Chapter Thirty One
"Eddie," Jamie whispered in his wife's ear. "Eddie honey, time to get up. We have to get ready to help the kids move."
Eddie sighed, "Okay, I feel like I just go to sleep." Eddie sat up and pushed her thick hair out of her face. She swung her legs out of the bed and went to stand up only to cry out in pain as soon as she put weight on her legs.
Jamie heard her cry and hurried back from the bathroom, "Are you okay?" Eddie hadn't had a bad morning in months.
Eddie sighed and looked down at her legs and feet, from the knees down both were swollen up badly. "I can't walk like this…why today?"
Jamie went behind her looking down with a shake of his head. He gently helped Eddie back into bed elevating her legs on a pillow.
"I'm sure the kids won't mind if only I come. You need to rest love," Jamie whispered kissing her head.
"I promised to help Lila set things up," Eddie sighed. "Let me have an extra one of the diuretics and I can just…"
"No, you will not overdose on medication to set up a living room. You will stay in this bed with your feet up and if I have to stay here to make sure, I will."
Eddie sighed and leaned back, "Maybe if you massage my legs the swelling will go down?"
"Yes, but you are still in bed all day," Jamie replied firmly. "I'll call Linda now and ask her to stay with you and Dad. The rest of us will help the kids, Lila would want you to rest."
Jamie dialed the phone and arranged for Linda to come over to help out with Eddie and Frank. He then spoke to Danny to coordinate the men to assemble the babies' cribs, it would take all of them to make sure it was right. Finally Jamie sat on the bed and wrapped two strong hands around Eddie's swollen leg. "I know it hurts, this isn't lymphedema in your legs, this is that medication."
"Dr. McLean increased it, so I guess it's going to bother me again," Eddie sighed. "You might get me to stay home today, but I will not be ordered to bed when my grandbabies come."
"No, if I put you in my old wheelchair, you'll be there," Jamie assured her.
Eddie sighed, "Jamie it's not working, it just hurts. I have to go to the bathroom but…How long until Linda gets here. I can't walk and you can't carry me."
Eddie choked up, when Jamie offered, "I can call Steven to run over."
She dropped her head and covered her face in embarrassment. "Jamie, I don't want this anymore, why do you keep pushing this?"
Jamie wrapped his arms around Eddie pulling her closer to him allowing him to kiss her cheek. "Because I love you and want to see you around for a long time."
Eddie looked down at the ground hiding her face from him. "Jamie…"
Before she could finish Jamie cupped her face with his hands. "Stop it," he whispered. "Eddie, I promise you, when or if you ever are sick enough to really want to stop this, I will support you. This isn't that, this is frustration and depression talking now. When you are that ill, I will know it and I'll be the one saying enough is enough." Jamie tipped her face back and kissed her. "I'm going to call Lila. Do you want to talk to her?"
Eddie shook her head, "I'll call her later. Maybe if I sleep I won't think of how badly I have to pee."
Lila was supervising the last boxes being loaded on the truck when Jamie called. "Hey, Dad, you guys already over there? The movers are loading up the last things here."
"No, Kitten, we're not there yet," Jamie replied. "It's just going to be me coming today, Mom's legs swelled up really bad overnight, it's painful for her to try to stand. Aunt Linda is going to take care of her and Grandpa and the rest of us will be there to help."
"Is she all right? Dad, if you think it's more important to stay home with Mom…"
"No, no, your mother was very specific that I be there with you. She needs to rest that's all and keep her feet up. The doctor increased her medication. You can call her later, she's very tired now."
"Tell her I love her," Lila replied as the movers did one final pass through the house to be sure nothing remained.
"That one goes in the kitchen" said Lila to the movers as they carried a large dish pack into the house.
"Yes, ma'am," replied one of the men. "What about the smaller ones there?"
"They can go in the kitchen as well," replied Lila. "Aunt Erin, can you help by making sure all of the crates for the babies' room go in there. Dad and Uncle Danny are ready to start on the furniture. Steven should be home by noon." Just as Lila finished the conversation, her call phone rang.
"Hi babe," she said.
"How's it going over there?" asked Steven on the other end of the line. He'd been called in that morning for a fire in Flatbush gone wrong, but was certain the Reagan clan would could assist Lila at the new house.
"Great," answered Lila. "They've almost got all the boxes in the kitchen, living room, and babies' room unloaded, and all that's left is the master bedroom and guest room boxes and some furniture."
"Sounds like someone's been keeping a fire lit underneath these guys," chuckled Steven. "Your Mom cracking the whip?
"No, Mom's sick, she's not here today. I have been channeling her well enough though. Joe started to unpack the kitchen and my Dad and Uncle Danny are breaking out the screw drivers."
"Is she okay? Your Mom?"
"She's really tired and sore, some swelling in her legs so Dad has he off her feet with Aunt Linda."
"Well if you want to go over and see her later…"
Lila smiled, Steven had really come around to Lila's close knit family since the baby shower.
