Chapter 8

Mommazilla (Part II)

I think everyone will find that Eva Janko is more of a dark force instead of just an artist as she is able to take her craft to an entirely new level and very few mere mortals are a match; perhaps Frank will one day test his own skills against her. For those of you who will be disappointed that there is no real resolution at the end of this chapter, know that this is an important storyline that carries over into the second piece in this series "It's All in the Name…" which I really need to get back to writing or it will never see the light of day, not that these snapshots haven't been entertaining. I love them! Keep the suggestions coming!


"He seems to be very worried about that car," Eva Janko noted as she glanced out of the window towards the street where Jamie had begged off for a few minutes and was busy with a borrowed bucket, various cleaning agents and a scrub brush in an effort to restore some order to the backseat of the Mustang after Kaylin's tummy distress on the drive up had left it… well untenable in his opinion.

"Mom, he's just trying to clean it so we can use it later to go to dinner," Eddie defended as she returned from the laundry room where she was attempting to do the same for the little girl's battered wardrobe which had been quarantined in one of Jamie's overnight bags, now destined to be sacrificed to the dumpster itself. "We'll have to drive separately to the restaurant, Kaylin's car seat won't exactly fit in the Mercedes either, and I might have to run out to the store to find something else for her to wear if I can't get these stains out. Thanks for letting me borrow the washer by the way."

"Of course," Eva commented as she glanced in her elaborately appointed living room with its plush fabrics for layered window treatments, upholstered furniture and intricately designed floor coverings that bespoke a warm and welcoming ambience not always reflected in its owner's own demeanor. There lying in the middle of the floor amid a pile of blankets and pillows on her expensive floral-patterned hand-hooked rug was an exhausted sleeping little girl who for all intents and purposes did resemble a classic Christmas candy at the moment. It was almost too much for the older Janko woman to bear. "Perhaps Jamison and his daughter would have been more comfortable staying at a hotel, Edit," she observed.

"Mom, please, we're only here for one night," Eddie started as she could sense where this was headed. "I know this is a lot to take in with the news of the engagement and everything. Jamie really wanted to come up here and talk to you before this but he couldn't because he was hurt. We were lucky he was able to travel last week since he'd arranged the whole trip to California to propose on New Year's Eve at the beach. He's really an honorable old-fashioned kind of guy. It was beautiful, Mom. Here look at the pictures," she offered as she flipped through a score of them on her phone while carefully omitting the fact there was a video of the event available.

"Well it seems a bit sudden, doesn't it? Are you sure about this, Edit? And there's a child involved," she reminded with a glance towards the living room once more where Kaylin was softly snoring. "I mean you've only been dating a few months and an honorable old-fashioned man would have asked your father first," Eva replied after dutifully looking through the photos. "Not as if that is possible, correct? Or did he manage a ride to that new correctional facility to speak with him and leave me as the last to know?"

"We were partners for more than two years, it's not like we just met," Eddie defended. "And no, Daddy doesn't know yet, at least not about the engagement… I wanted to tell you first. But Jamie did meet him last summer a few months before we started dating... when Dad was in the hospital after that fight at the pris… I mean where he was," she explained carefully knowing how sensitive her mother was to anything pertaining to her ex-husband. "Dad really liked him after Jamie encouraged me to talk to him and work some things out," she added while going over to the cupboard to retrieve a glass. "It was good for us."

"Well that's just wonderful," her mother sniped. Things had remained cold between Eva and Eddie's father since his arrest had left her alone and near destitute before she'd rallied and worked tirelessly to successfully reclaim part of her former life alone. There was no love lost between her and Armin Janko any longer and the paperwork to make it official had been waiting for him the moment he was sentenced. "The son of the Police Commissioner with a convicted felon as a potential father-in-law. I'm sure that will be fodder for another round from the wretched media," she griped. "They've only now stopped harassing me since those articles went out in the city papers this fall when you started dating Jamison and they took pictures of his father and that child. It is terrible for my reputation, Edit!" she insisted. "My position at the office is threatened every time this is stirred up again. Who would trust an expensive real estate transaction to someone linked to such a liar and thief as your father!" she spat as her voice raised and the blue eyes flashed hard while Kaylin shifted on the floor before settling back into her nap.

