Chapter 47: Efficiency
As much as Jamie loved his wife's wild side he also knew they been pushing the limits with their 'extra caricular' activities as of late so he tried to spend more time in the field to give them both a breather.
So with the other members of her division out, Eddie sits at her desk in the bullpen of the 5-4 filling out a stack of forms for Jamie. She reaches over in search of another file to pull information from to enter into the form but can't find it so she gets up and heads to Jamie's Office. She starts searching his desk. She finds what she is looking for so picking it up, she walks back to her desk, sits down and enters the info she needs from it into the form. Finishing that section, Eddie moves on and reaches for another file on her desk. She flips it open.
"No this is the wrong one." She mutters to herself as she puts that file down and again searches through the pile of folders on her desk. Eventually she pauses, sighs, then gets up and heads back to Jamie's office.
Again, she searches.
Again, she finds what she is looking for.
Again, she heads back to her desk.
She sits down and completes the form.
"Okay one down." She mutters as she places a 'sign here' sticky at the bottom and places it in a different folder "Only 3 more to go." She adds as she reaches for a new form where, again, she sees the information she needs would be in Jamie's office.
Sighing in frustrated defeat Eddie gets up to once again head to Jamie's office but then pauses and gets a thoughtful look on her face. Making a decision, Eddie begins gathering up all the files she needs on her desk. She grabs her water bottle and cellphone and turns to head to Jamie's office. She takes 2 steps in the direction of his office then quickly spins around and steps back to her desk to open her drawer and pull out a container of snacks. She then turns again and walks to Jamie's office. She enters, sets everything in her hands down on his desk, pulls out his chair and sits down. She arranges everything she brought with her into position on his desk then lets out a quick breath of air in satisfaction "Okay." she announces to herself "Now where was I?"
…
Jamie, Danny and Maria all walk into the bullpen and see Eddie nowhere in sight. They hear Eddie's phone at her desk ring once. Suddenly they hear Eddie's voice sound from inside Jamie's office "Major Crimes, Detective Reagan, how may I help you?"
Danny, Jamie and Maria all exchange a look. Crinkling his brow, Jamie walks over to his office and when he gets there he sees his wife has completely taken over his office.
"Okay, no I already have that one." Eddie states into the phone "What I need is the incident report from the 25th." Eddie explains as she glances over and notices her husband standing there. She gives him a silent Hey give me a second look "Yes, that's the one!" Eddie states into the phone "Send that one to me, thank you." She adds before hanging up.
"Eddie what are you doing?" Jamie questions.
"Sorry." She apologizes as she starts gathering all her stuff "I'll be out of your hair in a second."
"Why are you in here?" Jamie curiously inquires.
"It was just easier." Eddie explains with a heavy sigh. "I was getting up like every 30 seconds to come in here and look for a file. It was so annoying and inefficient." She states in slight disdain.
"Oh." Jamie simply states as he watches her turn to walk back to her desk – her arms once again full of files, her water bottle, cellphone and snack container.
She gets to her desk and dumps everything down onto it with a thud.
Suddenly her desk phone rings once and stops.
"Crap!" Eddie breathes out in realization as she turns and practically runs back to Jamie's office. She lunges for his phone as it rings, somehow reaching it before Jamie can.
"Major Crimes, Detective Reagan..." She again answers "How may I help you?" She adds as she gives her husband an apologetic look "No, I said the 25th!" she exclaims in exasperation. TWO. FIVE. Yes, thank you." She adds before hanging up. "Sorry about that." Eddie again apologizes to her husband as she hits a couple of buttons on Jamie's phone. "I forgot to disable to call forwarding."
"Call forwarding?" Jamie questions.
"Oh yeah! These phones can do all kinds of things!" Eddie announces.
"Oh." Jamie again accepts.
"Well once I set up in here…" Eddie begins to explain "…then I realized my phone would ring out there which was so not helpful so I called TARU and they gave me the commands to call forward."
Suddenly Eddie's phone on her desk starts to ring.
"Excuse me." Eddie mumbles before high tailing it over to answer "Major Crimes, Detective Reagan, how may I help you?"
Watching his wife, Jamie hears her say "Oh yeah, I have that here." She states as she cradles the phone to her ear and begins sifting through stacks of files on her desk before he notices her entire body sag in defeat.
"Um actually could you hang on one second, that file is in the other office." Eddie states before putting the handset down on her desk and rushing back into Jamie's office right past him.
"Sorry." She again apologizes "Just need one… thing…" she explains as she searches the files on his desk. She finds what she is looking for and notices a 2nd file. She grabs that one too and on the way out the door thrust it at her husband's chest causing Jamie to have to quickly raise his hands to grab it "Here sign these." She instructs "But read my notes first and make any corrections you want." She adds before disappearing out the door again.
