Chapter 29
Edit Scissorhands… (Part I)
Wow, so my Jamko vibes are humming along a little now with these latest epis… the soulmate kiss, "good talk," butt slap, lol... therefore as promised to a particular fellow author (cough, cough, lawslave), a two-shot addressing Jamie's intermittent buzz cut that's been on display throughout the beginning of Season 7, at least in the realm of werks-world since the BB writers let us down a bit again on this point with no good explanation, so I am tackling it first like a certain creative little three-year-old with a pair of safety scissors might. I'm just sayin' :)
"Hey, Sarge, we've got one under for robbery and assault in the first degree, meet Daniel Biggs," Officer Will Clarkson announced as he and his partner Daniel Ehret dragged the resisting prisoner up to the front desk where Jamie was coming into the last hour of an impromptu midnight shift covering for the 3-5's regular overnight desk sergeant who had gone home ill.
"It's a lie," the scruffy-faced man insisted as he continued to twist around while the patrol officers started laying the confiscated contraband and evidence out.
"Oh, yeah. Just for the record, he's innocent," Ehret quipped.
"I'm sure, hm-mm, ahhhmm sorry," Jamie replied as he entered the information in the log while unsuccessfully trying to stifle a yawn, having been unprepared for the overnight shift, but Sergeant J. Reagan had been the next name up on deck to provide cover on his day off so it was with a reluctant groan he had crawled out of bed after the phone rang summoning him to duty and kissed Eddie goodbye with a promise of picking breakfast up from one of her favorite food trucks when he returned in the morning.
"Man, I was gonna bring it all back. This is all a big mistake!"
"Here's the witness I.D., the video surveillance…" Clarkson drawled on.
"The evidence we found in his possession," Ehret followed as he added the items to the growing pile.
"Okay, start the paperwork," Jamie advised with a glance at the clock showing there was little over an hour left before he could wrap things up here and go home for an extended nap. "Let's get Mr. Biggs down to holding. Enjoy your stay with us, the next bus to Central Booking is in three hours," he added.
"Sergeant Reagan, you have a call on line two," one of the civilian secretaries advised. "It's Commissioner Reagan," she added and watched him frown and quickly pick up.
"Dad? What's going on?!" Jamie questioned, worried over a family query such as this at an early hour considering he wasn't even supposed to be there. With a newly pregnant wife, even one he had left comfortably tucked in their bed with the window of the room cracked to allay her now apparent first trimester nightly hormonal flush, a call like this put his heart in his throat immediately. "Is something wrong?"
"Jamie, no, don't worry nothing's happened… and it's Pop," Henry advised over the line. "I have a favor to ask."
"A favor? Gramps, it's not even seven o'clock in the morning! How did you know where to find me?"
"I was the Commissioner… I still know a few things," his grandfather joked. "How do you think? I called the house."
"You called the house and woke Eddie and Kaylin up this early? Pop what's going on?" Jamie demanded now.
"The Policemen's Fund Annual Fall Benefit Gala is tonight at the Waldorf... you know I chair the board," Henry reminded. "The theme is 'Support through the Generations'... we're highlighting the NYPD taking care of our own. These funds are earmarked for the families of fallen officers. Well, now we want to extend the program to offer some of the college scholarships to grandchildren when one of their parents is on the job too."
"That's great, Gramps, but what does this have to do with…"
"The board members, and by that I mean me, wanted to highlight this by including as many of our own grandchildren in the program for the evening as possible… all our top donors are going to be there to receive their annual honors… they need to be schmoozed and see the potential for where the money might go."
"Right, that's why Danny, Linda, Nicki and Erin are going with you, and you talked her into emceeing the first part," Jamie recalled the discussion around the table at Sunday dinner the previous week where he and Eddie had elected to decline the invitation since she had begun to suffer from nausea in the late afternoons and did not want to risk losing her so-called cookies in a fancy ball gown in front of hundreds of people at the extravagant hotel.
"Well, Nicki was up all night coming down with the flu or something else and now Erin's not feeling well either and she's getting laryngitis," Henry revealed. "She called me and sounds awful. I need you to fill in for her."
