Chapter 28: Little But Grand Gestures
With Eddie's huge vase of flowers from the 5-4 as the centerpiece, the Reagan family all sit around the table saying grace "Bless us oh lord in these thine gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord Amen."
"Alright!" Danny eagerly quips at the end "Let's eat!"
But as everyone begins to dish food out, the flowers start to become a problem.
"Um anyone see the rolls?" Frank inquires as he looks around but he can only see what is immediately in front of him and to his left and right.
"They're down here Grandpa." Sean replies as Henry picks up the plate and holds it high up above the height of the flowers so Frank can see.
"We'll send them down." Henry adds as he passes the plate to Sean who passes it to Danny who passes it to Frank.
"Thank you." Frank accepts with a smile when he takes the plate from his son.
Danny nods in acceptance "Anyone see the peas?" he then inquires as he looks around.
"I've got them." Eddie states as she picks up the plate and automatically moves to pass them across the table but stops when she almost runs the plate right into the vase "Um hang on…." She states as she changes course and instead passes them to Jamie "They are coming via the scenic route!" She calls up and over the flowers to her brother in law as the plate moves from Eddie to Jamie, across to Sean then over to Danny.
"Okay." Henry finally decides "Those flowers have to go."
"What?" Eddie defensively counters "What's wrong with my flowers?"
"Eddie my dear…" Henry soothes "Nothing is wrong with them. They are lovely, but we are here to eat. No one can even see the plates of food if it isn't right in front of them…"
"Anyone see the potatoes?" Erin chimes in as evidence of Henry's point.
Eddie sighs "Fine." She relents with a pout so Jamie reaches over and picks up the vase.
"Hey look!" Danny brightly greets when Eddie comes back into view for him as Jamie moves to place the vase on the side buffet "I thought I recognized the voice calling to me from across the table!"
Eddie shoots her brother in law a look as Jamie sits back down and they all silently go about dishing out their plates with much more ease now.
"So!" Eddie quips after a while "Anything new this week? For me…" She nonchalantly shrugs "…it was pretty boring."
All eyes turn to look at her.
Eddie looks around at all the stunned, apprehensive faces "Hah, hah." She encouragingly prompts "Come on you guys! That was funny!"
"Speak for yourself." Jamie mutters.
"Okay he didn't have fun this week." Eddie corrects with a gesture of her fork at her husband.
"You really have to wonder why?" Jamie shoots back.
"Oh no. I know why." Eddie counters "Pregnant wife kidnapped and then you got suspended!"
"Pending investigation." Frank clarifies "Which happened - and you were cleared." he points out.
Jamie knew he told his wife he would let it go but now that the topic was brought up he just couldn't…
"Yeah about that…" Jamie begins.
"Ah." Frank warns.
"But…" Jamie tries again.
"Let's talk about something else." Erin interrupts.
"Agreed." Danny chimes in.
"All in favor?" Henry prompts.
"AYE!" Henry, Frank, Danny, Erin and Sean all proclaim.
"And the ayes have it!" Danny satisfactorily quips "Next topic?" he prompts while Jamie sits there looking very unimpressed.
"I have a topic." Eddie pipes up "Why are none of the precincts in all of New York City pregnant friendly?"
A moment of confused awkward silence follows during which a small smile creeps up onto Jamie's face. Everyone shut down his previous conversation but none of them had any idea this is the one that would be waiting in the wings to follow. He looks over at his father to see his mouth hanging open a bit not really sure what to say as he stares at Eddie.
"What?" Frank finally questions in confusion.
"Do you know that when I get nauseous or feel light headed at work…" Eddie begins "I have to go all the way down into the parking garage to lay down in the backseat of the Chevelle? That's wrong."
Frank continues to just look at Eddie still not sure what to say.
"There should be a couch or something." Eddie continues "A place people can lie down if they need – and not just pregnant women – everyone – people get sick – we are all only human."
"Yeah…" Jamie tacks on "Had a whole squad go down this past week."
All eyes turn to Jamie.
"What?" Jamie defends as he tries not to grin.
