Chapter 62: The Joys of Vacation
"I can NOT believe they lost your suitcase!" Eddie rants as Jamie opens the door to their Caribbean hotel room and lets Eddie enter first pulling her suitcase behind her.
Jamie heavily sighs "Yeah, sucks." he agrees as he enters carrying just his carry on and Eddie's and shuts the door.
Suddenly Eddie's phone dings with a message. She pulls it out to read then holds her hand out towards her husband "Give me your lost baggage claim tag." she instructs.
Jamie tosses Eddie's bag onto a chair, reaches into his pocket, pulls it out and hands it over.
"Thank you." Eddie states as she takes it, snaps a picture of it and attaches it to her reply message and hits send "Okay Theresa is all over it." Eddie announces.
"Oh well if you both are all over it, I feel sorry for the poor airline attendant then." Jamie decides.
"Well I don't." Eddie counters "They acted like they didn't even care!"
Jamie sighs. "Eddie, we are on vacation, can you please try to relax?"
"How are you not more upset?!" Eddie demands.
"Because it won't change anything." Jamie explains "My bag will still be lost. Besides that's why you pack all the important stuff in your carry on." he adds as he proudly pats his bag before removing it from his shoulder and dropping it on the bed "Now let's see this view Theresa promised us." he adds as he moves to the sliding door to the balcony. He opens it and steps out past the sheer curtain "Damn! This IS nice!" He calls back impressed to Eddie inside.
Hearing the enthusiasm in her husband's voice, Eddie steps out to join him "Oh wow this IS a great view!"
"See." Jamie reiterates as he reaches for his wife and gently pulls her to stand in front of him so he can loop his arms around her waist and rest his hands on their growing baby while dropping his head to her shoulders "So let's forget about the bag and enjoy ourselves okay?"
A smile creeps back up onto Eddie's face as she looks at the spectacular view they have and some of her excitement for the trip returns.
Eddie's phone dings again. She pulls it out to see Theresa had typed 'Those people are idiots.' and she laughs.
"What?" Jamie questions.
Eddie holds the phone up to him "She cracks me up!"
Jamie reads the message and shakes his head "It surprises me you two get along so well." he admits.
"Why?"
"You're both type A bossy and opinionated." Jamie points out "Usually you can only have one of those personalities because you'll end up clashing."
"Except when you have common goals – or enemies in this case." Eddie notes as she narrows her eyes.
"Enemies?"
"Yeah the airline!" Eddie states as she pulls away so she can turn and face her husband "They lost your bag!"
Jamie scratches his head "So you hungry? Want to take a nap? Walk on the beach? What?" he asks trying to distract his wife and get back to 'the happy'.
"First!" Eddie declares "I change! Put my suitcase on the bed please." She sweetly requests "I'm not supposed to be lifting anything heavy." She airily announces before grinning a bit.
Chuckling himself a bit, Jamie and then Eddie head back inside and Jamie lifts up her suitcase up onto the bed as requested.
"Alright…" Eddie mutters as she zips open the bag "What do I want to wear…."
Jamie reaches over and around her to pull out a bikini "This." he requests.
Eddie laughs "Wow. Right to it huh?"
Jamie grins widely at her.
Eddie shakes her head and swipes the bikini out of his hands "Alright stay here." she instructs as she starts for the bathroom.
"What?" Jamie whines "Where are you going? I've seen you naked plenty of times!"
"I want to make an entrance!" Eddie defends.
Jamie's face grins again "Okay yeah, off you go then." he instructs as he shoos her in the direction of the bathroom and the moment she disappears from view, Jamie heads to his carry on, unzips it and pulls out a pair of swim trunks "One of everything in the carry on." he arrogantly mutters to himself as he makes quick work of changing his own clothes before moving his bag and Eddie's suitcase off the bed and to the side.
"Okay are you ready?" Eddie calls from inside the bathroom.
"READY!" Jamie eagerly returns.
Eddie cracks the door open and sticks her head out and if Jamie didn't know any better he'd think she looked nervous "Oh you still have your swim trunks!" Eddie notes.
"In the carry on!" Jamie proudly boasts as he stands there waiting for Eddie to come out and Eddie stands there not moving.
Beat.
"Okay are you coming out anytime soon?" Jamie presses "We're only here for a week."
So slowly, Eddie takes a deep breath and walks out into full view in a two piece bikini.
Jamie's mouth practically hits the floor at the sight of his wife "Damn!" he exclaims in awe "Just… Damn!"
Eddie giggles and blushes a bit "So you like? I wasn't sure if it was a little... much…"
"Much? That's not much, that's less! Which is why it's Damn! Now go take that off because there is no way I want other guys ogling you in that."
"Oh stop." Eddie laughs. "No one is going to be ogling me. Look at this belly!" She adds as she points to her now clearly defined bump.
"Oh I am." Jamie insists as a feeling of love, pride and quick frankly manliness fills his chest at knowing that's his child growing there "And that's a huge part of why I'm ogling!"
