I own none of the characters of October Road
"Eddie can't we take him with us?" Janet asked as cradled her three month old son to her chest.
"No hon, we can't take him with us on our anniversary trip. It's not like we had him there with us when we got married."
"Well technically we did." Janet said with a grin.
"Come on Janet. We're going to miss our plane."
"Okay." Janet hugged Jacob close to her chest and then she planted kisses all over his head. "Bye my little prince. You be a good boy for grandma and grandpa. I'm going to miss you so much. I'll call everyday to check on you. I love you." She handed Jacob over to Eddie before she lost all of her resolve.
"All right little man. Mom and me are only going to be gone for a week so you be good. We're really going to miss you but I promise you that we will bring you home lots of presents." Eddie kissed his boy and handed him off to his mother.
"You guys better go. You'll miss your plane." Laura said.
"Thanks so much for keeping him mom." Eddie said as he kissed her.
"It's my pleasure. Jake and I will have fun."
"I've started giving him formula mixed with breast milk and he…"
"Janet honey, she knows. Come on." They have been at the house for over an hour and the entire time Janet had been giving Laura instructions regarding Jacob, instructions that she already knew. After a few more minutes hugs and kisses Eddie and Janet Latekka finally left to celebrate their first year of marriage.
--
"We're going to Florida?" Janet said excitedly. Eddie had not told her where he was taking her for their anniversary and now they were standing at the departure gate for a flight to Orlando, Florida.
"No. We just have a short layover in Florida." Eddie lied to her. He handed the stewardess their tickets and they boarded their plane.
"Will you please tell me where we are going?" Janet asked once their plane was in the air. She was still nervous about flying so as the plane took off she clutched Eddie's hand tightly and now that they were cruising in the air she had relaxed.
"Nope. It's a surprise."
"Please tell me?" Janet batted her eyes at her husband and traced a heart on his thigh. Eddie grinned at her and removed her hand, placing it on her own thigh.
"It's not going to work. You're just going to have to wait and see." Janet stuck out her lower lip and pouted. If the batting eyes didn't work usually the pout worked but not today. Eddie leaned over and took her lower lip between his teeth and nibbled gently.
"I'm going to take a nap." He told her when he pulled away. "Wake me when we start descending."
"You know I will." Eddie made himself comfortable in his seat and closed his eyes. "What about a hint?" She whispered in his ear.
"None." He said through closed eyes with a smile.
"Party pooper." She mumbled as she laid her head on Eddie's chest. Eddie wrapped an arm around his wife and quickly drifted off to sleep.
Eddie was so excited about this trip that he had planned. One night, about a month after they were married, they were lying in bed talking, after they had made love and Eddie had asked her if she could go anywhere in the world where would it be and with tears in her eyes she told him Disneyworld.
"I said anywhere in the world and you pick Disneyworld, why?" Janet lifted her head up off of his chest and looked at him with tears shining in her eyes.
"My dad planned a trip for us to Disneyworld. I had wanted to go since I was a little girl, I think that every kid wants to go but dad waited until I was a teenager to plan the trip so I would appreciate it more. A week before we were supposed to go daddy had his heart attack and died so I never got to go." She leaned down and kissed him gently.
That story has weighed heavily on his mind since she told him. He wanted to give her Disneyworld but the timing was never right. For the first nine months of their marriage, she was pregnant and Disneyworld would be kind of pointless for a pregnant woman and then since Jake was born they have just wanted to spend all of their time with him. Now that he was still alive on their first anniversary he thought that it was the perfect opportunity to give her the trip that her father wanted to but couldn't.
"Eddie, baby we're landing." Janet said sleepily. Eddie struggled to open his eyes. They were heavy with sleep and he's been finding it harder to wake up anymore.
"Already?" He said through a yawn. "It feels like I just feel asleep."
"So what's our next stop?"
"Nice try babe. I may be tired but I'm not stupid."
"You know that you're driving me crazy don't you?"
"I do." With a smile, Eddie kissed the tip of her nose. "And I'm loving every minute of it." Janet stuck her tongue out at him and he just laughed.
A half hour later their plane had landed and they were making their way through the airport hand in hand. "What gate are we going to? What should I be looking for?" Janet asked anxiously.
"I know where we're going. Don't you worry you're pretty little head." Janet quietly followed Eddie without anymore questions until they were standing in front of the baggage claim.
"Okay, I may not be a pro at flying but I know that if we are just switching flights we don't get our luggage so what the hell is going on?"
