Chapter 111: Meet The Chevelle
Eddie walks up to the door to the garage in the kitchen and looks out to see Jamie and Danny working on his Mustang together. She smiles.
"What are you smiling at?" Mia questions as she walks into the kitchen and up to the fridge.
"Your Uncles working on your Uncle Danny's car." Eddie explains as Mia opens the fridge.
"Oh is that today?" Mia questions as she grabs a drink then shuts the fridge and walks over to look herself.
"Ugh excuse me." Eddie mutters as she moves to quickly walk away "Bathroom calls."
Mia glances at her Aunt then turns her attention back to her Uncles as she cracks the can open. She takes a sip of her drink then pushes the door open and silently walks into the garage and down the stairs towards them "So whatcha doing?" she inquires.
Danny and Jamie look towards the sound of her voice to see the young girl standing next to the car, soda in hand and she takes another sip.
"Fixing my car." Danny offers.
"Yes I get that." Mia counters "But what SPECIFICALLY are you doing?"
Jamie eyes his god daughter "Are you interested in learning how to fix cars?"
Mia shrugs "Won't know until you show me."
Jamie and Danny look at one another, they both shrug then look back at Mia "Okay." Jamie accepts "Put your drink down then grab that wrench."
…..
Jamie stands in the garage putting the tools away when Eddie walks into the garage from the house and looks around "Danny leave?"
"Yeah." Jamie confirms "Now we know what parts we need so he's off to find them."
"Oh." Eddie accepts "Okay. So won't be up and running today then huh?"
"Nope." Jamie confirms again.
Eddie smiles at her husband "You really do love working on car don't you?"
"I do." Jamie admits.
Eddie walks over to The Chevelle and runs her fingers lightly over the hood as she walks beside the car "I'll never forget the first time you introduced me to your pride and joy here."
Jamie slowly looks over to his wife and smile creeps up onto his face.
FLASHBACK FALL 2018
"Okay are you ready?" Jamie asks as he places his hand on the doorknob to his father's garage while looking back at his fiancée behind him.
Eddie laughs "Am I ready to step into a garage and meet a car? Jamie, you get that you seem to be making a bigger deal out of this then you introducing me as your fiancée to your family right?"
"Well it kind of is Eddie." Jamie points out "She'll be living with us day in and day out. I want you two to get along." he tries to state with as straight a face as he possibly can.
Eddie huffs out a laugh and rolls her eyes "Just open the door."
"Okay." Jamie relents as he turns the knob, opens the door, flicks on the light then steps in and to the side to make room for Eddie "Eddie, meet The Chevelle."
Eddie walks into the garage and for the first time her eyes land on Jamie's shiny powder blue '71 Chevelle "Jamie!" Eddie gushes impressed "She's nice!"
Jamie smiles with pride "So you like her?"
Eddie walks over and runs her fingers over the hood "What's not to like? She's a V8 right?"
"Yes." Jamie confirms "The SS 350 V8."
"So lots of power." Eddie commends "Nice."
Jamie laughs "Yes of course you'd like that."
Eddie begins to do a full circle around the car checking her out "New paint job?"
Jamie nods "Yup. So new she's practically still drying."
"I can tell." Eddie admits "And the tires?"
"Whitewall rally mags." Jamie offers.
"Must have cost a pretty penny." Eddie points out.
"It wasn't cheap." Jamie admits.
Eddie nod in acceptance "Well just so you know, maintaining my baby isn't cheap either."
"Didn't think so." Jamie also accepts.
"Good." Eddie quips "Now that that's settled!" she adds as the future married couple agree that both their cars will cost money, Eddie reaches the driver's side again "May I?" She requests as she reaches for the door handle.
"By all means." Jamie offers so opening the driver's door, Eddie slides into the driver's seat and looks around "She's nice Jamie." She repeats again "And you put her back together yourself?"
"I had some help from Conner – he's my new chevy mechanic and of course the body shop for the paint job…" Jamie admits "…but yeah, mostly myself."
"I'm impressed." Eddie admits as she puts both her hands on the steering wheel trying to get a feel for the car "Hi I'm your new Mama." She tells the car before looking up at Jamie "Is she ready to drive?"
Jamie shakes his head "Not quite. Need one more part to come in first."
"Oh. Okay." Eddie reluctantly pouts with a fallen face before looking up at Jamie and narrowing her eyes "I will get to drive her right?"
Jamie laughs "Yes." he confirms "It's like you said you're her new Mama, just like I'm your baby's new Daddy." He arrogantly quips.
"You're just marrying me for my Porsche aren't you?" Eddie tosses out in a challenge.
"Damn." Jamie cheekily sighs in defeat "You figured it out."
"Well as long as I get her in the process." Eddie decides as she once again looks around the interior of the car "I'll call it a fair trade."
"Whew." Jamie states in relief causing Eddie to laugh.
"So ah…" she then begins as she glances behind her "...you ever make out in the backseat?"
Jamie raises an eyebrow at his fiancée and a smile creeps up onto his face "Why Miss Janko, are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?"
"Well I don't know Mr. Reagan." Eddie counters with an innocent little gleam in her eyes "What it is you think I am suggesting?"