"Mom, please!" Eddie begged again as her eyes welled up. "I'm sorry… I didn't even think about it that way… I just love Jamie so much and he sees right past everything with Dad. His father and the rest of the family, they're all so supportive…"

"Until the great Reagan name is sullied that is; mark my word Edit Katalin," Eva insisted. "One day you will come to regret trying to mix the two, or perhaps you will run away from being a Janko altogether and hide from it."

"Maybe I should!" Eddie hissed suddenly as her eyes now sparked with the same anger her mother had shown moments before. "I love Jamie and Kaylin and we're going to be a family!" she asserted. "And if that means I have to do it without your support, then I will be happy to become Edit Katalin Reagan and not look back!" she blazed before the tears started falling in rapid succession. "I'm not going to let what Daddy did make me bitter anymore and ruin the rest of my life!" she finished before turning to run up the stairs and retreat to the guest bedroom to finish her cry in private before Jamie could come in and see her so upset.

As if on cue, the backdoor into the mudroom opened and the aforementioned Jamison Reagan entered and shrugged off his jacket along with the cold chill from outside while carrying in the cleaning supplies. "Thank you for letting me borrow these; I think I made it bearable now," he said as he flashed a warm grin at Eva, unaware of what had just transpired. A glance in the living room showed Kaylin to still be napping. "Of course she sleeps now," he muttered before looking around and noticing the missing piece. "Where's Eddie?" he questioned.

Eva Janko was a very controlled woman and was not about to let on to the strife with her own daughter. "I believe she just went upstairs to…" she began as the sound of the shower starting quickly wafted down the steps as Eddie sought further refuge while she composed herself. "She wanted to freshen up, dear," she added as she turned to the counter. "May I get you something to drink? Tea or coffee?" she inquired. "I'm sorry I don't keep much else on hand usually."

"Coffee would be fine, thank you," Jamie responded as he accepted a cup and took a seat at the table. "Mrs. Janko," he started before taking a sip. "Now that we have a moment, I just wanted to apologize for not coming here and speaking to you before I asked for your daughter's hand. I intended to, but…"

"Yes," Eva interrupted. "Edit explained. I understand… it is a very dangerous profession the two of you share," she commented as she stirred her tea bag before sitting down on the other side of the table and glancing towards the sleeping toddler. "Someday perhaps you will know the feeling from the opposite side."

Jamie's breath caught with the thought of Kaylin walking in the front door one day and unexpectedly flashing a ring from an unknown boy and had to concede her point. "Yes, of course…" he finished, suddenly at a loss for the correct thing to say and thinking back to the conversation he'd had with Rick at the bar the night before where his friend had revealed he was about to become a grandfather. Still this was not the time to give up the fight. "I am hoping she doesn't start dating until she's at least thirty, though," he offered with a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

"Indeed," Eva replied flatly as she masterfully let him hang on that for a few moments. "So are there any plans I need to be aware of? Edit did not mention a date or venue."

"Oh," Jamie stuttered a bit as he was still trying to recover from the previous topic. Suddenly it was abundantly clear why Eddie wanted them to have their ducks in a row before arriving. Eva was indeed skillful at seeking out the weak member and cutting them down in cold blood rather efficiently. She would make a damn fine detective… or a lawyer, he thought ruefully before answering in the premeditated fashion. "We haven't really had the time to talk about it yet."

"May I be frank with you, Jamison," she asked.

"Of course," Jamie replied as his coffee cup rattled a little with a nervous skitter on the saucer as he put it back down.

"I believe it is traditional in this country for a bride's parents to assist with the cost of the wedding," she explained. "That will not be possible in this case due to the circumstances. Unfortunately because of what's happened with Edit's father I am not in a position to contribute. I'm sure you understand."

"Oh no, certainly," Jamie offered as that thought had not even crossed his mind. "No worries. Eddie and I will find a way to be able to take care of that ourselves."

"It's just that a wedding in the city… for the child of a man of your father's importance… I'm sure that will be costly," she added.

"Yes, well…" he started, suddenly catching on to this tactic and determined to force a change of course to outmaneuver her; feeling very much like a poor, old lame wildebeest being driven out of the herd at the moment. "I have a few ideas; my godparents offered the use of their estate outside the city. There's a small cathedral-style church on the grounds of an old monastery there. My mother… it was one of her favorite places," he explained before adding with conviction, "but it will be Eddie's decision. I will leave it up to her."

