Chapter 90: I Will Survive
Jamie parks in the garage and the second he opens the door to get out he is hit with the muffled sound of loud music coming from inside the house. Scrunching his face up a bit, Jamie moves to the door leading into the kitchen and the second he opens it he is blasted with loud music "What the…" He breathes out as he walks into the kitchen and looks towards the living room to see Mia and Rosa dancing up a storm around Eddie who stands in the center of them sways rhythmically to the beat as well as they all sing along with the lyrics of the song he doesn't recognize.
For a moment he simply crosses his arms and watches them in amazement.
This is his life now… he realizes…
Suddenly Rosa looks over and spots him. Her eyes go wide in a slight panic before she quickly reaches for a remote to turn the music off.
"Hey!" Mia and Eddie both protest.
"Um… we have an audience." Rosa explains as she gestures towards Jamie.
Eddie and Mia look over "Hey your home!" Eddie brightly greets while Mia's face scrunches up "That's not an audience. It's just Uncle Jamie."
"Oh, just Uncle Jamie." Jamie repeats with a laugh "Everyone having fun?"
"Well we were until you came home and apparently ruined our fun." Eddie cheekily counters.
"Well I'm sorry." Jamie apologizes "Did you want me to leave again so you may all continue?" He over sweetly inquires as he looks from Eddie down to Mia then up to Rosa "Or if you just point me in the direction of where Reagan is hiding, I'll go join him."
Eddie giggles "I'd guess basement."
"Works for me." Jamie quips as he heads in that direction so Eddie picks up the remote and turns the music back on.
Jamie walks down the stairs into the basement and smiles.
His little mancave he can't but think as he looks in one direction to see his leather couch, big screen TV and the minibar. He then shifts his gaze the other way to see his boxing bag, free weights and a treadmill.
He moves to the couch, picks up the TV remote and points it at the TV turning it on before he settles himself on the couch and puts his feet up.
He starts flipping channels.
And flipping.
And flipping.
Suddenly he leans his head back on the couch and looks towards the ceiling as the sound of loud - although now slightly muffled music from upstairs continues to reach his ears.
He shakes his head when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulls it out to see a text from his wife of a selfie of her, Rosa and Mia all smiling and laughing.
"And soon there will be four of them." Jamie sighs as he really does start to wonder what he's gotten himself into when Reagan suddenly jumps up onto the couch to sit next to him.
"I know Buddy." Jamie greets as he reaches over and gives the cat's head a scratch. "Stick with me and we'll get through this together." he adds before taking his phone, leaning down towards the cat and taking a selfie of the two of them.
He texts it to his wife with the caption "I will survive." before putting his phone down and continuing to absently flip channels.
About a minute later the currently playing song upstairs ends and there are a few moments of silence.
Jamie raises a hopeful eyebrow and tilts his head listening wondering if the dance party upstairs is over but a moment later he hears more music begin "Guess not." he mutters as he listens trying to make out the song and it doesn't take long before he recognizes it as Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" and a heavy groan escapes his lips at his wife's purposeful mocking of his text as he lets his body fall backwards onto the back of the couch in defeat.
A moment later Jamie hears a noise behind him so he turns his head back towards the stairs to see Mia followed by Eddie dancing down the steps heading towards him.
Reagan not liking their moves, jumps off the couch and scampers away as the duo dance their way in front of Jamie blocking his view of the TV and in return, Jamie shoots his wife an unimpressed look as he leans over trying to look around them.
Eddie flashes him a smile then both she and Mia move out of his way and as Mia continues to make a complete circle happily dancing her way back towards and then up the stairs disappearing back onto the main floor, Eddie dances her way over to her husband on the couch.
Jamie looks up at his wife "That was cute Eddie." he tells her but as he watches his wife he can't help but get an amused look on his face.
Eddie again flashes a smile then beckons her husband towards her with her index finger.
"I'm trying to watch the game." Jamie simply deflects as he gestures at the TV.
"Yeah?" Eddie challenges as she steps right in front of her husband again blocking his view of the TV so he can't look at it "Who's playing?"
Not having the slightest clue because he hadn't actually settled on watching anything in particular, Jamie tries to think of a good answer fast but can't.
Eddie laughs knowing she's got him "Busted!"
"FINE!" Jamie admits "But who can concentrate on anything with that loud music blaring upstairs!"
"You will survive." Eddie reminds him before dropping her arms and sagging her shoulders "Now help me sit because I'm tired."
Jamie immediately reaches to help his wife down onto the couch next to him.