"All right honey, you are too smart for me. This isn't a layover. This is our destination." Eddie watched in pure delight as her eyes sparkled in excitement.
"Really? This is where we are staying? Here in Orlando?" He knew she was thinking Disneyworld but he couldn't let his plan out all at once. He still had to save some surprises.
"Just for a day. There is a Sea World here that I thought that you would enjoy sp tomorrow we are going to spend the day there and then we are going to rent a car and drive to the beach and spend the rest of the week laying out in the sun, catching some rays." He knew that spending days at the beach, lying out in the sun in a bathing suit wasn't one of her most top ten favorite things to do but she did a damn good job at hiding her disappointment.
"That sounds wonderful Eddie." She said with large smile.
"I'm glad that you think so." It took everything he had not to laugh. She was going to kick his ass when his true plan finally came out but it would be worth it.
After gathering their luggage they hailed a cab and took in all of the sights around them while they journeyed to their hotel. Lady luck was on Eddie's side because as soon as they entered the hotel Janet disappeared to pee so she wasn't around when the hotel clerk confirmed that they would be staying for a week. It would have ruined everything if she would have heard that.
"Oh Eddie this room is amazing." Janet exclaimed as she walked around their large spacious room. There was a large king sized bed, two end tables, a table, dresser, a large plasma T.V., The bathroom was as big, if not bigger then their master bedroom at home. The bathtub could easily fit 3-4 adults in it and there was also a Jacuzzi in the bathroom as well. "Check out the view." Janet had made her way out onto the balcony and she was taking in the breathtaking view of Florida from the ninth floor. Eddie came our behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"It's beautiful." He said, staring at her.
"Happy Anniversary Eddie." She said turning into his embrace.
"Happy Anniversary darling." Eddie closed the distance between them and kissed her softly. "Happy, happy anniversary." He whispered when they broke apart. "Come on, I know you want to call mom and check on Jake."
"You know me so well."
--
"Don't hesitate to call if there are any problems. We can be on a plane home in no time. Okay I will. I love you too. Kiss Jake for me and Eddie. Bye Laura."
"Jake good?" Eddie asked.
"Jake's good." Janet confirmed.
"Told you." Janet rolled her eyes. "Can you grab me my Vicodin from my medicine bag in the bathroom? I'm due for my next dose." Phase two of his plan was in effect. He had placed the passes to Disneyworld in his medicine bag.
"Really?" Eddie was stretched out on the bed watching a game on the plasma. "You can't get off you're ass and get it yourself?"
"I'm really comfy and the game is really neck and neck right now."
"Eddie."
"Come on baby. You're already up and you don't want me to miss my medicine and get a headache do you?"
"Bastard." She mumbled walking into the bathroom. Chuckling to himself Eddie sat up and waited on the edge of the bed. Two minutes later he heard a squeal coming from the bathroom. "Oh my God. Are these really what I think they are?" Eddie opened his mouth to respond but Janet was so excited that she kept on talking. "And these are four day passes so the trip to beach and Sea World was just bullshit. Do you think four days is enough time for us to see everything? Are you going to be able to handle four days of walking around the biggest amusement park in the world? I have to ride the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Why aren't you saying anything?"
"I was waiting for you to finish. Are you done?" She nodded happily. "The whole beach thing was bullshit but I do have a trip for to Sea World planned. Four days will be plenty of time for us to do everything that you want to do and more. I will be fine. I figure that we are close enough to the park that we can leave for a few hours during the day so I can nap. Did you notice the front of the line passes in the envelope?" Janet looked in the envelope again and found the passes.
"Eddie this all must of cost a fortune."
"The passes were free. You're mom contacted one of those foundations that grant wishes to terminally ill patients and she pulled a few strings and got us the passes and the tickets. She paid for our hotel and mom and dad paid for our flight, it was their gift to us." Tears filled Janet's eyes.
"I…we…it's…can…why…I…?" Eddie reached out and took her hand.
"I know baby." He squeezed her hand. "So is this better then a week at the beach?" That question brought a smile back to Janet's face. She tossed the envelope on the end table and threw herself into Eddie's arms, knocking him back onto the bed, kissing every inch of his face.
"So." Kiss. "Much." Kiss. "Better." Kiss. "Best." Kiss. "Husband." Kiss. "Ever." This kiss was long, slow and sweet. Eddie flipped her over on her back and kissed her with more force while his hand ripped opened her shirt. Since she and Eddie had gotten married he has ruined quite a few of her shirts by ripping them off of her. "What…about…your…game…?" This time Janet flipped him on his back and she ran her fingers under his shirt causing him to groan.