"I see," Eva nodded, and Jamie wasn't sure but he thought he might have done just enough to edge away from the jaws a bit there.

Upstairs in the shower, Eddie was finishing her cry masked by the sound of the rushing spray as she was leaning back under the scorching hot water with her head against the tile wall when suddenly her eyes opened and another realization hit… she'd left her partner down there alone without anyone to have his back other than a sleeping child. "Oh, crap!" she cried before quickly turning off the faucet while drying herself and throwing her clothes back on… pausing only long enough to wrap her wet hair up in a dry towel before hurrying back downstairs where she found her mother and Jamie still seated at the table. "I… I forgot about the clothing in the washer," she covered as she tried to read the situation. Jamie was still looking remarkably intact, which was surprising.

"Are you okay, Ed?" he asked as he stood up with a bit of worry. "Your face is all blotchy," he noted anxiously as he wondered if perhaps he wasn't the first target to go down knowing full well what happened to her fair skin when she was upset and crying.

"Oh no, that's nothing," she assured as she put a hand to her cheek. "The water here is so nice and hot… I probably overdid it. I'm so used to the lukewarm shower in my apartment. I'll just go check on the clothes and get them in the dryer so they'll be done before we have to leave for the restaurant," she offered before scurrying away to the laundry room.

"If you'll excuse me, Jamison," Eva piped up from behind him as she checked her messages. "I need to go upstairs in my office to clear up a few issues for a closing scheduled for later this week and then I would also like to change and get ready for dinner. Our reservation is for 5:30 at DeSanto's. Please make yourself comfortable. Edit knows where everything is," she added as she made her way to the stairs.

With one more glance at Kaylin, Jamie decided to follow his instincts and check on Eddie. He wasn't buying the whole hot water excuse at all. He found her standing in front of the washer and dryer, holding the little girl's new turquoise jumper up to her face and crying into it. "Hey, Ed… honey, please. What's the matter, baby?" he asked as he slid behind and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's all stained," she sobbed. "I bought it for her just for this trip because it was so pretty and now she can't even wear it. We don't have anything left for dinner tonight."

"Oh, c'mon it can't be that bad," he scolded until she held it up to show him. "Oh, well… yeah, that's not gonna work is it?" he conceded while scratching his head before pulling her back in towards him once more. "There's something more to it than the dress, right?" he whispered in her ear and then felt his heart drop when she sadly nodded. "Alright, your mom said she needed to do some things in her office… we've got a few hours, let's just run out quick and pick up some new stuff for our grumpy little bear to wear, okay?"

"You're not upset?" she sniffled.

"About the clothes or the something else?" he asked quietly as her shoulders shrugged. "Neither," he affirmed. "I told you once the key to surviving Reagan family Sunday dinners was being able to let things slide while you're ready to come out swinging. Your mom came out the latter today, but I'm gonna let it slide, okay? In her own way she made some good points… she did, honestly," he defended as Eddie looked at him in surprise. "Don't worry about me, I can handle a little veiled hostility… I'll wear her down eventually," he smiled. "I get that she's not thrilled with the situation, but I'll not stand for her hurting you, got it? You say the word and I'll pack up the car right now and God help us, we'll dodge cookies and take a naked child home tonight, right?" he smiled. "I'll even let you drive a little."

"You'd do that for me?" she smirked.

"For better or worse, baby," Jamie grinned as he hugged her tighter and nuzzled her neck. "I'd rather stay and see this out, but it's your call."

"Okay," Eddie nodded as she melted back into him… it felt so good to have some support and not be alone in this. "It's more about my dad than anything else," she revealed. "I don't want to leave it this way either; I've been doing that for years and look where it's gotten us."

"Then we won't run… we'll just perform a tactical retreat to gear back up," he laughed as he looked through the rest of the clothing before picking out the least offensive combination. "Here, we'll just dry this quick and she can wear it out to the store. Somehow I don't think Kaylin will be staying here alone with Grandma Eva while we're out."

Eddie let out a sudden gasp at the thought. "I dare you to get her to call Mom that in public," she smiled a bit, imagining the reaction to that gem. "That might just leave her speechless."

"In due time, lambchop… in due time," he smiled and kissed the side of her head. "I need to save the weapons I've got… your Mom's good, but she's not the only one that can play that game. As long as I've got you and our little girl in there, nothing else matters."

