Chapter 88: Sight Unseen
Eddie stands in the kitchen just finishing making herself a plate of snacks. She reaches to get a napkin but realizes they haven't even unpacked those yet so she turns and heads for the formal dining room in search of the box they would be in.
While Eddie is busy doing that, the overhead door in the garage opens and Jamie pulls The Chevelle in to park. He shuts the overhead door behind him then gets out while still picking crap off himself and heads for the door to the house. He opens it to step inside but is too preoccupied with giving his hair one last run through with his hand trying to knock out as many particles of debris as he can before stepping into the house to notice Reagan has bolted from inside the house into the garage. Jamie steps in the house, shuts the door then moves through the kitchen and living room making a beeline for the study just missing seeing his wife walk back into the kitchen from the formal dining room carrying a package of napkins. Jamie opens the safe and puts his off duty weapon inside then closes it before turning and heading back out into the living room.
While Jamie was doing that, Eddie is in the kitchen opening the package of napkins. She grabs one out but as she goes to pick up her plate the napkin slips from her hand and flutters down to the floor. Sighing in defeat, Eddie disappears from view now hidden behind the counter island as she awkwardly lowers herself towards the floor to grab it.
It is at this exact moment that Jamie reappears into the living room and heads straight for the stairs. "Ugh." he groans as he catches a whiff of himself – that shower can't come fast enough he thinks so he begins to climb the steps two at a time…
Having been successful in retrieving her napkin, Eddie stands back up, picks up her plate of snacks and heads to sit on the couch still completely unaware Jamie is even home never mind headed upstairs straight for their room...
Walking into his bedroom, Jamie closes the door and immediately pulls his shirt off but as he gets further into the room, he hears a noise coming from inside the bathroom. Thinking it's the shower, he smiles.
Well now! he thinks as he strips down to his boxers thinking maybe he and Eddie could get in a little shower fun but as he does, his ears zero in on the sound coming from beyond the door and he realizes it's not the shower he hears but the jets on the jacuzzi and he panics slightly knowing that whenever Eddie soaks in a tub she has a tendency to fall asleep and pregnant woman need to be careful about how long they stay in hot water…
"EDDIE!" He calls as he makes a beeline for the door.
Inside the bathroom, Rosa's eyes immediately fly open in a panic at hearing his voice "JAMIE! WAIT NO!" She calls but it's too late and the door swings open…
For a mere split second Jamie and Rosa lock eyes in silent surprised shock but the next second it's nothing but seer panic on both sides.
"WHOA! OKAY! NO!" Jamie rejects as his hand springs up in front of his face to block the view while slamming his eyes shut and turning away from the tub.
"JAMIE!" Rosa shrieks in a complete and total frenzy as she frantically slides herself as close to the tub wall as possible desperately trying to cover up.
….
Having just settled herself onto the couch with her snacks, Eddie bolts up a bit when she hears both Rosa's and Jamie's voices shrieking and yelling from upstairs and her eyes go wide in realization "Oh crap." She breathes out as she tries to hurry and get up and off the couch as quick as possible.
…..
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?" Jamie chides in an agitated panic as he immediately steps back out of the bathroom closing the door behind him.
"I WAS RELAXING MY SORE MUSCLES!" Rosa calls back in a fluster and the second the door closes she quickly steps out of the tub and hurries to frantically throw her robe on and cover up.
"I THOUGHT YOU WERE EDDIE!" Jamie tosses back at her through the door as he paces a bit trying to take deep calming breathes.
"CLEARLY!" Rosa sharply tosses back.
"Oh boy." Eddie chuckles as she come padding into the room causing Jamie to snap his head up and look at her "Sorry." She apologizes to her husband at seeing him wide eyed and on edge. "Didn't know you were home or I would have warned you."
Jamie just glares at his wife still trying to get his heart rate back to normal as he watches her move past him and up to the bathroom door "ROSA? YOU OKAY IN THERE?" Eddie calls "SORRY I DIDN'T KNOW HE CAME HOME."
"I'M FINE!" Rosa bites back in a voice that says she is clearly not fine.
"Can someone please explain to me what is going on?" Jamie demands in a hiss to his wife.
Eddie sighs as she turns to look back at her husband "Rosa has been moving and unpacking boxes all day and her back was getting sore so I told her to come up here and use the jacuzzi to relax."
Jamie just buries his face in his hands.
But then Eddie's face scrunches up "What's that smell?"
"ME!" Jamie spits back "I had to tackle a perp into a heap of garbage bags so silly me thought I would come home and take a shower!"
"Oh." Eddie notes now for the first time noticing him standing there is nothing but his boxers "Put some clothes back on." She instructs.
"YES PLEASE!" Rosa calls through the door "Because this isn't awkward enough." She mumbles to herself.
Realizing his wife is right, Jamie immediately reaches to grab his clothes and pull his pants and shirt back on.
"OKAY IS EVERYBODY DECENT NOW?" Eddie calls.