"Okay, got it." Eddie states into the phone after picking up the receiver and cradling it to her ear as she opens the file "Okay so which item are you looking for?" She adds as a Detective walks up to her desk and holds a file out to her. Multitasking, Eddie takes the file and drops in a tray she now has labeled "GEE IN"
Jamie stares at his wife, then his eyes drift down to take in her overcrowded file filled desk before he slowly turns his head and looks back inside his own office at his desk and file cabinet and then finally down to the file in his hands.
He opens the folder to see a stack of perfectly completed forms all adorned with sign here stickies and posted notes before his eyes drift back out to his wife.
His face crinkles in thought.
The next second he puts the file in his hands down on his desk and moves to his file cabinet, opens it up and pulls out a requisition form. He sits down at his desk and begins filling it out…
….
Eddie walks into the bullpen the next morning with Jamie not far behind and stops short at the sight of her desk gone.
"What the hell?!" She exclaims in shock. She turns to look behind her "Jamie!" she calls "My desk is gone!"
Without a word, Jamie walks up to his wife, slips his hand into hers and gently tugs at it pulling her with him towards his office. He gets to the door, pushes it open and leads her inside.
The second she steps inside she stops short at the sight of her desk now set up in Jamie's office.
Wh…what did you do?" She stammers in shock.
"You were right." Jamie begins "It was super inefficient for you to work out there when almost everything you need is in here. You're the one doing all the paperwork now, not me."
"But this is YOUR office!" She exclaims in disbelief "You know, that's why it says Sergeant Reagan on the door!"
"Yeah about that…" Jamie states as he pulls a sealed envelope out of the inside of his jacket pocket and holds it out to his wife.
She takes the envelope looks down and immediately recognized it "You got the results." She rushes out.
Jamie nods.
"Well open it!" Eddie demands as she holds it back out to him.
Jamie shakes his head "No, you do it."
"Jamie this is your letter. It's your promotion. Just open it." She insists.
Sighing, Jamie takes the envelope back, reaches onto his desk for his letter opener and slits the envelope open.
He pulls the folded letter out and opens it. He reads.
"Well?" Eddie demands
"Better get used to calling me Lieutenant, Sergeant." Jamie states before a grin grows on his face.
"EEEEE!" Eddie shrieks in delight as she throws her arms around her husband in a big hug. "You passed. Of course you passed, I knew you would pass…" She rambles "…wait…" She suddenly realizes as she pulls back "What did you just say?"
"Better get used to calling me Lieutenant?" Jamie offers.
Eddie narrows her eyes at him "No. After that."
"Sergeant." Jamie repeats.
Eddie suspiciously narrows her eyes at her husband "Why would you say that?" She slowly presses.
"Because…" Jamie carefully begins "… I was wondering what you would think if we just added to the writing on the door instead of replacing it."
Eddie continue to eye her husband "Explain further…"
"Maybe we just keep the writing that says Sergeant Reagan and add Lieutenant Reagan above it."
"And why would we do that?" Eddie slowly counters.
Jamie sighs. "Because Eddie, you're already doing all the paperwork of the Sergeant anyway."
Eddie looks at her husband in disbelief "Only because I'm pregnant and on desk duty." She retorts. "We agreed this is how we would do this."
"I know we did." Jamie agrees.
"Then why are you suddenly trying to change the rules on me?" Eddie retorts in frustration.
Jamie looks at his wife a bit confused by her statement "I'm not changing any rules Eddie. I just think you should get credit for the work you are doing. All of it. You even said if my paycheque wasn't already landing in your bank account you would ask for a raise, this is that raise." He explains "I'm bumping up to Lieutenant, that means we'll need a replacement Sergeant. Hell you're practically the Sergeant for the entire squad already the way Gee has you doing the paperwork."
"Except for the signing off…" Eddie points out "You get to do that part." She adds before sighing "It's just a lot to take in Jamie. This year has seen a LOT of change for me – for us. Patrol Officer to Detective to a new division to owning a house to being pregnant to you making Lieutenant and now you want to throw an actual upgrade to Sergeant into the mix too?"
"Well it's your career Eddie, so of course it's your decision but just know that if you turn it down, I am still going to have to put in a request for a new Sergeant so if its not you, it will be some outsider coming in here – and taking over that desk I just moved in here - and giving you orders instead of you handing them out…to Danny I might add… just saying… AND… if we share an office, it becomes much easier to share private time without drawing suspicion." he suggestively adds with a raise of his eyebrow.
Eddie sucks in a breath of air at the thought "Oh you don't play fair."
"No, I don't." Jamie smugly admits "I play for keeps."
Eddie purses her lips together and blows out a breath of air at her husband.
Jamie smiles sweetly at this wife "Look on the bright side – you don't have to enforce the bun rule here."
Suddenly Eddie snatches Jamie's letter away of him and looks at it herself. "hmmm." She mutters
"What?" Jamie inquires
"Just checking to see if it shows a score for your negotiation skills because you're knocking it out of the park."