"Hell baby, I don't even know who is playing. You're the only thing I want to watch right now." Eddie reached up, placed his hand on the back of her neck, brought her face down to his and kissed her sweetly while rolling her over onto her back. They continued to roll over on the bed, both fighting for dominance while their clothes slowly fell to the floor.
"What do you want Eddie? Tell me, I'll do whatever you want, missionary, me on top facing you, me on top facing away from you, doggy style, up against the wall, in the tub, whatever you want." Janet said breathlessly when she finally managed to tear her mouth away from Eddie's.
"You don't have to honey."
"I want to. You gave me this wonderful trip so I want to give something to you." She nibbled his ear lobe and she felt his body stiffen over hers. "So tell me what you want baby."
"I want a ride Janet. I love it when you ride me hard and fast."
"Then hang on baby cause I'm going to give you the ride of your life." Eddie quickly climbed off of Janet and he sat up against the headboard. "Hold on baby."
"I plan too." Janet straddled herself over Eddie's hips, spreading her legs apart as far as they would go and she sank down as far as she could on Eddie's erection.
"Son of a bitch Janet." Eddie shrieked.
"Oh I'm just getting started." Eddie placed his hands on Janet's ass; he loved the feel of her full, smooth ass in his hands, her breast in his mouth while Janet placed her hands on Eddie's shoulders for better leverage and then she worked it. Eddie had a hard time keeping his mouth on her breasts because she was moving so fast on top of him but it was just what he wanted from her, fast and hard. She was slamming herself on him so hard that he was afraid that she may have bruises on her upper inner thighs but she didn't seem to be in any pain. In fact she looked like she was really enjoying herself. Her eyes were closed and she threw her head back every time she moaned. When they both finally climaxed their moans and groans of pleasure filled the room.
"I can't move." Janet gasped as she collapsed against Eddie breathing heavily.
"I don't want you to move." Eddie lifted Janet's head up and kissed her passionately. "That was amazing baby. Thank you."
"It was what you wanted?" He nodded.
"And so much more. Since I've met you Janet, you've given me so much more than I have deserved."
"I've only given back what I have received." Janet finally realized that she had to pull out of Eddie because her legs were becoming really stiff and if she didn't move now she might not be able to move in a few more minutes. "I've got to lay down." She said reluctantly. She loved being this close to her husband.
"Okay honey." Eddie helped her off of him and then he scooted down and cradled her in his arms. "Look Janet, I know that this trip was something that you had planned with your dad so if by planning this I stepped on any toes I'll understand." Janet was silent. She just drew lazy circles on his chest. "Oh hell Janet I'm sorry. I really…"
"Don't be sorry Eddie. When I was sixteen the most important man in my life was my daddy and that's who I was going to Disneyworld with. Now you are the most important man in my life so it's very appropriate that you and I are now taking the trip that my dad had wanted to take with me. I think that my dad would be very happy that it was you that is taking me now."
"Do you really think so?" Eddie asked softly.
"I really do."
"I wish I could have known him. He sounds like a great man."
"He was. You would have liked him and I know that he would have really liked you."
"So it sounds like when I meet him in the great beyond I'm not going to get my ass kicked." He said with a laugh but Janet didn't respond. "Sorry babe, I know how you feel about my death jokes."
"You know what I wish?"
"What do wish darling?"
"I wish that I'm pregnant. I really hope that during this trip, maybe tonight I can get pregnant."
"Janet…" Eddie said softly. He had no idea where this had come from.
"A little girl would be nice this time. Don't you think?"
"Janet…"
"Jacob would make such a good big brother. He is…"
"Janet listen to me." She got quiet and looked at Eddie with a sad faraway look in her eyes. "Sweetheart, you know that the chemo medication made me sterile." He told her softly. "I'm shooting blanks."
"I know." Janet pulled herself out of his arms. "I said that it was a wish. Didn't you say that we had dinner reservations?" She climbed out of bed. "I'm going to get a bath to clean off all of this sweat." She leaned over, kissed his cheek and disappeared into the bathroom.
When he heard the water turn off Eddie finally climbed out of bed and walked into the bathroom. He stood in there for a few minutes, just watching her wet her body down with the washcloth. "Are you just going to stand there and watch me or are you going to come and help me with those hard to reach places?" Janet asked, never looking at him.
