Chapter Ten

"Indian food?" Joey asked. "I remember when we were kids and had that friend from down the block, Ravi…His Mom made great samosas."

"Your sister is craving it and surprisingly enough, Grandpa developed a taste for masala chicken," Jamie replied. "Thanks for coming early tonight Joe. After dinner, you might not feel like talking shop."

Joey at down and sighed, "I hit a wall on my investigation. I have an animal raping preteen girls and not a clue."

"No witnesses? None of the girls can ID the perp?" Jamie asked setting the table as they talked.

"The latest victim, but Dad...she is not all there," Joey replied. "She's twelve but she acts like a little kid. I can't get her to look me in the eyes, she screeches and bangs her head onto the table when I try to question her. I can't do a thing with her. I know she saw his face, I know she knows who did this to her but my partner won't hear me, he wants to dismiss it and Benson, and she wants me to toss it. We have to get this guy, Dad. We have to."

Jamie could see Joey was identifying too much with this case, but more so, because he could not manage to connect with his young witness. "I'll handle your Captain," Jamie replied. "It sounds like the girl is socially delayed, autistic or some other type of intellectual disability. Are her parents on board?"

"She only has a mother, but she wants us to get this jerk as much as I want to get him, yeah," Joey replied.

"Then call the mother, question the girl at home, in a place she feels safe. You can get the mother's permission to tape the interview and hide the recorder under the table so it doesn't frighten her. Find out what she likes, a candy, a song…something to use as a reward, then keep you words and your questions simple. It sounds like she's got about a four year old mentality, so ignore the physical age and focus on the mental age. If you want me to sit in on it and give you a hand…"

Joey thought about it, "Jamie Reagan rides again," Joey laughed. "I'll think on it Dad, thanks. I'll call the mom tomorrow."

Jamie smiled, he knew his boy would give every case his all, but he seemed to have inherited his focus when it regarded kids. Jamie had worked in sex crimes off and on during his career as a detective and often worked with children. He hoped, for Joey's sake, his boy would not internalize these cases, he would keep an eye on him.

"Hello," Lila called as she entered the house. She was sixteen weeks pregnant and beginning to look it more and more every day.

"Hello, Kitten," Jamie smiled giving her a warm hug and kiss. "We're almost ready to eat, Grandpa is putting the food into bowls for us. Can you help Joey pour drinks while I got and get your Mom?"

Lila nodded and shared a looked with Joey, "Mom's sleeping again?"

"Well, I'm not sure if she was sleeping or not. She was lying down, Dad said it was her back bothering her again."

Lila shrugged her shoulder, she didn't know if her parents had told Joey about her visit to Dr. McLean or needing to see the specialist. Today was the two weeks, was the news so bad that her mother went to bed? Lila tried to reason with the knots in her belly.

"How are you feeling sis?" Joey asked as they did the chore Jamie assigned them.

"Tired still, but I haven't been nauseated at all this week and...I can't wait to tell Mom I can finally drink my morning tea again!"

"Good for you, Sis, "Joey exclaimed. "You are going to handle this pregnancy thing, no sweat." Joey offered a light, playful one armed hug.

Lila smiled, "Joey, Steven wanted to be here but this just feel like the right moment so I'm going to ask you...We are positive that we want you to stand as Godfather for both the twins. There is no one I'd rather have guiding my children and Heaven forbid being a father figure to them if Steven and I aren't able to do it...So will you?"

Joey took a sharp breath and swallowed, "Of course I'll do it, anything for you and the babies, anything, you know that. Now the smoke eater..." Joey had to add a little humor the sentimental moment.

When Jamie and Eddie returned to the dining room, Joey and Lila were just ending their hug. "What's all this about?" Eddie asked. "Oh sweetie, you look adorable. I got her that shirt when we went shopping," Eddie told Jamie. "I smell dinner, kids help Grandpa and me with the bowls. Jamie sit down."

Jamie sat down and turned his ring around on his finger. He was really worried about Eddie. The appointment with the specialist produced what they had feared; confirmation that years of chemotherapy, pain pills, and cancer prevention drugs had begun to wear on her kidneys. She was placed on medication for high blood pressure that would also help with her kidney function, Jamie was upset to learn Eddie's blood pressure was much higher than his had been before his stroke. The doctor also prescribed something for pain and something for retention of fluid. He hoped all in all that would improve Eddie's overall health. Now they had to tell their children.

When the entire meal, fit for the Taj Mahal thanks to Frank's generosity and desire for his granddaughter to have whatever meal her heart desired, was on the table, Jamie nodded to Joey to say grace before beginning to pass.

"Lila, when does Steven rotate to days?" Frank asked. "We miss him at dinner or is he still hiding?"

"He's rotating on Monday for three weeks to days, which mean, Mom, can you take me to my 18 week checkup?"

"Of course," Eddie replied. "You know, your dad worked shifts and full time and he made all but two of my prenatal appointments and I think all except for three of my cancer appointments. Steven should make it more of a priority, I understand he has to work but he will never get these moments back."

"I know, but he won't get those paychecks back either," Lila replied. "He said absolutely no to any help beyond housing. He wants to make our way on our own."

"Stubborn…and they say we are thick headed," Frank laughed. "I'll talk to the smoke eater, make him see reason."

The conversation continued until the meal was over. When everyone was done Jamie reached for Eddie's hand and sighed, "Kids, we've already talked to Grandpa about this, but we have to let you in an a few things. Mom had her six month at Dr. McLean a few weeks ago and you both know he changed her medication and Lila you knew about the specialist. We went to the specialist today and he confirmed what Dr. McLean suspected. Mom is in the very early stages of kidney failure."