"That we make out in the backseat." Jamie flat out tells her.
"So did you want to yes or no?" Eddie counters right back.
In response, Jamie silently reaches into the car and gently pulls his fiancée out and to her feet. He then reaches back into the car and moves the driver's seat forward. He stands back up.
Taking that as her cue, Eddie begins to turn to get in the car but before she even finishes, Jamie reaches out and turns her back towards him and the second her face is within reach Jamie dips down and kisses her lips passionately and hungrily.
Eddie immediately wraps her arms around his body and begins to tug at his shirt "Backseat now." she commands as she breaks the kiss and climbs into the backseat with Jamie quickly following.
"Wait you have a condom right?" Eddie questions between kisses.
"Always prepared." Jamie states as he fishes his wallet out of his back pocket and haphazardly passes it to Eddie "Side slot. You need to know where I keep them."
END OF FLASHBACK
"So if I said 'backseat now' what would you say?" Eddie seductively challenges "I think I can still fit."
Jamie raises his eyebrows at his wife.
"Danny left." Eddie explains "Rosa and Mia went shopping. We have the house and the garage all to ourselves."
Jamie tosses the shop towel in his hands over his shoulder and makes a beeline for his wife "Then I'd say open the door and get in."
Giggling, Eddie opens the driver's door "I'll let you move the seat forward."
"But of course m'lady." Jamie gallantly quips as he complies.
"Thank you kind sir." Eddie returns as she turns and awkwardly tries to make her way into the backseat "This is definitely getting harder to do." she admits but she makes it "There!" She quips in triumph as she watches her husband climb into the backseat with her "Well if we though it was cramped in here before…" She mutters out as the pair try to manuever themselves in the backseat but they keep bumping into one another and the seat.
"Ow." Eddie mutters.
Jamie immediately pulls back "You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Eddie insists as she reaches to pull him back towards her but she winces slightly as a move she tries to make doesn't go exactly as planned.
Jamie pulls completely back and sighs "You are not fine."
"ARRRRGH!" Eddie cries in defeat "I don't know why I thought I could do this."
"It's the thought that counts?" Jamie hopefully counters back.
Suddenly Eddie's eyes go a bit wide "Ah crap get out." She demands "I gotta pee!"
Quickly Jamie gets out of the car then moves to help his wife out "Ooooooh I hope I make it!" Eddie whines as she rushes for the house as fast as she can go.
Jamie watches her leave then looks at The Chevelle and smiles as his mind flashback to the day The Chevelle was ready to make its road debut.
FLASHBACK FALL 2018
Eddie sits on a stool in Frank's garage watching as Jamie torques the remaining loose bolt on the engine of The Chevelle tight then when he's done, he stands up "Okay she's ready."
Eddie immediately hops off the stool as Jamie reaches into his pocket to pull out the keys "Here." He offers as he holds them out to his fiancée.
Eddie's eyes go a bit wide "Me? Jamie she's your car!"
"Well I need you to start her up so I can check everything under the hood while she's running."
Eddie offers her fiancé a small smile knowing full well he could just start it up himself and then move to check under the hood but he was offering her the privilege of being the first to start her up and she was touched by the gesture "Okay." She accepts as she swipes the keys out of his hand.
She moves to get into the driver's seat as Jamie opens the overhead door for airflow and light floods the garage.
Eddie sits in the driver's seat with the driver's door still open "Okay you ready?" She calls out.
"Ready!" Jamie returns as he stands right in front of the car looking at the engine so Eddie puts the key in the ignition and turns it.
The Chevelle roars to life.
A huge smile graces Jamie's face as he watches the engine of the car he poured so much time, energy and money into restoring hum away and he just can't help himself "Give it some gas!" he calls.
Smiling from ear to ear herself in the driver's seat, Eddie does as instructed and revs the engine.
..
Sitting at the kitchen table inside the house, Frank and Henry lift their heads when they hear a familiar sound.
"He did it." Frank mutters in awe as he stands and moves to look out the window with Henry following.
When they get there, they see the overhead door of the garage open and Jamie shutting the hood over the engine on the car.
"Okay turn on the headlights." Jamie instructs.
After a quick search of the dashboard, Eddie finds the light switch and complies so Jamie moves around the car checking all is in working order.
"Flashers." He instructs again so Eddie turns off the headlights and turns on the flashers.
"Left turn signal." Jamie continues on "Right turn signal."
"Brake lights." Jamie instructs so Eddie presses on the brake.
"Well?" Eddie prompts after he finishes going through the checklist "Did we pass?"
Jamie walks up the driver's side door unable to stop smiling "With flying colors."
"NICE!" Eddie giddily quips.
"Want to drive her out the door?" Jamie offers.
In response, Eddie's smile widens as she reaches for the driver's door to shut it with her still in the driver's seat.
Smiling himself, Jamie walks out the overhead door and stands in the center of the driveway marking the spot he wants Eddie to drive to.
Shifting into drive, Eddie slowly rolls the car out the garage door and into the bright sunlight.