"Eddie…" Henry slowly pipes up as he shifts his gaze from his youngest grandson to his grand daughter in law "…they are police precincts. They aren't meant to be comfy and cozy."
"That's not what I'm saying." Eddie rejects "What I'm saying is everyone in the squad keeps telling me how happy they are to have to me there as an extra set of eyes to help them with their cases because everyone is over worked but do you know how undervalued I feel when I have to go hide out in my car just to stop my head from spinning? I mean you have a couch in your office don't you?" Eddie presses as she looks directly at Frank.
"He's the Commissioner." Henry slowly defends.
"Still has a couch." Eddie reiterates.
"She's got a point Dad." Erin quietly chimes in.
All eyes turn to look at her.
"What?" Erin defends "I've been pregnant. I know what she's talking about and she's right. The precincts aren't pregnant friendly."
Frank heavily sighs.
"I'm not saying we want major renovations – not even small renovations…" Eddie continues "Just a place we can lay down from time to time. You do that and I guarantee you more pregnant officers will stay on the job longer and that will only benefit the department in the long run."
"I will… look into it." Frank slowly promises.
"Thank you." Eddie happily quips.
"You know Eddie…" Erin adds "You should email Detective Baker so she can be sure to put it on Dad's schedule. She's been pregnant too right Dad?"
Frank's face frowns at the point his daughter is trying to make "Yes." He sighs.
"Ever find her resting on your couch?" Erin prompts.
Frank takes a deep breath and once again heavily sighs "Once or twice." he reluctantly admits.
"HAH!" Eddie triumphantly quips.
"And that my dear pregnant sister in law…" Erin satisfactorily concludes "… is how you do it."
Henry shakes his head in awe at Erin and Eddie's team up before looking at his youngest grandson "And what do you have to say about all this Jameson?"
"I say you should have all let me talk earlier but you didn't!" Jamie smugly quips "So can I expect that the requisition request I submitted for a couch for the 5-4 will be approved now?" he sweetly inquires to his father putting him on the spot.
Frank looks at his youngest and shakes his head knowing Jamie knows that it is highly unlikely he's going to say no with Eddie and Erin right there "Yes." Frank replies "…Even if I have to give you the one from my office." he mumbles.
"Awwww." Danny teases "Now there's a good Grandpa!"
Frank shoots his oldest son a look.
"That was pretty funny Grandpa." Sean chimes in.
Eddie places her hands on her stomach and looks down "You hear that Baby, Grandpa luuuuuuves you!"
A blush creeps up onto Frank's face.
Erin's hand flies out to grab Eddie's forearm in shock "You made him blush." She breathes out in awe "EVERYBODY LOOK!" She calls "Dad's blushing!" and as everyone looks over, Frank blush deepens so Eddie wanting to help, does something unexpected. She gets up, moves around the table and hugs Frank from behind "Thank you Grandpa Frank." She sweetly states.
Now looking a bit stunned, Frank kind of just freezes on the spot, once again not knowing what to do.
Henry, Sean and Danny drop their mouths open in pure amusement and Jamie and Erin try not to just burst out laughing as they all just look at Eddie in awe.
Pulling back, Eddie looks at everyone looking at her. "What?" She nonchalantly shrugs off "It's the hormones." She defends as she walks back to her seat.
While still seated himself, Jamie lifts his hands into his best impression of a The Price Is Right model showing off a prize "My wife ladies and gentlemen." He proudly boasts as he gestures to her.
Playing into the humor, everyone at the table except Frank claps in appreciation "Encore! Encore!" some call so Eddie does a slight curtsy in acceptance "Thank you, thank you, same place, same time next week!" She quips before retaking her seat.
"Ah." Henry giddily muses thoroughly enjoying himself while Frank just shakes his head at all the antics around him "Now this is what I call dinner AND a show!"
"You know…" Danny thoughtfully begins "I never really realized it before but having just watched Dad and then Jamie the other day - they both kind of blush the same way."
All eyes slowly turn to look at Danny.
"What?" He defends "I'm a Detective I notice details."
"Is there… more then one way too blush?" Sean absently wonders out loud.