"YES!" Rosa growls through the door unimpressed.
Eddie cringes slightly as she slowly turns the knob "Coming in…" She announces as she slowly opens the door a crack and pokes her head in "Sorry." She sheepishly apologizes to Rosa.
Rosa just throws her a disgruntled look.
"I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING! I SWEAR!" Jamie calls out in a promise "God I can't believe I'm even having to say that." he mutters to himself in disbelief.
"Oh come on guys, this is funny." Eddie insists.
"NO ITS NOT!" Jamie and Rosa both reject in unison.
"It's a little funny." Eddie decides "But don't worry. I already know how to fix this so it will never happen again."
"Yeah, I'll never use this tub again!" Rosa tosses out.
"Nonsense." Eddie dismisses "Just from now on we'll just hang a sock on the door or something."
At hearing his wife's solution Jamie can't help but just look at his wife in disbelief "Seriously Eddie?"
"Well do you have a better idea?" Eddie challenges.
"A door lock?" Jamie tosses back.
From inside the bathroom Rosa cringes "Should have thought of that." she mutters in regret.
"Look guys…" Eddie tries to sooth "There are bound to be a few hiccups we didn't think of – this is one of them but see it's easily fixable – door locks - it's no big deal." She states really hoping she can convince both of them of that but all she gets in return is silence.
"Rosa." Eddie sighs "Can you come out please?"
Hesitantly and very reluctantly, Rosa steps out of the bathroom and into the same room as Jamie but neither one can bring themselves to look at one another.
Eddie looks back and forth between the pair and rolls her eyes "Guys we can be adults about this right now come on..." she prompts "Kiss and make up."
Jamie and Rosa both turn to glare at her.
Eddie shrugs "What? Just a little pregnant lady humor!"
Finally Rosa turns to look at Jamie "Your wife is weird because no other pregnant woman I know would be cracks jokes at this. Especially not one like that!"
"She's not like other women." Jamie replies before realizing he just stuck his foot in his mouth "No offense." he quickly and apologetically tacks on to Rosa.
"None taken." Rosa tosses back "Because that…" Rosa insinuates as she gestures between herself and Jamie "…would just be weird."
"Very weird." Jamie wholeheartedly agrees.
Eddie smiles as she looks between Jamie and Rosa "See isn't this good? Clearing the air?"
Suddenly Rosa scrunches her nose up and sniffs the air "Oh you do stink." She realizes as she looks at Jamie.
"I KNOW!" Jamie emphatically agrees.
"Yeah, go take a shower." Rosa agrees.
"THANK YOU!" Jamie accepts as the pair both simultaneously turn and head in different directions – Jamie into his bathroom where he immediately shuts the door and Rosa towards the bedroom exit but she only takes a couple of steps then pauses, turns back to look at the bathroom, ponders something then changes her mind and moves to leave again.
"What?" Eddie prompts
"Never mind." Rosa mutters "I'll get it later."
"What?" Eddie presses.
Again Rosa stops walking and turn to face Eddie "I forgot my book."
"Oh." Eddie notes "Okay hang on." She instructs as she turns to open the bathroom doo.
Rosa tries to call out to her to stop her but it was too late.
Undressing again in the bathroom, Jamie jumps when the door opens "Jesus Eddie." He grumbles in annoyance but yet relief when he sees its his wife.
"Sorry." Eddie apologizes again "Rosa forgot her book." She explains as she spots it, walks over and snatches it up "Don't mind me." She adds as she turns and heads back out of the bathroom "Here." She states as she shuts the bathroom door behind her and walks over to Rosa holding the book out.
"Thank you." Rosa mutters.
"Seriously are you okay?" Eddie asks in genuine concern.
Rosa nods "I'll be fine." she promises "Might just be a bit awkward for a while that's all."
Eddie offers her a sympathetic smile "Sorry." She again apologizes.
Rosa nods in silent acceptance then just turns and walks away.
Eddie sighs as she watches her leave then turns and heads to walk back to the bathroom. This time she lifts her hand and she gently knocks "Jamie its me, I'm coming in." She announces first before opening the door.
"Well thank you for knocking first." Jamie tosses at her.
Turning her head, Eddie sees her husband now in just his boxers again leaning against the bathroom counter "I thought you were taking a shower?"
"Just thought I'd wait and make sure there is nothing else Rosa forgot in here first."
"Oh." Eddie accepts.
Silence.
"Are you okay?" Eddie can't help but ask with a small little sympathetic smile.
Jamie heavily sighs "Do this job like there is trouble around every corner because one day there will be." he states from memory.
Eddie looks at her husband slightly confused "What?"
"My Dad said that to me – my first year on the job." Jamie explains "Do this job like there is trouble around every corner because one day there will be – I just didn't think that applied to my own bedroom but clearly I was wrong – so… noted!" he decides in a high pitched exasperated laugh "And that will NEVER happen again!" he promises to both himself and his wife and even Rosa.
