Once Eddie and Emily made it home they checked the mailbox before heading upstairs and found a package. They grabbed it and went upstairs.
Emily took her clothes to her room and set them down before going back to join Eddie in the living room. Eddie was opening the package. She examined it for a moment before realizing what it was.
"Oh Em, this is that white noise machine that we got to help you sleep."
"Cool. Does it have instructions so I can set it up?"
"Yeah." Eddie said as she put it on the coffee table.
"Okay, I'll do that now. I'm really tired, I think I'm going to take a nap. Wake me when it's time to take my pain meds?" Eddie nodded.
"Okay, holler if you need me."
"I will," Emily replied and went to her room with the white noise machine, she plugged it in and set it on her nightstand so she could set it up. It was pretty simple and she found a setting she like pretty quickly. She took her boot off and climbed into her bed.
While Emily took a nap, Eddie did some cleaning. She cleaned their dishes from breakfast and started a load of laundry. She even started looking at houses on an app on her phone. She wanted to compile a list for them to check out in person.
After an hour or so she had put a decent list together and she'd have Jamie look at them later. She got up and switched the laundry, and tidied her and Jamie's bedroom a bit. She still had about forty-five minutes before she had to wake Emily to take her meds.
She went back toward the living room and picked up her phone just as it started ringing.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Hi, this is ADA Perez, I'm handling Emily's case, are you one of her guardians?"
"I am, Eddie Reagan, how can I help you?"
"The defense had proposed a plea deal and I'm inclined to agree to it, but I wanted to make sure Emily was okay with it first. With this deal, many of the abuse charges will be dropped but he will also be pleading guilty to her mother's murder and will still serve life in prison. This would also guarantee that she doesn't have to testify." The prosecutor answered.
"I don't see why she would have a problem with that if he is guaranteed to serve life but I'd like to talk it over with her first if you don't mind. Can I call you back in say two hours?" Eddie asked.
"Absolutely, take your time and let her know that no matter what she chooses I will support her decision."
"I will, thank you," Eddie replied and they exchanged goodbyes. Eddie immediately texted Jamie and told him what she'd heard.
'That might be the best outcome. But whatever she decides I'm on board.' He replied.
'I agree. She's napping now, gonna wake her soon for meds, I'll talk to her then.'
'Okay, love you both. See you tonight.'
'We love you, too. See you then, Babe.'
After Eddie woke Emily to take her meds, she told her that she wanted to talk to her about an update on her father's case.
"Okay, what's up?" Emily asked nervously.
"His attorney has proposed a deal, but it guarantees that he would still serve life in prison."
"Okay, what did the ADA say?"
"That no matter what you decide she'll support your decision. Jamie and I will, too."
"What are his terms?"
"That a lot of the abuse charges be dropped, but he'll still be pleading guilty to your mother's murder."
"As long as it's in writing that he serves life, I'm okay with the deal." Eddie nodded.
"Okay, I'll call the ADA in a bit and make sure that happens." Emily smiled.
"So I won't have to testify at all if he deals, right?"
"Right, I'm assuming by that statement you changed your mind again?"
"Yeah, Grandpa and I talked earlier, and what he said made me realize that I didn't want to do it after all."
"That's okay, now you won't have to. You might have to testify in the other case though. But they may be able to work without your testimony since you didn't see much anyway." Emily nodded.
"Okay."
"I'm going to call the ADA and then I'm going to get started on dinner, by the time it's ready, Jamie should be home."
"Alright, I think I'll organize my clothes and put them up."
"Okay, just don't overdo it. If you can't get them hung up, leave them and I'll put them up later, alright?" Eddie replied as she grabbed some hangers from the closet and set them on the bed for Emily.
"I will, thanks, Mom."
"Always." Eddie went to phone the ADA.
"Hello?" She answered.
"Hi, it's Eddie. Emily said she would agree to the deal if it was put in writing that he is guaranteed to serve life."
"Alright, if you want to bring her up here tomorrow, she can look at the deal for herself, if that might help her. It will be written very clearly."
"I think that would help tremendously. We can stop by whenever you're free tomorrow."
"I'll be in my office all day, if you can get here before noon, I can have it signed by the defense before the end of business tomorrow afternoon."
"We can be there around nine-thirty would that be okay?"
"Perfect. See you then." They once again exchanged goodbyes and hung up. Eddie got to work preparing dinner.
She was going to work on making her mother's Lasagna and Emily joined her shortly after she started.
"I got everything put up in the dresser but I can't lift the other stuff high enough to hang it."
"That's fine, I can do that for you later, ADA Perez said we could go up there tomorrow and you could see the deal for yourself if you wanted."
"I'd like that, seeing it for myself might help with my anxiety over it."
"That's what I said, we're supposed to meet her in her office at nine-thirty." Emily nodded.
"Okay, need any help?"
"Sure. I'll teach you how to make my mother's Lasagna." Eddie replied. Emily washed her hands and joined Eddie at the counter. The two set to work piecing the Lasagna together and Eddie put it in the oven and set the timer.
They went to watch tv on the couch until it was done and Jamie was home. It only took about an hour and a half before everything was done and Jamie walked in the door as Eddie was taking it out of the oven.
"Hey, Dad," Emily said with a smile.
"Hey, Sweetheart," He replied as he hugged her before going to the kitchen to greet Eddie.
"Hey, Babe." He said as he kissed her cheek and pulled plates from the cabinet.
"Hey, how are you feeling after that just now?" She asked softly.
"Amazing. She was serious about those titles, huh?"
"Seems so, my knees buckled the first time she said 'Mom' earlier. She agreed to the deal, we're gonna visit the ADA tomorrow so she can see it in writing for herself." Eddie replied as they worked together to plate dinner for the three of them, Jamie set out drinks on the table as well.
"Em, dinner." He called to her. She got up and made her way to the table. They all sat down and said grace before digging in.
"How'd that machine work while you were napping, Em?"
"The white noise machine? It's already here?" Jamie asked.
"Yeah. It worked just like the tv, no nightmares, but I definitely like the machine better."
"Good, I'm glad."
The three continued to chat as they ate and cleaned everything up together, putting the leftovers in the fridge for lunch the next day, and settling down for the evening.
"It's still early, you guys want to continue our marathon? We can watch Order of the Phoenix." Jamie said as they settled on the couch.
"Okay." Eddie smiled.
"Yeah. That sounds good." Emily added. The three watched the movie, and by the time it was over were all ready for bed. Eddie quickly hung Emily's clothes in the closet and bid her goodnight. Jamie had helped her brush through her hair since it was still difficult for her to do on her own. He kissed her head and bid her goodnight as well. Eddie and Jamie went to their own bedroom and changed into pajamas before climbing into bed.
"Can you believe we went to bed as Eddie and Jamie last night and woke up as 'Mom and Dad'?" Jamie asked.
"No. But I wouldn't change it for the world."
"Me either. Goodnight, I love you."
"Love you too." Eddie replied already half-asleep.