"Well you know…" Eddie chimes in "…as a fellow Detective Reagan you know what I noticed? You…" she adds as she points at Danny "… blush the same way they do." She smugly points out as she gestures between Frank and Jamie.
As much as he tries, Danny can't stop the blush from creeping up on his face at being called out.
"HAH!" Eddie again quips in triumph "SEE!" She adds as she points back at Danny.
Erin, Henry and Sean all nod in agreement.
"She's right." Erin confirms as she looks between her Father and older brother "I do see the resemblance there. The way the cheeks go nice and rosie." She cheekily needles before looking down the table at her younger brother "Come on your turn." She eagerly prompts.
"What?" Jamie counters in confusion.
"Blush." Erin flat out instructs "Need to see all three together for a true comparison."
"Excuse me?" Jamie counters "Why don't you blush?" he tosses back at his sister "You're a part of this equation too."
Erin scoffs in rejection "Because I don't blush."
"Oh really?" Danny challenges "You really want to test that theory because I know some things about you that…"
"STOP!" Erin warns as she points a finger at her older brother but she can't stop her cheeks from turning red either.
"THERE!" Danny quip in triumph "Mission accomplished."
Eddie looks around the table to see Frank, Danny and now Erin blushing but still not Jamie "Not quite." She decides before leaning over to her husband to whisper something in his ear.
Jamie listens to her words and not only do his eyes go wide but a deep blush creeps up on his face.
"THERE!" Henry giddily calls out "NOW they are all blushing."
"And why do you think you get to get off so easy?" Frank tosses at his father.
"Give it your best shot." Henry smugly challenges "I went to a nudist camp remember so…"
"Dessert!" Danny suddenly interrupts not wanting to hear the rest of his grandfather's sentence.
"But we've barely eaten." Sean points out in confusion as he watches his father stand.
"Better to have it out on the table." Jamie reasons as he looks at his brother and also starts to get up "I'll help."
So as Danny and Jamie hurry off into the kitchen, Henry smiles smugly at still being able to lead the conversation where HE wants it to go in a room full of seasoned professionals.
"Nicely done Pop." Frank commends to his father.
Henry arrogantly shrugs.
"So…." Erin prompts as she turns to look at her sister in law next to her "What is it exactly you just said to Jamie to get him to blush like that?"
"Nothing." Eddie dismissively deflects.
"Oh no." Erin counters "That was definitely something and pretty sure we can all figure out what it was." She adds as she looks around the table to those left to see Frank, Henry and Sean all nod in agreement.
Slowly a blush creeps up on Eddie's face.
Sean chuckles at Eddie getting a taste of her own medicine "It's only fair Aunt Eddie."
Eddie turns to look at her nephew and narrows her eyes.
"Like Great Grandpa..." Sean begins knowing where she is about to go "Give it your best shot. I've grown up in the social media age – EVERYTHING is embarrassing and out there for the world to see so you just grow immune to it."
Everyone at the table sighs knowing he's right.
"Alright who's ready for dessert?" Danny announces as he comes back into the dining room carrying a full round chocolate cake on a cake platter with Jamie following behind carrying dessert plates and a knife. Danny moves to set it down on the table right between Jamie and Eddie's seats.
Eddie's eyes light up as she looks between the cake, Danny and Jamie "MY CAKE!"
Jamie smiles and nods as he sets the plates down next to the cake and takes his seat "Your cake."
"That I…" Danny emphasizes "Paid for." he adds before moving to retake his seat "Extortion these two." he adds as he gestures between Jamie and Eddie "I swear."
"Nah that's not extortion." Henry rejects as Eddie begins to cut the cake and dish it out "That's guilt." he points out as everyone around the table nods their heads in agreement.
"Yup." "Uh huh." "He's right." "I agree." "Totally." Everyone states one on top of the other.
Danny looks around the table and heavily sighs "FINE!" he admits "It's guilt okay. I can't help it!"
"Here." Eddie offers as she holds the first piece of cake out to her brother in law "You can have the first piece. Trust me – chocolate cake helps EVERYTHING!" She adds with a reassuring smile.
Danny smiles back as he takes the cake then looks at his brother "She's a keeper."
Eddie turns to hand her husband a piece of cake at the same time Jamie turns to look at her.