Eddie giggles "Oh you're feeling all caveman aren't you?"
Jamie puffs up his chest "Me wife. Me baby. " He cheekily returns "Bam. Bam."
Eddie lets out a loud laugh at his posturing then steps up to her husband to give him a quick kiss in appreciation "That's so sweet, thank you."
"Yeah well, sweet is the last thing I'm thinking right now, trust me."
"Why Mr. Reagan are you thinking naughty thoughts?"
"Very naughty." Jamie easily admits as he reaches for his wife and pulls her towards him "So naughty I think I might want to unwrap you with my teeth." he adds as he turns Eddie around so her back is to him. He begins to place soft kisses along her shoulder making his way to the string bow of her bikini top.
Eddie closes her eyes and tilts her head to give him more access "Okay so we start our vacation by testing out the bed."
"Definitely." Jamie murmurs as his teeth grabs the string and pulls.
….
Finally making it out of the hotel room after a romp in the bed, Jamie and Eddie walk hand in hand along the beach – Eddie now sporting her large yellow sunhat and a flowing full body fabric wrap around her bikini.
"Man it's windy!" Eddie mumbles as she has to use her free hand to hold her hat on her head to keep it from blowing away while her wrap flaps like crazy.
At that moment though, the wind whips her wrap up into her face so she releases her hold on her hat to swat the fabric away but that's all the wind needs to grab her hat right off her head and send it sailing down the beach "MY HAT!" She cries as both she and Jamie try to run to catch it but it seems the faster they run the further the wind pushes it out of their reach and its not long at all before Eddie has to stop running altogether "GO!" She instructs Jamie when he looks back to check on her so Jamie keeps running and Eddie slows down to a walk trying to follow. It's just then that Eddie watches her hat fly right up to a well dressed woman and practically hit her right in the face.
Eddie cringes "Oh."
"Sorry!" Jamie calls as he runs up.
Frowning, the woman removes the hat from her face but when she looks up and sees who is in front of her, her eyes light up and she smiles "Jamie!"
Jamie blinks his eyes in total surprise "Tara?"
"Oh my god! What are the odds!" Tara laughs "What are you doing here?"
"What everyone does here." Jamie slowly replies still a little stunned at who he is seeing before him "Vacation."
"Oh I'm not on vacation." Tara counters "I'm working." She adds as she gestures further up the beach to a photo shoot taking place "God I love my job."
"Well fancy meeting you here." Eddie's voice suddenly sounds.
Turning, Jamie and Tara see Eddie walk up.
"Officer Janko!" Tara happily greets "You're here too!"
"It's Sergeant Reagan now." Eddie corrects with a bit of a bite in her voice causing Jamie to try to hold back his laugh at her still hints of jealousy "And I'll take my hat back now, thank you."
"Sure." Tara laughs as she hands Eddie back her hat. She looks back and forth between Jamie and Eddie grinning "So you two got together did you?"
"Yes!" Eddie confirms as she plops her hat back on her head while Jamie lifts his left hand to display his wedding ring "Coming up on five years now actually." he replies.
But once again, the wind tries to blow Eddie's hat off her head "This damn wind!"
"Here. Come with me." Tara instructs as she beckons for Jamie and Eddie to follow her. She walks right up to the photo shoot and in an instant everyone around her stops and looks at her "You're fine, keep going. Looks great." Tara instructs the crew as she makes her way over to a woman wearing what looks like a utility tool belt on but instead of tools in the belt she's got a whole sewing box "Sarah, please jimmy together something for Sergeant Reagan's hat so it stays on her head in the wind please."
"Yes Miss Chandler." Sarah dutifully accepts as she holds her hands out requesting Eddie give her the hat.
Although, she looks a little perplexed as to what's happening, Eddie slowly hands it over anyway.
"Just bring it back to us as soon as you are done." Tara instructs Sarah before again gesturing for Jamie and Eddie to follow her "Go back to work people!" Tara calls out to the crew "Time is money!" She adds before dropping the volume of her voice and addressing Jamie and Eddie again "Sorry, they freak out when I stand too close."
"Are... are you in charge here?" Eddie questions in awe.
Tara grins and nods "I know, cool right. HEY NOT SO MUCH SKIN!" She then authoritatively calls "THIS IS A TASTEFUL COVER NOT PLAYBOY!"
Jamie and Eddie exchange a look of surprise at Tara's forcefulness.
"Wow." Eddie laughs out impressed as she watches the crew scurry to make corrections.
"Comes with the job." Tara dismisses.
"I thought you were in publishing?" Jamie questions.
"I am!" Tara replies "VP in charge of Illustrations – it basically a fancy way of saying book covers." she admits.
Suddenly Eddie blows out a breath of air and reaches for Jamie's arm.
"You okay?" He immediately questions in concern as he steadies her.
"Yeah just suddenly a little light headed." Eddie admits "I don't think trying to run after my hat in this heat was the best idea."