"Oh that's better." Eddie states in relief as she slowly puts her feet up then reaches over and takes the remote away from her husband "So seriously, who's playing?"
Jamie smiles as he and his wife settle in and Eddie begins flipping channels trying to find something for them to watch "I wonder if the Flyers are playing?"
"It's summer Eddie." Jamie points out as the music upstairs ends "You know hockey is over for the season."
Eddie giggles as she looks around the room "You know if you want this to be a mancave you are going to have to seriously set it up in the décor department."
"Excuse me?" Jamie questions as he looks around at the collection of his memorabilia items already on display from his old apartment that were in storage.
"Where are the loud and flashy sports and classic car signage and memorabilia?" Eddie inquires "The girly pictures hanging on the wall?" She can't help but jokingly rib.
Jamie huffs out a laugh "Oh girly pictures hanging on the wall?" He challenges "Well if you must know, I'm waiting for my wife to gift it to me for Christmas and my birthday – especially the girly pictures." He decides "That way I can't get in trouble for bringing something she doesn't like into the house."
Eddie looks at her husband very impressed "Oh that's good." she commends.
''I know." Jamie arrogantly returns as Eddie's eyes begin to seriously look around the room
"Hmmmm." She ponders. "You know we should frame and hang the Jets Jersey I got you for Christmas and then maybe for fun get a Flyer's…"
"Ah no." Jamie immediately rejects "We can hang the Jets jersey but there will be no Flyer jersey hanging on the wall in my mancave – especially one that says 'Reagan' on it. I have a reputation to maintain."
"But this is half my mancave too." Eddie points out.
Jamie looks at his wife floored "It's a MANcave Eddie. MANcave!"
"And I'm a woMAN." Eddie insists "Maybe some flowers on the bar… we could stop by the art store and…"
Jamie just stares at his wife not sure what to say or do "You're playing with me right?" he finally prompts "Please tell me your playing with me?"
Eddie narrows her eyes at her husband causing Jamie to start to become really nervous that she's serious.
Suddenly a grin breaks out onto Eddie's face "Yes I'm just messing with you." she promises with a laugh.
Jamie blows out a breath of air in relief.
"And any girly pictures I give you for your birthday will certainly NOT be appropriate to be hanging on the wall." Eddie nonchalantly adds.
Slowly Jamie turns his head to look at his wife with wide eyes.
She raises her eyes suggestively at him.
A wide grin breaks out on Jamie's face "Well Happy Birthday to me! Any chance I can get a preview of that?" he seriously inquires.
Eddie turns her head and looks back towards the stairs leading to the main floor to make sure they are still alone "Maybe later." She coyly offers "Upstairs." She adds
Somehow Jamie's grin widens as husband and wife stare at one another – heat in their eyes.
Suddenly they hear a noise and both look behind them to the stairs to see Rosa descending them with a heaping laundry basket full of dirty clothes.
Jamie and Eddie immediately behave.
"Dance party over?" Eddie asks.
"Yup." Rosa confirms as she heads for the laundry room "Back to the grind."
Silence as Jamie and Eddie watch her disappear into the next room.
"I guess we should get back to the grind too." Eddie sighs.
"And what grind would that be?" Jamie innocently whispers to her.
Eddie huffs out a laugh and lightly swats at her husband "Not that grind!" She admonishes "I'm thinking more like - oh mowing the lawn or…"
A giddy grin breaks out on Jamie's face "Oh I'm doing that on Saturday!"
Eddie looks at her husband in surprise "You're actually looking forward to that? Wait never mind…" she realizes "Of course you are - it will just be you and a motor."
Jamie's grin widens "Just me, the lawn mower and the smell of fresh cut grass. Doesn't get any better than that."
"Well I can think of many things better then that." Eddie rejects "Starting with you washing the cars shirtless in the driveway."
Jamie let's out a laugh "Um I think you have that backwards. I was looking forward to watching YOU wash the cars in the driveway."
"Oh I don't think so." Eddie rejects "In order to wash the cars I need to be able to reach them." She points out "And this belly makes that impossible."
"Raincheck?" Jamie hopefully inquires "Because you, me, the cars and a garden hose sounds pretty perfect."
For a moment Eddie looks adoringly at her husband as they both mentally picture the scene in their own heads and then Eddie clears her throat "Um we'll need to make that one of the days Rosa and Mia are out."
"Oh absolutely." Jamie whole heartedly agrees with a lick of his lips "Ab. Sol. Utley."
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