"Me?" Jamie sighed as he considered the request. "But it's black tie, right? Ed was worried about… you know, and I don't have time to get my…"
"Already taken care of," Henry assured. "Eddie decided to tough it out for me and she'll drop off your tux at the hour cleaners on her way to the salon to get her hair done. Didn't take much persuading… she thought about it and figures it might be the last chance she gets to go to one of these fancy shindigs for a while before my great-grandbaby comes along."
"She will? Wait, how did…?" Jamie questioned, knowing that his wife had likely caved into his grandfather's request in much the same manner whether she wanted to or not… and if it was the latter… well, there's no doubt he'd hear about that when he got home.
"Of course, everything's taken care of… Erin already had a hair appointment booked at some place called Monroe's for after lunch. She won't be needing it. C'mon son, after all this planning I can't be the one to shoot a hole in the evening's program… This was all my idea and don't think for a second I'm gonna let Danny get up there on that stage to represent the family… you know how he is with public speaking, and remember we never had that conversation. Now for your old Irish Grandpa, just this once trot your patrolman butt with a fancy Harvard lawyer degree up there and put it to good use, will ya? No one will pull out their checkbooks unless this comes off the right way. Now can I count on you? Erin had the introductions all written already… you just have to use her notes. Easy as making pie-cakey," he asserted. "I'll take that as a yes," he continued without giving Jamie a chance to decline or get a word in edgewise as Henry was in event planning mode and taking no prisoners. "Eddie's expecting you at home to watch Kaylin while she's out. Francis will be back from Albany and keep my sweetie-pie for the night later… he thinks he's a wet blanket at these things anyway so begged off. Cocktails at seven, dinner at eight. The town car will pick you up at six, don't be late," were the last words added before there was a resounding click on the other end.
"Pop? Hello?" Jamie sighed at the sound of the empty line. "Alrighty then," he muttered as he hung up. "Guess I've been volunteered," he added as he started to dial Eddie's cell to get the lowdown directly from the source before he was interrupted as Lieutenant Renzulli unexpectedly walked around the corner at an earlier than anticipated hour.
"Reagan," his former TO acknowledged as he was paging through his duty roster checking for the next shift. "What are you doing here already? I was just about to call you in."
"Call me in?" Jamie questioned with a sudden sinking feeling in his stomach that he'd just been involuntarily assigned another shift. "Boss, I just pulled most of a midnight here, and now I've got this thing tonight at the Waldorf for my grandfather… He wants me to do some kind of honoree introductions for his charity… I've gotta get up on the stage and talk in front of people and I haven't slept in I don't remember how long now. I'll make an ass out of myself or nod off at the table; you know how boring those things are… I'll never stay awake through it."
"Sergeant Parker just banged in with food poisoning, guess he and Miller both got bacon, egg and salmonella sandwiches from Woody's on the corner while swapping shifts yesterday. I'm a striped man down again. You're still top on my list since Miller was the backup… this place won't run itself," Renzulli asserted. "Minimum staffing requirements… you knew the regs. Can probably quote them back to me upside down, backwards and in Swahili," he chided. "Sorry to wreck your fancy socialite plans… I'll keep you off the street in here at the desk and try to get Adams in early from second, but no promises," he added as turned heel and walked back out down the hallway towards his office. "Try taking one of those power nap things during your break time. I heard they help."
"Alrighty, then," Jamie repeated with gritted teeth this time. If there was anything worse than getting up in front of a bunch of uptight rich strangers cold with no prep time, it was gonna be doing that on little to no sleep in the thirty-six hours prior and he knew from the tone of his grandfather's voice that there would be no getting out of what had now apparently become his obligation to the family legacy and the next generation.
###
"What do you mean you're not coming home until after three?! Renzulli won't let you off the hook even for this?" Eddie whined as she was busily pawing through the spare room closet trying to figure out where her nice clothes were unpacked and looking for something to wear that night. "You're seriously gonna try do this on two hours sleep? I'll be out until four or so since I'm supposed to be taking Erin's appointment at this Monroe's place in Park Slope… Everybody else is either sick or busy and I can't take Kaylin with me... not somewhere new. I don't know what it's like there. Some of these places are so snooty, they won't be happy if a kid tags along and I'm betting your sister goes to one like that! It's not like Lisette's where they know Kaylin… I already checked online, she's booked solid today!" she added.