Eddie frowns "Jamie. You're not supposed to be 'on alert' when home. Home is where you are supposed relax."
Jamie can't help but just start to manically laugh a bit "Right. That will be a piece of cake after today. I almost saw her naked Eddie!" he hisses out "Naked!"
"Jamie, breathe." Eddie prompts "It was just an accident."
Jamie takes a deep breath but then his eye drift over to the full tub of water and he can't stop his mind for flashing back to that moment he opened the bathroom door… "ARGH!" He cries in exasperation "You are letting that water out, not me!"
Eddie turns to look at the tub then back at her husband "Jamie, it's a tub of water."
"That Rosa was in!" Jamie tosses back.
Eddie rolls her eyes 'What does she have cooties?' she silently mumbles to herself in her brain but Eddie decides to humor her husband so she moves towards the tub. She sits on the edge, rolls up her sleeve and starts to cautiously lean forward and down but she only gets so far and has to stop when she feels herself start to tip off balance "Jamie a little help." She desperately pleads as she quickly tries to reach her hands out to grab something, anything to keep from falling over.
In an instant Jamie is by her side pulling her back up "I'll do it." he mutters as he reluctantly reaches around his wife into the water to pull the plug.
"Thank you." Eddie states before once again scrunching her nose up.
With Jamie right next to her the stench emanating off him is undeniable so she places a hand on his chest and slightly pushes him away as she leans backwards herself trying to get away from the smell "You really do stink, what was in those bags?"
"So many disgusting things Eddie." Jamie states with a shudder as he stands back up, turns and heads for the shower "So many. My hand punched right through a bag and ended up in some kind of sloppy, soupy mess that I could literally shake off and it splattered up into my hair and ugh!" he explains as he turns the shower on "I think there is still some under my finger nails..." he notes in disgust as he lifts his hand to look at it.
"Did you at least get the guy?"
"Yeah we got him but the squad car needs a good hose down now too." Jamie notes as he sticks his hand in the shower to test the water.
"Ugh." Eddie states as she watches her husband pull his hand back and begin to remove his boxers "I really thought once we moved out of patrol we'd be done with those kinds of collars."
"Disgusting crimes don't stop at the patrol door Eddie." Jamie counters "Here." he adds as he tosses his boxers at his wife "You sitting there is blocking my shot at the clothes hamper."
"What you couldn't have lobbed one up and over my head?" She challenges as she quickly reaches up to grab the article of clothing while Jamie steps into the shower.
"Couldn't see it so couldn't aim." Jamie counters back
"Because I'm as fat as a house." Eddie deduces as she gets up and moves to drop the boxers in the laundry.
Under the shower spray Jamie immediately drops his head in defeat realizing what he just said "Eddie." he sighs.
"I know, I know." Eddie sarcastically tosses back "I'm pregnant I'm not fat."
"Correct." Jamie reaffirms as he lifts his head and gets back to actually showering as he grabs for the shampoo bottle.
"I'm so over this Jamie." Eddie sighs as she moves to sit back on the ledge of the tub "I just want this kid out already."
"I know." Jamie relents in sympathy as he lathers up "But it's only a couple more months."
"When you are pregnant it feels like an eternity."
"Hey Eddie?" Jamie suddenly calls.
"Yeah?"
"The thing with Rosa…" Jamie slowly begins "Thank you for not freaking out over that."
Eddie laughs "Well one of the three of us needed to be level headed. In hindsight, I just find it funny that it was me the over emotional pregnant one!"
"Hence me saying thank you for not freaking out over that – I think that was my main reason for me freaking out – thinking you would freak out."
"Oh so you didn't actually mind walking in on her naked then huh? Interesting."
"Eddie…" Jamie warns "That is not what I'm saying and you know it."
"I know." Eddie muses with a smile "I'm just messing with you. A pregnant woman needs some fun some time."
"Oh I can show you fun." Jamie cheekily and very suggestively promises as he rinses.
Eddie raises an eyebrow, her interest – and libido - peaked "You wash that stink away yet?" She queries as she gets up and moves to lock the bathroom door.
"I think there is this one spot on my back I might need help with."
"Did you want me to go get Rosa?" Eddie just can't help but say as she begins to undress.
Beat.
"Are you seriously trying to kill the mood here?" Jamie finally counters in disbelief.
Eddie shrugs as she shimmies her clothes off "Not at all because you see I find riled up and flustered Jamie to be extremely hot." she adds before opening the shower door "Hi." she greets.
Jamie turns to look at her and smiles as he lets his eyes roam her body "Well hello!" he happily greets as he watches his wife lean in towards him and sniff.
"Good you smell better now." she accepts "Now get over." she instructs before stepping inside with her husband and shutting the door behind her…
"I locked the door." Eddie informs her husband.
"Thank god." Jamie groans out before nothing but the fuzzy silhouette of 2 people sandwiched together can be made out through the steamed up glass door…
...