"Oh wrong scoreboard." Jamie easily counters with a laugh "You'd need to check the one I got from Harvard for that."
Jamie waits for his wife to throw some comment back at him but he doesn't get it. Instead he just watches Eddie smile as she looks at his results letter.
"What?" He finally queries.
Eddie slowly lifts her head and looks at her husband "You made Lieutenant." She proudly states. "Lieutenant Jameson Reagan. I like it."
"Me too…" Jamie admits "Me too."
Suddenly Eddie's cellphone dings. She pulls it out to see a message from the real estate agent "Oh she's got a couple of houses for us to look at." She states as she read "Saturday?" She questions her husband.
Jamie nods "Saturday is good."
….
The door to Jamie and Eddie's apartment opens.
"It's just disheartening." Eddie sighs as the couple walks inside "That's all I'm saying."
"I know." Jamie agrees.
"It shouldn't be this hard to find a house." Eddie continues "Why is it so hard? Are we being too picky?"
Jamie sighs "Maybe, I don't know."
"Great if you don't know, how am I supposed to know. Come on Jamie I need you to be clear and decisive here! I need my pragmatic level headed husband who always finds a solution to the problem at hand!"
Jamie lifts his head to look at his wife "No pressure." he tosses at her.
Eddie sighs "Sorry." She mumbles out "I'm just frustrated."
"I know I am too." Jamie admits.
"We're running out of time Jamie." Eddie presses.
"I KNOW! Why do you keep pressing it like I don't know that!"
Eddie looks like she's about ready to burst into tears.
Feeling immediate regret, Jamie moves to take his wife into his arms "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He profusely apologizes.
"I know." Eddie sniffles into his chest "You're just frustrated. I'm just frustrated. We're both just frustrated!"
Silence.
"I wish we could just afford the house we already have." Eddie mumbles.
"I know." Jamie agrees "But we can't."
"I know." Eddie accepts as she pulls away from her husband and wipes her eyes "Stupid hormones." She explains.
Jamie let's out a laugh "Yeah, I know." he muses "You don't need to keep explaining that to me and if you did I don't deserve to hold the rank of Lieutenant!"
A bright smile appears on Eddie's face "Wait you just got a raise!" She realizes.
Jamie looks at her, frowns and shakes his head "I already crunched the numbers. Still not enough."
"Ugh." Eddie unhappily grunts out as the smile disappears before a thought crosses her mind "Wait… you crunched the numbers to see if we could keep the house? You want to live there?"
Jamie sighs "Eddie it doesn't matter if I do or don't. We can't afford it!"
"Well what level would we need to afford it?" Eddie demands.
"Dad level." Jamie flat out tells her.
"Oh." Eddie breathes out "Well that's like a whole other income - and then some."
Jamie nods "It's a big house Eddie. Bigger then Dad's." he reminds her.
Silence.
"Really?" Eddie presses "Even without a mortgage? We'd STILL need that?"
Jamie nods. "I know, it sucks but it's not just about a mortgage Eddie. You saw the heating bill and did you know the property taxes alone are ten grand Eddie. Every year. Ten grand. Then we'd have further to drive everyday to work so we would need to almost double our gas budget – and we need a new car – then don't forget all the upgrades the house still needs. Pop got a quote for a new roof – almost fifteen grand Eddie. He waiting for a few more estimates but still - fifteen grand!"
"Oh my god." Eddie groans.
"Plus we have a baby coming – I'm told those are expensive to maintain too…" he tosses for the hell of it.
Eddie rolls her eyes.
"Daycare, private school, college - shall I go on?" Jamie presses "I mean diapers alone will almost be a rookie's salary…"
Eddie sighs "No I get it." She relents before thinking "But what if I took the bump up too like you suggested?"
Jamie lifts his head to look at his wife "It would help for sure but don't forget you will be going on maternity leave soon too."
"Right." Eddie sighs "So still not enough." She deduces.
"No." Jamie confirms with a shake of his head "Still not enough but we'd definitely be closer." he admits in thought "Much closer…" He adds as he starts to run the numbers in his head before looking over and studying his wife "But Eddie, don't take the bump just for the money if you don't really…"
"No I know." Eddie interrupts "And I wouldn't. I'd be doing it because I want to."
Jamie looks slightly sideways at his wife "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Eddie shrugs "I do like the idea of being Danny's boss."
A grin plays on Jamie's face "It's a definite perk."
"I will want my own shield though." Eddie points out "I don't want your hand me down Sergeant Reagan shield – wait is anyone going to want to kidnap me because of you?" She jokes "Oh! Nevermind – forget I asked. That already happened too." She realizes.
Jamie lowers his head and groans "You should seriously go back to Janko."
"I WAS Janko at the time." Eddie reminds him.
Jamie heavily sighs "Point taken."
Silence.
"This shouldn't be this difficult." Eddie begins again as she starts the conversation about a house all over again causing Jamie to just close his eyes and shake his head in defeat.
...