###

"So it was quiet here for dinner the past couple of weeks… we missed all of you," Henry commented as he looked towards his direct left at Eddie and Jamie while smiling at Kaylin after grace was concluded at the normal Sunday dinner at the Reagan family home the following week. "We know how things went in California," he added as he reached over to squeeze Eddie's hand. The eldest patriarch was just tickled with his soon-to-be new granddaughter-in-law and the announcement that Elizabeth had been chosen for Kaylin's middle name to honor his beloved Betty had just warmed her now official Pop Pop's heart to the core. "How was your trip to Rochester?"

"Fine," came the synchronized premeditated reply from the pair, both knowing in advance that the flat answer was never going to fly in this room but resolved to stick together as a team once more.

"Okay then," Frank commented with a puzzled nod as he glanced around the table at all the raised eyebrows. Danny in particular was now practically salivating with anticipation as he sensed his little brother was perhaps exposed over this whole meet the mother-in-law issue. It was the same instinct that Eva Janko herself possessed which is why Jamie was so adept and patient at dealing with it.

"What route did you take?" Frank asked when nothing else was offered as the food was passed around, ready himself to pry on a different front to open the conversation up but with less nefarious intent.

"Oh, uh, I-80 North through Binghamton to 41 and then straight across past Lake Skaneateles and Syracuse," Jamie replied as he handed the potatoes to his grandfather.

"Ah, the Finger Lakes," Henry sighed as he took the bowl. "Your grandmother used to love to go there in the summer," he reminisced. "Did you get the chance to stop in and see the antique wooden boats in that museum I told you about? Betty always made me visit that when we were up that way."

"Ow," Jamie grunted under his breath as he took a swift kick to the ankle from Eddie as they had agreed beforehand not to bring up the horror of Kaylin's cookie tossing activities at the dinner table, especially in front of Jack and Sean, but as a new player in the game she lacked trust and was afraid he would slip up with the mention of those beloved damn boats. Thankfully the ride home had been far less active, and the three had managed to arrive back in the city before ten on Sunday night more or less in one piece and clothed in the same outfits they had started out with. "No, Gramps. I uh, didn't figure in enough of a buffer for that this time. Maybe next trip," he offered truthfully but without critical details… so that's how this was done.

"Eddie, how did your mother take the news about the engagement?" Erin asked the question on everyone's lips since no information on the trip seemed to be forthcoming on its own. She frowned almost imperceptibly in one corner of her mouth. It felt like they were all being played in her typical little brother's fashion when he was skillfully hiding something, but in this instance it was twice as hard as Eddie seemed to be fully on board and backing him up. "Was she surprised?"

"Oh, well yes a bit," Eddie smiled as she managed to slide that huge understatement cleanly in front of the whole Reagan clan and apparently get away with it. "But Jamie worked his usual charms, and she's agreed to come down to the city in May to help me with the planning. We're thinking about possibly having the wedding out at the McPherson's estate, and I was looking at a mid-September date if we can arrange that with them," she added confidently… truthfully but without critical details as she had been advised. Damn, he was right about this, and it is kind of fun, Eddie thought as she recalled the discussion she'd had with Jamie in bed that night after what she had feared would be a disastrous dinner with her mother given the outbursts they had both suffered beforehand. Instead she had watched in awe as he had artfully dodged and weaved his way through the conversation at the restaurant, steering clear of certain topics, ignoring calculated barbs and traps offered by Eva, and in the end somehow winding up with her mother consenting almost in shock to come and visit them in the city in late spring as he was determined to further wear her down and get her to turn the corner before the actual wedding date.

"I can't believe you got her to agree to fly down for a few days," Eddie had whispered as they were laying in bed that night snuggled together under the covers while Kaylin slept with her blankets and pillows on the floor nearby so they could keep a close eye on her in a house boobytrapped with fine breakables. "No one has ever handled my mother, not even my dad. Where on earth did you learn how to finesse people like that?" she wondered.

"Three years at the top of the J.D. program at Harvard Law added to thirty years of Sunday dinners as the baby of the intermeddling Reagan family, and a father that's the best hound dog in the business," he revealed with a smile as he kissed her forehead. "I had to come up with a few tricks to survive and get away with stuff or I'd have been trampled and smothered a long time ago. You've met my family, right? Gotta be sharp and on your game when you do it though, or you'll fall and get ripped to shreds."

