldn't do that to Eddie even now, but his partner, that was a horse of another color.

Eddie didn't sleep all night. She called Jamie a few times to try to talk, but he didn't answer her. Mary got up and Eddie got her ready for therapy. She was used to Jamie being gone in the day time, so it wasn't that big of a deal to her until later at night.

"Where is Daddy?

Mary asked. "He promised to read to me."

"I don't know honey, maybe he had to work late again. Do you want mommy to read to you?"

Mary shook her head. "No, Daddy promised..." It broke Eddie's heart to hear her daughter say that. He did promise, he promised a lot of things, they both had.

Sighing Eddie gave her a hug "I know honey I'm sorry."

Mary began to cry. "But he said..." she sobbed and buried her face in her hands. "Daddy said if I was good. I was good Mommy, I work hard, and I was good..." Eddie took a breath, "I'll be right back, Mary."

Eddie grabbed her cell phone calling Jamie again angrily listening to it ring in her ear

She didn't bother to leave a message, instead she called the only place she knew he would be. Charlie tossed Jamie another beer as his cell phone rang. "It's your wife, man...and she is not stopping."

"She can wait I can't face Eddie right now," Jamie popped open the beer and downed it.

Eddie left an angry message on Charlie's phone. "I know he's there and I know he likely wants nothing to do with me, but this is about our Mary so tell him to get his butt over here and read her the story he promised to read her, or I will kick his butt till Hell wont' have it again."

Charlie picked up the message after it finished, "uh Jamie she's pissed you blew off your daughter."

"Oh, crap!" Jamie sighed. "I did tell her I'd read her the bunny book tonight if she did well in her therapy...Damn it! What am I going to do, I can't see Eddie, I can't look at her..."?

"Then don't, go read your little girl her book, and don't worry about your wife."

The husband in Jamie was angry with Eddie and so hurt by her actions but the father in him..."I'll be back in about an hour, okay?

"Okay, you're welcome here anytime you need man," Charlie nodded.

"Thanks, leave it open for me," Jamie replied and headed over to their apartment to soothe Mary's tears.

Jamie heard her crying entering the house. He hurried to Mary's room, "Hey Buttons."

Eddie glared at him as she rocked Mary on her lap. "Look, honey. You see, he was just late. He was just late."

"I couldn't forget my promise to read you a book," Jamie retrieved the book sitting down reaching out for her

Mary was exhausted. She looked dragged out and very fatigued. She didn't' move from Eddie, she felt so weak and tired.

Jamie took her, cradling his daughter while starting to read slowly, not looking at Eddie.

Eddie got some warm compresses for Mary's legs, not letting Jamie's anger distract her from her daughter.