"You'll have to, Ed… I tried. Adams can't come in until then, so I'm stuck," Jamie complained. "Just explain to Kaylin she has to be a good girl there and have her smile and work the room. They'll cave. We're out of options and it's not like any of this was my idea either! I'm pulling more than a twelve and it's supposed to be my day off! Besides, you could have said no to Pop!"
"Oh, right… like that was gonna happen," she griped. "He hit me with the hardline guilt right out of the box… 'for all the future grandbabies like yours' he said and then added that his whole reputation was on the line. I didn't stand a chance, and he knew it, but part of me wanted to go anyway," she admitted. "It might be the last time I get to wear my favorite, if I can find it… here it is!" she exclaimed while finally eyeing her prize… a pretty navy blue V-necked formal evening gown with floor-length lace and tulle with appliques that hugged her in all the right places and accentuated her curves perfectly.
"You mean the blue one that's cut low with the…" Jamie trailed off as he felt his own heart skip a beat when he remembered how beautiful she looked in that dress and the ungentlemanly things it made him consider. "You know, the one that shows off your… assets," he added suggestively with a small huff as he pushed himself back in his seat, suddenly wide awake at the thought.
"Yeah, that's it… the one that 'perks' you up… maybe you'll need it, but I swear, I better be able to fit in this tonight and again after the munchie comes or you will pay dearly for putting this little bean in here, Jamison Reagan."
"Damn, Eddie… you know how I feel about you in that dress. If we go, then Dad will keep Kaylin tonight, so maybe this isn't such a bad idea after all," he mused and considered the possibilities for a few rounds of extracurricular activity alone with his wife when that particular article of clothing was unzipped. "Get your hair done and put on your dancing shoes, Edit Katalin… we're going out tonight!"
###
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but children that age are simply not allowed," the receptionist at the high-end salon advised with a whiff of disdain as she looked down over her faux glasses from her spot perched in the tall stool and spotted Kaylin shyly peeking out from behind her mother and clinging to Eddie's hand. "Our clientele pay for a relaxing pampered experience, not to be seated in a daycare."
"Oh, I apologize, I wish I would have known, but my husband was called into work unexpectedly today so I had to bring her," Eddie replied contritely with a little half fib and a small smile while at the same time gritting her teeth, having already surmised as much before they walked in the door given the location and appearance of the establishment, but nonetheless prepared to play several of the Reagan family's cards still in her pocket since it had been impossible to find so much as a babysitter or an alternate opening elsewhere at such short notice so she wasn't going to be shy about dropping names to avoid attending the event with frumpy hair.
"Regular patrons are aware there are no exceptions," the opposing woman insinuated in a haughty patronizing tone.
"Well, one of your long-time customers, my sister-in-law, ADA Erin Reagan, from the Manhattan District Attorney's office, had the original appointment… she called ahead to let you know I would be taking it since she's not feeling well and was forced to ask at the last minute that my husband fill in for her tonight at the Policemen's Fund Gala at the Waldorf… he's a sergeant working a double shift on his day off at the 3-5 precinct in Midtown and she was one of the emcees. It's a cause near and dear to their father, Commissioner Reagan's, heart as the main benefit for funds to support fallen NYPD police officers and their families. I'd hate to disappoint him by telling him you couldn't just bend that rule just a little… this is his granddaughter you know and she's very well-behaved. I promise she'll sit quietly next to me and read her book, won't you, sweetie?" Eddie asked while choosing to flaunt Frank's current title as an advantage over Henry's retired status although was pretty sure she would burn in hell for using that and the plight of the families as an excuse to worm her way in for something as trivial as a hair appointment but for the fact every word she had used was true. "I'll be happy to take a chair in the back so she's not in anyone's way… it's for a very important charity event or I wouldn't ask," she reemphasized.
"No exceptions," the receptionist rebuked without so much as batting one of her exceptionally coiffed eyelashes. "Please let Miss Reagan know she will be charged double for her time with Monroe since she did not adhere to our cancellation policy and he does not appreciate an empty chair. She will not be allowed to rebook until that is paid."