"So you try this stuff with me too, right?" she'd frowned and propped herself up on an elbow to study his face in the soft light coming in from the window.

"Never, lambchop. You're the only one that sees right through me."

"Right…" she trailed off, thinking about all the times he'd manipulated her in the past. "Oh, you're doing it to me right now aren't you?!" she laughed and smacked him lightly on the chest before leaning in and seeking his lips, deepening the kiss until she could feel his heart quicken as he sank back against the pillows and pulled her in closer. "Teach me... I wanna be able to do that to my mom and your family too."

"Patience, young grasshopper," he smirked as her hands traveled across his body and she felt all the resistance leave him. "Edit Katalin Janko, for shame… in your mother's house," he murmured as she worked over him gently, mindful of the fact that they were not alone in the room and there was only so far he'd be willing to take this. She stopped once again with a sparkle in her eyes as he lay completely relaxed underneath her touch.

"That," she whispered in his ear, "is how Jamison Reagan gets taken care of... Janko style."

"Oh Eddie," he moaned softly as he put a hand up to cup her cheek. "And that's why you win sensei… always. No one else has that power over me."

"Teach me," she'd insisted, and that was how the two of them ended up sitting at the Reagan family dinner table as a united front, having rehearsed their responses for the whole of the previous week as they were determined to keep the details of the trip to Rochester close to the vest.

"So that's it?" Danny prodded with a suspicious eye; the whole family had got an inkling that Eva Janko could be a real handful through bits of conversation here and there over the course of the last few months as they had come to know Eddie and her background, and he had been looking forward to Jamie coming up against a classic holy mother-in-law terror and getting his butt whooped a little. Instead the kid looked like he had managed to enamor the older woman in his typical goody-two-shoes fashion, and that was well… disappointing to his older brother.

"Of course," Jamie offered with a practiced smug look around a bite of his dinner. "What did you expect? Mother's always love me, Dan," he offered, though if pressed he'd have to admit that the weekend with Eva had taken nearly everything he had within to remain even-tempered and although it had been his suggestion, he was secretly dreading the rematch. Still if it eventually lead to Eddie settling things with her mother, especially before the wedding… it would be well worth it in his opinion. He knew the strife within her family had deeply hurt her in the past and was determined to do his best to smooth it out.

Danny frowned and pushed his plate forward a little; he wasn't buying this at all but Eddie had remained straight faced and continued to offer no further clues as to what had really transpired. Damn it, Danny thought as his detective spider sense tingled, he's coaching her. This is all a setup. Something big must have gone down if he went to all this effort. Now he was more determined than ever to get the scoop. Eddie might make a more difficult target, but Danny's eyes soon shifted over to the little girl sitting in between them and a smile crossed his face. Getting the information out of a chatty two-year-old should be… well like child's play.

"Kaylin," he grinned with evil intent as both Jamie and Eddie's eyes popped up at him. Gotcha little brother, he sneered. "How was your long trip in the car last week, sweetheart?" he asked in a sing-song voice, waiting for her to dish out something juicy as the toddler had a memory for detail that rivaled Jamie and Frank's own.

"Fine," the little voice answered without hesitation while Jamie could not conceal his smirk, as if Danny thought he would leave an opening like that… child's play indeed. "Grandma's always love me," she added right on cue just as rehearsed to further frustrate her uncle.

For his part Frank had just been sitting back and observing the banter back and forth, masterfully reading between the lines. He had a fairly good idea now of what might have taken place, but he knew that his son was a private person with a level head on his shoulders and if he felt the need to keep the details confidential, well there was probably a good reason for it… likely to spare Eddie's feelings. "Demosthenes?" he questioned, knowing that Jamie was apt to be the only one at the table to catch the reference to the ancient expression regarding fighting and running away in order to live and fight another day.

His youngest's wry smile was enough to let him know he was right and it would be a cold wind blowing in from Rochester later that May.


Boy that was a really tough one to write as a backstory while staying true to upcoming events so we'll call that a draw with a slight advantage to the hometown boy in our initial Harvard vs. Mommazilla matchup. She had him off guard there in the beginning, but he got his wits back about him and finished strong. Unfortunately as he said, you have to be sharp when you play these games and events that transpire in the next story will leave him vulnerable for round two in their next meeting and Eva will get a clear shot to leave a deep mark while his blond protégé will certainly have her hands full trying to hold things together.