"Well since you asked I guess I could lend a hand or two." In three giant steps Eddie was stepping into the tub behind Janet. He reached around her and took the washcloth out of her hand, soaped it up and began to gently wash her back. "Can I ask you something?" He asked her.
"Anything."
"Why do you want another baby? It's going to be hard enough to raise just Jacob alone, why add another baby?"
"I wished for one. Wishing and wanting are two different things."
"Okay. Why did you wish for another baby?"
"It doesn't matter." She mumbled.
"It does to me."
"I guess that I want as much of you with me in the world as I can have once you're gone." He felt her sigh under his hands. "I know that it makes no logical sense but…"
"I know honey, I know." He leaned forward and kissed her neck.
After their bath they put on the only nice clothes they brought and headed down to the hotel restaurant for dinner. The hostess handed each of them a menu and Janet watched as Eddie's left hand shook like crazy as he tried to hold the menu up and read it. Seeing the frustration and humiliation in his eyes Janet reached over, took the menu out of his hands and laid it in front of him. "Just flip the pages."
"I hate this." He mumbled. "I can't even hold a god damned menu." Janet reached across the table and took his left hand in her right hand.
"It'll be okay baby."
"No it won't. This is just the beginning Janet. Things are just going to get worse." He looked at the table.
"Eddie look at me." He slowly raised his eyes to hers. "I don't want to think about what is going to happen down the road. You planned this amazing trip for our anniversary, something that we never thought we would see so I just want to concentrate on enjoying every moment that we have together this week. When we get home then we'll worry okay?" Eddie lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the soft skin.
"I can do that." He promised.
--
For the next four days Eddie and Janet enjoyed every moment they had together at Disneyworld. The rode every ride possible, some of them two and three times, they saw most every show, most of them Eddie found boring but Janet loved them so he tolerated them for her sake, usually by dozing off. They scheduled one day just for water rides because they didn't want to walk around everyday soaking wet. On the their last day, instead of getting up, spending the morning at the park, going back to their hotel for an afternoon nap and then returning to the park for a few more hours they opted to sleep in and go to the park in the late afternoon because Janet wanted to stay late and see the parade and the fireworks show so they didn't ride any rides, they just took it an easy. They went on a ride through a Safari, something they both loved, saw the rest of the shows that they hadn't seen and ended their day ohhing and ahhing over the fireworks.
--
"Do you think that there are this many stars at home in The Ridge?" Janet asked. It was their last night in Florida and they were cuddled up together, naked, under a blanket on reclining deck chair on their balcony. They spent their last day at Sea World and their last night making love in their hotel room.
"I'm sure that there are." Eddie answered with a smile.
"I don't think that there are. I have never seen this many."
"Okay baby. Whatever you say." Janet twisted her body slightly and kissed Eddie gently on the lips. When they broke apart Janet turned back to the sky and Eddie tightened his arms around her naked belly.
"Thank you so very much for this amazing trip Eddie. I'll never forget it."
"Hell Janet you shouldn't. You took enough pictures." She giggled. They filled up their memory card on their digital camera and half of the new card they bought.
"Katie and I are going to have so much fun making the scrapbook."
"Will you promise me something darling?"
"Anything." She murmured.
"One day when Jacob is old enough to appreciate it bring him here, to Disneyworld and show him everything that we did together, tell him the stories. I know that you'll show him the scrapbook but pictures won't be as good as the real thing. I want him be in the same place where we had so much fun, ride the same rides, pose in front of the statues that we did for pictures. Maybe it will help him feel closer to me. Can you do that for me Janet?"
"Absolutely Eddie. I promise."
"Thank you sweetheart." Eddie said with a yawn.
"Are you ready to go in and go to bed?"
"No. I want to sleep out here tonight."
"It might get too cold."
"Nah. The weather is perfect and we brought an extra blanket out here before we decided to share so we're set if we get cold but I don't think we will. So what do you say honey? Will you sleep out here with me tonight, under the stars?"
"I would love too."
"Sit up for a second babe." Janet reluctantly sat up, out of Eddie's arms and he reclined the chair all the way back. "Come on now." It took them a few minutes to arrange themselves so they both were comfortable but once that was accomplished they made the most of their positions by sharing soft kisses, in the dark, under the stars until their bodies grew too tired to continue.
--
"How is your head?" They were sitting in Dr. Turners office waiting for him to come in with his latest M.R.I. results that he had a few hours ago.