"Double? So you're going to turn me away make her pay anyway, twice the amount, just so she can come back?" Eddie bristled just slightly, having anticipated being denied in what she considered was most likely a Hail Mary, but now thoroughly frustrated with the woman's lack of empathy. "That's extortion!" she muttered under her breath.
"Policy," the woman reminded before summarily dismissing her with a threat. "Good day, Mrs. Reagan. I do not appreciate your tone. Please leave before I am forced to call the authorities. Maria, show them out," she ordered one of the stylists who had gathered her coat and purse and was ready to leave for the day herself.
"My tone? Wait, we were just talking politely... Melba," Eddie squinted to read the woman's scripted name tag. "Seriously? As in the toast?" she pondered. "No wonder you're so dry and tasteless!... Besides, I am one of the authorities!" Eddie now huffed, thoroughly take back by the rude treatment in front of her daughter before picking up Kaylin. "And that's Officer Reagan to you," flipped her badge out of her purse. "Thanks for your support," she added before turning heel and walking out the front door. "Unbelievable. I swear I'm going to call someone at the 7-8 and have them set up a sting on the corner here. We'll see what good ol' Melba thinks about stop and frisk."
"Mommy, why won't they make your hair pretty?" Kaylin asked as she ran her fingers through Eddie's loose long tresses. "That wasn't nice!"
"No sweetie, it wasn't… but sometimes people have trouble being nice when they have their noses stuck up in the air too high all the time. Never mind, baby," she laughed at the little girl's puzzled look as she tried putting her face to the sky and squinting. "We'll go home now and Mommy will see what I can do by myself or maybe Daddy will have to go out alone tonight."
"Excuse me, ma'am!" Eddie heard a voice from behind and turned to find the stylist from the salon hurrying towards them. "I'm so sorry about all that in there. Melba was very rude to you. My name is Maria Willard. I've known Miss Reagan for years now and how important that charity is to your family and ours… my older brother Mark is with the ESU unit out of Brooklyn South," she explained. "God forbid anything ever happen to him, but that fund would be something his wife and daughter would depend on. I can't give you the salon treatment, but I can promise you a nice updo for tonight anyway if you don't mind coming to my father's barber shop down the street on the corner of 9th. It's a small family place, but it's always busy and the vibe is warm and friendly… a lot of cops come in as customers. He won't mind if I steal a chair, and he certainly won't care if your little girl is there. The two of you will be the belles of the ball… trust me. She'll have a great time."
"Oh, Maria, bless you! You're such a lifesaver! Thank you so much!" Eddie replied with a grateful smile as she shifted Kaylin over to her other hip to follow the other woman down the block. "C'mon, baby… I didn't see this one coming, but we're gonna learn what it's like when Daddy gets his hair cut. Won't that be fun?"
Uh oh, just imagine all the things a precocious and impressionable three-year-old can pick up when she's the center of attention at a barber shop for an hour or so, hmm? Add in a tired, agreeable father trying to power nap while tasked with watching her at home as a certain blond goes upstairs to get dressed coupled with a must-attend charity event and we'll set up the potential for a little oopsie with the safety scissors that will require some fast thinking and a pair of clippers to fix as Part II of our little haircut Snapshot wraps this one up tomorrow.
Now, for everyone wondering about the next big Series II installment... I am still humming along on writing it, however, it has turned into an epic novel-length piece that's about sixty hefty chapters in and I'm not kidding when I say I can't even guess how many more are left… halfway, maybe? I'm sort of writing it by the seat of my pants with a loose outline and the end is nowhere in sight yet. There are *many* characters with their own storylines interwoven in this one so it will be more like two- or three-for-the-price-of-one piece. Since what is done is pretty solid and I'm so far ahead, the plan at the moment is to release the next two fun prequel snapshots titled "No Good Deed…" and "Grandmommazilla" between now and Thanksgiving Day when I will open with the first posted chapter of "Resurgence" since the Reagan family and a special guest are also celebrating on the same holiday at the start of the action. After that, unlike previous stories with daily updates I'll instead post twice a week on a Tuesday/Thursday schedule to keep myself well ahead of the pace and not stressed (or I'll seriously blank) until I find my way to the end when I'll consider picking up the frequency or it might be this time next year before we finish!
