Alaina-14
Ryan-13
Ava-10
Scarlett-10
Isabella-10
Connor-10
Madeline-5
Dylan-3
Beginning of September
It was the first day of school!
Alaina was going into 9th grade, Ryan was 8th and the twins were into 6th. Alaina was now in high school and she was pumped. Ryan wasn't very excited to get on the bus with his little sisters now but it is what it is. They were all getting there backpacks ready, lunch packed, and talking about seeing their friends before their buses came.
"Scarlett you have Mr. Heckan for English, don't tell him I'm your brother." Ryan said looking at her schedule she had sitting by her bag.
"Why?" She asked confused.
"Just trust me, he'll like you more if he doesn't know."
"We have the same last name, don't you think he'll figure it out?" She questioned.
"How bout we don't start off the year lying to our teachers? Lainey, did you remember your gym clothes?" Eddie asked doing 400 things at once, trying to make sure she was ready for work and the kids were ready for school.
"I don't need it the first day mom. I'm going out awhile, Alyssa said her bus was early." Alaina said before heading out.
"Okay, have a good day, I'll see you tonight. You hear that? You guys better get moving." Eddie told the rest of them.
"Mom, I don't feel good, I don't wanna go to school." Ava approached Eddie saying shyly.
"Ava we've been over this, you're just nervous." She tells her.
"But my stomach hurts." She complains.
"Okay, do you have to go to the bathroom?"
"No. I feel sick." She says, and then Eddie sees her face go a little white.
"Okay, go to the bathroom. I will be there in a minute." She tells her and she listens Eddie turns to Ryan and Scarlett after Ava shuts the bathroom door.
"Okay, she actually might be sick. You two get out there, don't count on Ava coming unless I tell you otherwise. Have a good day, can't wait to hear about it tonight." Eddie told them goodbye, cleaned up the mess from all the lunches being packed and then went to find Ava in fact sick in the bathroom.
"I can't go to school." She said sadly, she was very worked up.
"I know honey you're not. I have to call the school and dad okay?"
"Okay…" she said so sad, she didn't like being sick, granted no one does but Ava really doesn't. Eddie left the bathroom and called Jamie.
"This isn't a good sign." He said when he answered.
"Jamie, Ava's sick, she's staying home, and I'm not leaving her by herself." She explained.
"What time you in?" He asked sorting through papers trying to find the schedule.
"An hour…" she says with a sigh.
"Damn it. Uh ok, let me figure some things out. Can anyone else watch her?"
"Uh like who?!" She asked confused.
"I don't know. I'll figure something out."
"Okay, love you."
"Yup love you bye." Jamie said hanging up. Eddie went back to Ava. She said she felt better but was tired.
"Do you wanna lay down upstairs or down here on the couch?"
"Wherever you are." She told Eddie.
"I'll make you a bed on the couch. Can you go put your school stuff away while you're feeling okay." Eddie asked of her, she gathered some blankets and pillows and made her a comfy spot.
"Can I drink something?" She asked when she came back.
"Let's wait like a half hour, why don't you just rinse or go brush your teeth." She suggested and she went upstairs to do that. As Eddie was getting herself another cup of coffee her phone rang, it was Jamie.
"Yes?" She said answering.
"Do you think you could bring her to work with you?"
"Jamie seriously? She's sick, she's throwing up!"
"Is she sick sick or is it her nervous thing." He asked.
"I don't know." She sighed and shook her head.
"Well she could sit in my office with me?"
"Jamie I don't think that's a good idea, do you need me in that bad?"
"Kinda. What about Nikki or Trish?" He suggested.
"If she is sick I don't want Dylan getting it and Trish I don't know. Maybe, I can text her." Eddie told him.
"Don't text her, call, and then let me know as soon as you hang up." He tells her.
"Yes boss." Eddie said with sarcasm but it was also the truth. They hung up and Ava wanted to know what was going on. Eddie called Trish right away and she actually said she could come over and watch her. Eddie was thankful and after she got off the phone with Jamie so was he.
—
"Thank you so much for doing this. Jamie seemed really stressed at the fact I wasn't going to be able to come in today." Eddie told her when Trish got there.
"Seriously not a problem! I didn't have plans today!"
"Well we appreciate it! You look adorable look at the belly!" Eddie said smiling, she was 4 months pregnant now, almost halfway.
"Oh thanks, gotta lot of growing to do yet!"
"For sure, you'll look so cute though, I looked like a beached whale." Eddie said and they laughed. She then told her how Ava was and that she hadn't gotten sick since the first time, it may just be her nerves. She said bye to her and off to work she went.
—
When Eddie got to the precinct she hung her head in Jamie's office doorway.
"Hey…" she said unsure. She wanted to know what was going on that she was practically forced to work today.
"Come in." He told her and he shut the door behind her, his vibe wasn't bad, he didn't seem mad or anything.
"How's Ava?"
"Better. I think maybe it was her nerves." Eddie shrugged.
"I'd bet money on that, considering none of the others are sick."
"Yeah…so…?" Eddie wanted to know what was going on.
"So, I couldn't say it over the phone but Joes opening a case back up…he wants you to be in on it."
"What case?" Eddie wondered.
"Take a guess." Jamie sat back in his chair and clicked his pen a few times on the desk watching Eddie stare into space thinking.
"Pinzer?" She guessed.
"No." Jamie answered.
"Rolland?" She guessed again.
"Nope." He shook his head.
"…Satorine!?"
"Bingo."
"Seriously!? No, why!?" Eddie was shocked.
"Someone came forward with a couple more pieces to the puzzle we didn't know about back then." He explained.
"Oh dear god please tell me we didn't sentence the wrong guy." She put her hand on her chest and closed her eyes.
"No no no. Mark is still the guy. But there are at least 2 others involved. Joes waiting for you, go start on this with him." He said getting back to paperwork, Eddie started to leave but stopped.
"Jamie I don't want to open this case back up."
"Why?" He asked confused.
"Do you not remember how much it took a toll on me?"
"Eddie you were sleep deprived, the twins were only a couple months old."
"No no no. That's got nothing to do with it. The fact is, I arrested him after weeks of observing him, only to find out his next victim was in our neighborhood! 3 houses down from where we live Jamie! That could've been any of our kids!" She said passionately.
"All the more reason to see who else he has involved. Just please go hear Joe out, there's been 7 other reports of the same tactics Satorine used, he thinks he's still behind them all."
"You think he's ordering hits from prison? How long have they been going on?" She wonders and sits back down with interest.
"Eddie. Go. talk. to. Joe." He says again, it's not his deal, he doesn't have all the answers she is talking to the wrong cop.
"Right." She takes a hard swallow and gets up to go find him.
——
Lots going on in this chapter, first day of school, Ava's got some intense nerves and anxiety going on, and Eddie's opening an old case with Joe! Leave your thoughts and reviews!