Joe nearly dropped his fork, surprised by the news, never thinking things could get worse than hearing his mother had cancer when he was seven years old, but it seems like they could.

"Mom? But how? What does this mean? You're going to get treatment right?" All the questions Joe was thinking came spilling out in a sea of emotion.

"From the medication I had to take all these years, sweetie," Eddie replied gently. "We talked to the specialist and we're going to consider..."

Before she could finish Joe looked accusingly at his sister. "You knew and didn't tell me!"

Lila sighed, she knew this would come back to her if Joe found out she knew about the specialist. "Joey, I only knew about the specialist because I came in the house one day while mom and dad were arguing about it and I overheard them. I told them to tell you because you'd be mad."

Joseph shook his head in disbelief, not only was his mom sick but his own sister knew and didn't tell him.

"So what happens now? What are the options the doctor gave you? Did he put you on more medication or what?" Joe was trying his very best to keep a handle on the situation but not doing a very good job hiding his emotions. He was scared for his mom having to go through this after her cancer. Frank could see the distress in his grandson's eyes, hurt and a deep concern he might be losing his mom.

"Let them talk, Joey," Frank urged gently. "Let your parents speak and then you ask questions. Take a big deep breath, I know this is hard to hear."

"The doctor put Mom on a blood pressure pill that has helped diabetics with kidney disease see improvements in their function. He also added a diuretic to help her body release fluids and a painkiller to assist with the side effects from the new anticancer pill. It's been hard, there's been weakness and joint pain. We are hopeful that Mom will be feeling better soon, but while she's adjusting there will be some rough days."

Eddie looked at the crestfallen faces of her children, "Why such long faces?" she asked. "I'm going to be okay, I have to take it easy for a couple weeks until my body adjusts but then I'll be just like I was before maybe better. This doesn't mean anything right now except that eventually my kidneys might stop working, but the doctor assured us that it would be years in the future."

Joey sighed, "I got to go, I have a big case and some research. I'll see you guy." Joey hurried out of the house before anyone could react. Eddie jumped up from the table to try to catch him but Frank stopped her, "Let him go, he's got to process this in his own way. Lila was too young, she doesn't have the memories Joey has, and she isn't scarred like he is."

Eddie nodded, "I just hate to see my kids hurting. Lila, are you okay?"

She nodded, "I was prepared and it's not as bad as I thought it was at first. I'll do anything you need to help."

Eddie gave Lila a hug, 'Thank you baby, you take care of yourself and my grandbabies, today was a shock, but tomorrow will be like any other day. I promise."

Lila nodded, hoping her mother's words were true. She stayed late into the night helping to clean up and hoping Joey would return but he didn't. "I'll call him tomorrow," Lila told Jamie and Eddie as she prepared to go home. "He'll come around or I'll make him.'

Eddie laughed, seeing herself and her resolve in her daughter. She would need it to be a firefighter's wife and mother to twins. As Lila left, Jamie slid his arm around Eddie, "It'll be okay. Stop worrying and go up to bed. I'll give Dad his treatment and join you. Remember he said rest is really important until your body adjusts."

Eddie nodded and headed upstairs, she was exhausted and her heart was heavy. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her kids and it seemed that was what she had done. Even with Lila and Jamie's reassurance that Joey would come around, Eddie still ended a very rough day crying herself to sleep, not for her own sorrows, but for her son's.

Joey parked his car outside Molly's building and jogged up the four flights to her apartment. "Molly, open up," he called when his knocking didn't produce the desired result.

Molly stumbled out of her bed as soon as she heard the urgent tone in Joey's voice. She undid the considerable number of locks on her door and opened it to see her rather disheveled looking boyfriend standing in front of her.

"Joe, what's going on?" Molly asked. "She had to be at work at five the next morning, but his face said so much. "What's happened?"

Molly let Joey inside and allowed him to wrap his arms around her, holding her tight. Molly simply rubbed Joey's back up and down, "It's all right, me dear one," she murmured. "It's all right. Now tell me." She held his hands and sat him on the sofa.

"Mom's…" Joey took a breath. "My mom's in kidney failure, they told us tonight. Lila knew all about it, that she had to see special doctors. That's why she's on the pills that made her fall, and why she's hurting so much. Dad said it's early and she is on medication but…" Joey's face crumbled and he began to cry.

Molly pulled his head to her breast, rocking back and forth. Joey didn't realize his mother was in bed, curled into first her pillow and then his father's arms crying as well. Neither he nor Eddie were crying for themselves, they were crying for each other.

"She'll have to be careful, but she can live a long time. You be a good son to her, you are already a good son…and you be there and help that way when the angels come down for yer Momma you won't have any heaviness on yer heart. I'll check on her a lot and see what I think might need doing, but kidney disease she can live with it well enough. I promise ye."

Joey felt comforted by Molly's touch and her soft words. He didn't want to leave the safety of her warm arms and soft brogue. "Can I stay here tonight?" he whispered.

Molly nodded only once, then stood, then led Joey by the hand to her bedroom to comfort him with a night in her arms.

A/N: Already on Chapter then. This story will be at least 30 chapters, perhaps longer. Very special thanks to my readers and followers, please let me hear from you. I have notices views and reviews a little lower lately so please let me know there is still interest. Hope everyone has a great weekened. Second installment of Pillow Talk – Absolute Power will post tonight, with the final tomorrow night. Be sure to check it out.