A trip to the OB had Eddie ordered to be off her feet and resting for the remainder of her pregnancy. She was too dilated to be considered safe at seven months. Jamie took it in his stride, he spoke to Spencer and arranged to do some free lance consultation work for the New York leg of his firm He would write briefs and present arguments for the more experience lawyers to present in court. He was paid by the job...luckily he was fast!
Jamie was home most of the time, making it easy to take care of Eddie, Mary Rose, and Joey. Mary Rose was excelling in Kindergarten and Joey was doign his best in the mainstream Pre K class. Still, even with an interpreter he struggled.
More and more Joey was wanting exclusive attention from Jamie and Eddie. He constantly asked for a cuddle, a story, or to play. Eddie was find to give him cuddles and stories but Jamie had to play.
One of the days that Joey was most in need Jamie was busy. Eddie had been feeling sick, Mary Rose had a cold and was clinging to Jamie and Joey just felt left out. He signed to Jamie, "Play catch?"
"I'm busy buddy, Daddy is working."
Joey sighed, and went to color. Only five minutes later he saw Jamie take Mary Rose on his lap. Joey felt a pang of jealousy...he got u and headed outside. He woudl go see his great grandpa he was never too busy.
Joe pushed open the door and after hopping down the steps looked out onto the sidewalk, starting left heading towards his grandfather's house. He skipped along excited for an afternoon of games.
When he reached the end of the sidewalk, Joe carefully stopped to look both ways before crossing again continuing for two blocks Joe stopped looking around realizing he wasn't heading in the right direction.
Back at home Jamie sorted through paperwork sighing his eyes burning from all the files for an upcoming case the firm was working on. With a shake of his head Jamie got up to check on the others. He smiled seeing Eddie resting on the couch rubbing her stomach with an arm around Mary Rose.
"Hey are you girls feeling any better," He asked coming around to join them on the couch. Eddie took his hand placing it over her moving belly tiredness twinkling in her eyes giving her answer. In response Jamie reached around to hug her and kiss her forehead.
"Have you seen Joe he was really upset before, I wanted to make sure he was okay." Jamie frowned seeing Eddie shaking her head she hadn't seen him since before.
Giving Eddie a gentle kiss to her cheek Jamie got up searching all over the house and backyard for his boy, panicking when he didn't find him. "He isn't in the house Eddie, Joe isn't here," Jamie announced slightly panicking.
"He has to be here someone Jamie and he can't hear you calling. Go to the front see if he's playing in front." Eddie pushed herself up slowly groaning as she did starting towards the basement for a double check all over the house.
Jamie went out to the front yard calling for Joe in hopes it would be loud enough that Joe could hear him. "He can't hear you," Jamie dumbly reminded himself following his son's path. His heart raced with worry for his boy unable to hear and therefore ask for directions wondering where he'd go.
"Joe," Jamie tried again growing more concerned with each passing minute. He turned around heading back inside skidding into Eddie who came back up not finding Joe anywhere.
"Eddie, where could he have gone," Jamie grabbed her shoulders eyes wide. He tried thinking to some of Joe's favorite places in the neighborhood they've taken him too that he would remember and possibly go.
Eddie took several deep breaths keeping a hand over her stomach rubbing gently with her eyes wide wondering where her boy could have gone. "Jamie we have to find him now, he could be anywhere by now."
"Stay here I'm going to take the car around and I'll call pops see if he's seen him may be he can look around too." Not waiting for an answer Jamie bolted out the front door circling the block using speaker phone to call his grandfather hoping today was one of the few days he decided to stay home. The more eyes they had looking for Joe the more of a chance they'd find him quickly.
Lucky Henry picked up after three rings his voice cheery, "Reagan."
"Pops it's Jamie, I need your help Joe walked out of the house and we don't know where he is. He was coloring and then we looked all over the house but couldn't find him," Jamie pulled over changing directions towards the park Jamie would sometimes take Joe on his days off to watch little league games which Joe would beg his father to put him in and play a game of catch.
"Of course Jamie, I'm heading out now Jamie will call you soon." Henry hung up and in one swipe grabbed his car keys going out to help look for Joe starting with his own block going around the next two before turning back to head in the other direction making sure he didn't miss any location.
Two and a half hours later with no success in finding little Joe Jamie headed back to his house trying his grandfather again hoping he had better luck. "Sorry Jamie no luck, I'm heading back home now I just have one more stop to look."
"Thanks pop I'm going to call the 4-8 and ask for their help just want to check on Eddie and Mary Rose. Call me if you hear anything." Jamie ended the call letting himself in greeted by Mary Rose pulling on his arm.
"Daddy, mommy spilled some water I called for help like you told me." Mary Rose pulled him into the living room hurriedly.
REddie doubled over holding her stomach while taking deep breaths. "Hey babe what's wrong," Jamie stopped himself seeing the puddle on the floor where Eddie sat and as he closed the distance saw a dark stain on her pants.
"Jamie, my water broke.."