"But you and the baby are okay right?" Jamie presses in concern.
"Wait. You're pregnant?" Tara questions in surprise.
Eddie nods.
"I NEED A CHAIR, UMBRELLA AND WATER!" Tara authoritatively calls out "NOW!"
In an instant all three items are at Eddie's side.
"Here, sit." Tara instructs before looking at one of her crew and smiling "Thank you Max, you're a doll."
"Anything for you Miss Chandler." Max replies as he opens the umbrella and holds it over Eddie's head providing her with shade.
Eddie can't help but huff out a laugh as the star treatment as she takes the water bottle being offered her to take a drink "Okay what is with the Miss Chandler thing?" She can't help but ask.
"Thank you Max." Tara again states as she reaches to take the umbrella from him "You may go now."
Max nods in acceptance and walks away.
"Sorry, it's how they show respect." Tara explains as she holds the umbrella out to Jamie to take.
"Well you clearly got that." Jamie admits as he takes over holding the umbrella over Eddie.
"So pregnant huh?" Tara muses. "I knew you two had a thing!"
"Everybody knew we had a thing." Eddie counters.
"Except you two apparently!" Tara laughs.
"Oh no, we knew." Eddie admits "He was just in denial." She adds causing Jamie to sigh in defeat and shrug his shoulders slightly.
Tara laughs as Sarah walks up with Eddie's hat "Here you go Miss Chandler."
"Thank you Sarah." Tara accepts as she takes it and hands it back to Eddie.
"Wow." Eddie breathes out impressed at seeing 2 ribbon like straps now professional affixed to her hat.
"I also added a small loop at the back of the hat." Sarah explains "So you can wear it on calm days without the straps and keep them hidden."
"Oh um wow. Thank you." Eddie states in awe.
"Thank you Sarah." Tara repeats "You're a sweetheart."
Sarah nods and walks away.
"Wow Tara." Eddie admits "I'm impressed. Very impressed. You've done very well for yourself."
"Well none of this would have been possible if it weren't for Jamie helping me out when he did – going to Camilla."
"Well I am awesome." Jamie just can't help but jokingly remind them both – it felt nice being able to joke about that very awkward little exchange from so many years ago now…
Eddie looks up at her husband to see him smiling arrogantly down at her "Hey." She chides "Watch what you're doing up there umbrella boy, I have sun on my right shoulder."
"Oh so sorry ma'am." Jamie profusely apologizes in sarcasm "But if you put your hat back on that would correct that." he arrogantly points out "And I could close this umbrella because in another 5 seconds I think it will be an upside down rain collector anyway."
Huffing, Eddie plops her hat back on her head and ties the straps. The wind tries to take the hat but can't.
Eddie smiles and looks up at Tara "Thank you! I really don't want to loose this hat – it's special! He gave it to me!"
Tara looks up at Jamie and Jamie nonchalantly shrugs in deflection.
Tara smiles at the way these two clearly love each other "Well I owe you guys a lot so anything I can do to pay you guys back!"
"Can you make the airline find his lost bag?" Eddie laughs out "Because I think only magic will make that happen and right now you're like a fairy godmother!
Tara raises an eyebrow as she looks at Jamie "Airline lost your bag?"
Jamie nods "Yeah but the travel agent is all over it so I'm sure they'll find it."
Tara shakes her head "Sadly in this day and age chances aren't good. When you've flown around as much as I have you realize that real quick - CARLOS!" Tara then calls out.
A guy hurries over.
"Please take Officer Reagan…"
Eddie leans towards Tara "It's Lieutenant now." She proudly corrects.
"Just Jamie is fine." Jamie insists.
"Carlos please take Jamie with you and put together some outfits for him from our samples. The airline lost his luggage."
Carlos' eyes light up "Anything?" he eagerly and giddily questions.
"Go nuts." Tara approves.
"Oh my god you just made my day!" Carlos over zealously squeals causing Jamie's eyes to go a bit wide.
"Oh um no…" Jamie begins to try to graciously reject "It's fine, I don't want to…"
"Oh you're going!" Eddie decides in amusement before looking at Tara "Can I go too? I don't want to miss this!"
Suddenly Tara's eyes start to dance "I have an idea. Carlos whip together a few outfits for Eddie – can I call you Eddie?"
"You saved my hat – absolutely!"
"Whip together a few outfits for Eddie as well. Give them the full treatment."
"Full treatment." Jamie questions in confusion.
"Yes!" Tara decides. "Full hair, make up and wardrobe. Consider this my belated wedding coming up on five year anniversary gift to you."
"Hair, make up, wardrobe?" Jamie questions "I'm still confused."
"We're going to do a little photo shoot." Tara excitedly decides.
Eddie's eyes go wide "You mean like.. like professional models?"
"Yes!"
"Oh no." Jamie begins again but Eddie's eyes light up "Jamie!" She squeals in delight "Let's do it!"
Jamie slowly closes his eyes and groans at his wife's excitement "Fine." he begrudgingly relents.
….