"You know me well, love," replied Lila. "Still planning to be here early afternoon?"
"Yeah, looks like that'll happen" said Steven. "What's the plan once I get there?"
"You can help Dad and Uncle Danny in the nursery, Joey and Molly seem to have the bed in our room figured out," said Lila, "I'll be ready for a little nap right about then so I'm glad they got it going."
"Consider it done, babe" said Steven. "I better finish up here so I can get over and help you, okay?"
"Sure thing," said Lila. "I love you."
"Love you, too" replied Steven. "Bye."
"Bye." Lila returned the phone to her back pocket and took a big drink from her water bottle.
"Which room is the nursery, ma'am?" asked one of the movers as he carried in one of the boxes of baby things Lila had allowed them to pack and transport.
"Right around the corner here," she said. "Next to the master bedroom. My Aunt Erin will tell you where to put everything."
"Thank you, ma'am," the man replied. He deposited the box in the nursery, and headed out to retrieve the next one.
"When's the big day?" he asked as he came in with the next box.
"About 5-and-a-half more weeks" said Lila. "I'm due September 9th."
"Wow, that's not long!" exclaimed the man. "My wife and I are expecting our first in another 4 months."
"Congratulations" said Lila.
"Thank you, ma'am," he replied. "It's real exciting, isn't it?"
"Very much so," said Lila with a smile. After the mover left the room, she stayed for a moment, looking around at what would be the babies' first bedroom. The furniture that her parents had given them as a gift had all been delivered the day before. It was so pretty- two solid oak sleigh cribs, matching dressers with a built-in changing tables, a 6-foot high bookcase and a glider rocker with a cushion that matched the bedding set.
"After our nap today, little ones," said Lila. "We will work with your Auntie Erin getting your room unpacked." Lila was so excited about seeing it competed. Steven had painted the walls a very light yellow with white trim, and put up a wallpaper border that matched the bedding. It promised to be beautiful once it was all done up. Lila's thoughts were interrupted by another ring of her cell phone.
"Hello again, babe," she said.
"Hey,"he said. "I finished up a little earlier than I thought, so I'm on my way over now."
"Great!" said Lila. "Can you bring something for lunch, please?"
"I was actually calling to see what you wanted me to pick up for lunch," replied Steven.
"I should have known you'd do that," said Lila sweetly.
"Yeah, you should have, but it's okay if you momentarily forgot what a wonderful and caring husband you have," joked Steven. "It's not like your busy or anything."
"Oh brother," said Lila. "Let me see, what do I want…Taco Bell!"
"Your usual order, I presume?" asked Steven. "I was thinking taco trays for everyone else including me."
"Sounds good," replied Lila. "Two Burrito Supremes with extra sour cream."
"Your wish is my command" said Steven. "I should be there in 45 minutes or so."
"Okay, the movers should be finished and gone by then. Love you, babe." said Lila.
"Love you, too."
Steven arrived with lunch less than an hour later, and they sat down with the family assembled to help and ate together before he changed into his clothes and went into the nursery to help Danny and Jamie. Joey and Molly had almost finished assembling the furniture in the master bedroom.
"Damn it!" Jamie swore for about the tenth time since he started working on the side of the crib. This was one of the situations that had him frustrated since his stroke. When it came to putting together cribs for his children, it was a piece of cake for him, today he kept dropping the nuts and bolts and had a hard time making his fingers obey.
Steven saw the trouble his father-in-law was having, "Why don't we team up. I can't make heads or tails of the directions, you can walk me through it?"
"That's what it'll have to be, damn hand," he sighed handing the tools over to Steven and verbally directing his son-in-law on the assembly of the crib.
"Where do you want the clothes to be?" Erin asked her as she unpacked the boxes of little baby things lined up in the nursery.
"I'm thinking in the dresser against this wall here," she said. "I think it'll be easier with it in between the two cribs."
"Agreed," said Erin. She began to unload the tiny outfits and other baby supplies while her brothers and Steven made progress on the cribs.
"I'm going to go start unpacking some of our kitchen and bathroom things so we have access to them tonight," said Lila. "Joey, let me know as soon as you get the bed put together, I need a power nap in the worst way."
"Will do, Sis," replied Joey. "Don't you overdo it, okay?"
"I won't, I'm fine," said Lila as she offered her brother a warm smile. Sometimes having a big family was the best.
A/N: For my previous chapter, I had a guest reviewer mention they prefer chapters that include the characters they know from the show. I have to admit I prefer writing those chapters too but as I have said, this is a thirteen story series and it is imperative for us to get to know Steven and bond with him as we have Lila and Joey for some of those future stories to have the proper effect. This is the only story that will really focus on the OCs this readily. No worries! That being said, I do hope you enjoyed this more inclusive chapter.
Next Update – June 12th – Jamie worried about Eddie while Lila worries about premature labor.