"It's freaking killing me. Not even the headphones are working anymore." Janet handed Eddie his Percocet and the bottle of water she was drinking. He swallowed the pills gratefully hoping that they worked because he really wanted to go home, without a headache and see his son, who he missed terribly. Their plane landed in Boston yesterday and they got a hotel room because of Eddie's appointment first thing the next morning. It made no sense to drive home and then back so they spent the day yesterday in a hotel room napping and watching T.V., recouping from their vacation.
"We'll talk to Dr. Turner about sedating you for your next M.R.I."
"Can you kill the light?" Eddie asked lying back on the table.
"Sure thing." Just as Janet stood Dr. Turner walked in the room.
"Wow look how tan you two are." He exclaimed as Eddie slowly sat up.
"We just came back from Disneyworld. It was our first anniversary." Janet explained.
"Wow. I can't believe that it's been a year since you two got married. It's amazing. Time goes so fast." Dr. Turner said with a sad smile that Eddie and Janet both picked up on.
"You have no idea." Janet mumbled softly, reaching over for Eddie's hand. She had a feeling that she was going to need it.
"So what's the word doc? I can tell by that look on your face that the news ain't good."
"I'm sorry Eddie." Janet felt tears sting her eyes but she didn't allow them to fall. Instead she squeezed his hand.
"How bad is it?" Eddie asked as Dr. Turner put his scans up on the lighted board.
"See this little dot here?" Eddie nodded and Janet had to squint to see it but she did see it. "That's the newest tumor. It's not quite a millimeter and these two old tumors; they have grown deeper into the brain tissue."
"So the medication has quit working?" Janet inquired.
"No it's still working, just not at its full potency."
"Well why not?"
"Baby…" Eddie whispered.
"After being on this medication for so long the body develops a resistance to it and that's what has happened to Eddie."
"So what can we do about it?" Janet asked even though she already knew the answer. "Can we increase the dose? Can we change it?"
"This is it honey. There is nothing else to do." Eddie answered for the doctor.
"He's right Janet. We've done everything medically we can for him. I'm very sorry."
"So what now? Do I stop the medicine?"
"No. Keep taking it. It's still working, just not as well as it was."
"What happens of I stop taking it, well besides the obvious?"
"You're symptoms will worsen rather quickly and you'll die within a month, two at the most."
"And if I keep taking the medicine that is slowly not working what happens?"
"Over time you're symptoms will slowly increase."
"How much more time do I have with the medicine?" He asked.
"Probably six months." Dr. Turner answered sadly. In his profession unfortunately he was always giving patients a death sentence and he hated this part of his job and today he hated it more than normal. Over the past year and a half that this young man has been his patient he has grown very fond of him and his wife. He had everything going for him, a woman that loved him who he wouldn't grow old with, a baby boy that he wouldn't see grow up all because of a disease that still could not be cured. Dr. Turner had spent his entire career fighting this disease and most days he felt like he was doing some good but today, telling this young man and his wife that he was going to be dead in six months made him question his career choice. "I wish that there was more that I could do."
"You've done so much already. You've given us more time then we ever expected." Janet told the doctor.
For the next twenty minutes Dr. Turner conducted Eddie's exam while Janet sat in the chair, taking notes and asking questions. Dr. Turner noticed that Eddie's left arm was weaker then his right and he had lost some of his peripheral vision on his left side as well. By the end of the visit Eddie was given a pain shot for his headache and Dr. Turner wrote for an order of sedation for his next M.R.I. so hopefully he wouldn't get another headache.
"I really want to thank you doc, for everything you have done for me." Eddie said. Janet had left the room to use the bathroom before they left so Eddie and Dr. Turner were alone.
"I didn't do much Eddie."
"You did. You gave me this medication that gave me a year with Janet and allowed me to see my son born, something I didn't think I would be able to see. My words can't express to you how grateful I truly am to you." Eddie surprised his doctor by pulling him in for a hug. "Thank you, for giving me more time then I hoped for after my diagnosis. I'll treasure it always."
"It wasn't just the medicine that helped Eddie. It was your strong desire to live that has kept you alive as long as you have been. It's amazing what love can do for a man."
"You have no idea." The door opened and Janet walked back in. Eddie turned around and smiled broadly at his wife.
"Bye you two. I'll see you in a month unless you need me before then."
"We'll see you in a month doc." As soon as the door to the room shut Eddie wrapped one arm around Janet's neck, one around her upper back, pulled her to his chest and kissed her.
"Wow. What was that for?" Janet asked breathlessly when they finally broke apart.
"Do I have to have a reason to kiss you?" She shook her head. "I just wanted to kiss you because I love you so much."
"I love you too."