"I'm still wavering on that." Jamie jokes but the look he gives his wife tells her he completely agrees with Danny.
For a split second Eddie eyes her husband "And no cake for you." Eddie decides as payback as she moves the plate she was about to give Jamie past him to offer it out to Henry.
"Aw come on!" Jamie whines "Like you said, it was a joke Hah Hah!"
"Oh he's got a point Aunt Eddie." Sean points out.
"Yeah. You can't have it both ways." Erin agrees.
Eddie eyes everyone at the table "So did I mention I was kidnapped this week?"
The entire table – including Jamie - laughs.
….
Monday...
Danny, Maria and Eddie are all at their desks in the bullpen when a voice calls "Looking for Sergeant Reagan?"
Everyone looks over as Jamie comes out of his office "That's me." He replies.
"Got a delivery I need you to sign for." The guy explains as he holds out a clipboard.
"Okay." Jamie slowly states as he walks over, takes it and signs.
"ALRIGHT GUYS, BRING IT IN!" the guy calls backwards.
A couple of seconds later two guys carrying a couch appear into the bullpen.
"OH MY GOD!" Eddie shrieks in delight.
"Where do you want it?" the guy asks Jamie.
Jamie looks at Eddie for an answer.
"Breakroom." Eddie definitively decides with a purposeful up and down nod of her head.
"Breakroom." Jamie agrees with a shrug of his shoulders.
"A couch?" Another Detective in the squad questions.
"You can all thank the pregnant lady." Danny calls out "But she gets first dibs so if anyone is on it and she wants it - you move!"
"What?" A single male Detective rejects "How is that fair?"
"Because she's pregnant you idiot." Detective Sheehan replies in understanding.
"Agreed!" Yet another Detective chimes in before looking over at Eddie "Don't worry, we'll make a sign that says 'Eddie's Couch'."
"Okay its not exclusively my couch!" Eddie heartily laughs "Anyone can use it!"
"But we would appreciate that if she's feeling lightheaded or nauseous…" Jamie seriously warns "You all get out of the way."
"And that's an order." Lieutenant Gee states as he walks out of his office and looks around at all the Detectives under his command.
"Okay." the single male detective relents "Noted."
Eddie happily beams a bright big smile.
….
Word traveled fast around the building to other sections of the 5-4 precinct about the couch and not even 2 hours later a sheepish looking very pregnant patrol officer in uniform tentatively walks into the Detective bull pen hesitantly looking around.
Walking out of his office at the same time, Jamie notices her "Officer Simcoe." He greets causing Eddie to look up and over from her desk "Everything okay?"
"Um…I um…" Officer Simcoe hesitates "I heard there was maybe a couch up here?" she hopefully inquires.
A big grin breaks out onto Eddie's face as she stands and walks over "Right this way!" She graciously offers as she extends her hand out gesturing for the officer to follow her while she shoots her husband a big 'TOLD YOU!' look.
Eddie walks into the breakroom to see a Detective sitting on the couch texting on his phone "Hi." She politely greets "Would you mind?" she requests as she gestures for the detective to get up.
"Oh no." Officer Simcoe begins to reject with wide eyes not wanting to overstep and displace a Detective.
"No, it's okay." The Detective promises when he notices Simcoe is pregnant "It's an order." he states as he stands and offers the couch to Simcoe.
Simcoe looks unsure at Eddie.
Eddie nods in encouragement and gestures for her to have a seat.
"Thank you." Simcoe appreciatively breathes out as she moves to sit and then lay down.
"You okay?" Eddie questions the woman.
Simcoe smiles at her in relief "I will be now. I just need like 5-10 minutes."
Eddie nods in understanding.
"And a thank you to you too…" Simcoe continues "…as I understand this was your doing."
Eddie shrugs in deflection "Just doing my part and if you know of anymore of us around the precinct, let them know they are welcome up here anytime they need as well." She adds before turning and heading back to her desk with a feeling of satisfied accomplishment in her step.
...
A/N: Whew! Well like I mentioned at the end of the last chapter, this wraps up this story arc – up next we FINALLY get back to that little issue with the heat…