"Whoa." Henry breathes out as he and Frank watch The Chevelle with Eddie behind the wheel roll out of the garage and come to a stop right in front of Jamie "He really loves her doesn't he?" he notes as the sunlight bounces off the shiny new paint job making the car sparkle and gleam.
Frank smiles a knowing smile "The two greatest loves of his life just rolled to a stop right before him."
"Should we go out?" Henry inquires.
"No." Frank rejects "Let them have this moment together."
Henry glances at his son "You had a similar moment with Mary didn't you?" He realizes.
Franks offers a small smile and a slight shrug but then opens the window and pulls his phone out. He pulls up the camera app, aims his phone at his son, his old car and his future daughter in law and snaps a picture capturing the moment for all time.
Locking eyes with Eddie as she rolls to a stop in front of him, Jamie just can't stop smiling and neither can Eddie but she shifts into park then opens her door to get out "Okay are we going for a drive or what?" She prompts "And you're driving!" She adds as she starts for the passenger's side and Jamie moves to the driver's side and for the first time ever the couple slides into the car together.
They put their seatbelts on and then Jamie shifts into drive "Here. We. Go." He states as he guides the car out of the driveway and onto the road for the first time in almost eight years and it was most definitely worth the wait – like a lot of other things he notes as he glances at his fiancée in the seat next to him.
"What?" Eddie questions at seeing his glance.
"Just realizing that good things come to those that wait." Jamie offers.
Eddie huffs out a laugh "Isn't that the truth!" She quips before turning a bit quiet "Thank you."
Jamie glances at Eddie as he continues to drive "For?" He questions in slight confusion.
"For letting me share in this moment with you." Eddie replies "I know how long you've been working on this car."
"Well I'm going to counter and say thank you to you." Jamie returns.
"Me?" Eddie questions "Why?"
"For wanting to be included in this moment." Jamie explains "Not all fiancée's out there would be and that means a lot to me."
"Ah." Eddie notes in understanding with a gentle bob of her head up and down.
Silence.
"So is this as fast as she goes?" Eddie suddenly questions causing Jamie to laugh.
"We're going the speed limit." Jamie counters.
"That's not what I asked." Eddie tosses back.
Jamie shrugs in deflection.
"Never mind then." Eddie dismisses "I'll just find out for myself later when I get behind the wheel – and do not even think about turning your head to look at me! Keep those eyes on the road!" She chides before leaning slightly forward and gently patting the dashboard "Don't you worry, I'll take you for a good spin and stretch those muscles when Daddy's not looking. You and me are going to get along just fine."
"Stretch those muscles?" Jamie challenges.
"What? She's a muscle car." Eddie defends.
Jamie shakes his head at her antics "Yeah well, do that and maybe I'll report her as stolen."
Eddie huffs out a laugh "And risk scratching her new paint job when she gets towed away – I don't think so!"
"Damn." Jamie mutters "You know me so well."
"Besides." Eddie dismisses "You wouldn't do that. You love me. If you didn't you would not have let me be the first to start her up and drive her out of the garage."
At that moment, Danny in his squad car on his way to his Dad's spots The Chevelle driving in the opposite direction and he does a double take "He did it." He breathes out as he watches his brother and fiancée drive past him so making a split second decision, Danny whips his car around 180 degrees and flicks his lights on. He lets the siren wail just a few seconds to get his brother's attention.
Looking behind them to see lights flashing, Eddie glances at Jamie "Um what did we do wrong?"
"Nothing." Jamie replies as he pulls over but when he sees his brother get of the squad car he suddenly gets it "Oh."
"Danny?" Eddie questions in surprise as Jamie opens his car door to get out.
"Driver's license and registration please!" Danny quips as he walks up to his brother.
"That's cute." Jamie returns but he makes no move to comply with the request.
"So you finally did it huh?" Danny notes as he takes in the car "Good job Kid! Hi Eddie." He then greets his future sister in law.
"Danny." Eddie returns as she also gets out.
"Is she safetied to be on the road yet though?" Danny questions.
"What are you in patrol all of a sudden?" Jamie counters annoyed.
Danny shrugs "Just doing my civic duty."
"She's got a repair license plate." Jamie points out "We're good."
"I know. I saw." Danny admits with a chuckle.
"Then why did you ask?" Jamie tosses back.
"Cuz it's fun." Danny counters as he walks to the front of the car "Come on pop the hood, let me see." so Jamie reaches down into the car and pulls the hood release.
Danny then reaches to open the hood and let's out a low whistle of approval as Jamie walks to his brother's side "Missed that sound." Danny admits.
Jamie smiles.
Suddenly the engine revs.
Surprised, Jamie and Danny both lean over to see Eddie behind the wheel and she flashes the brothers a big bright smile "What?" She deflects "Just giving Danny the full experience."
"I like her." Danny tells his brother.
Jamie chuckles "So do I."
"Well I should hope so." Danny points out "You're marrying her."
Suddenly Eddie shuts the driver's door and locks it.
Jamie eyes his fiancée's action and moves to the driver's door "What are you doing?"
Eddie rolls the window down slightly "I'm driving now."
"Oh really?" Jamie challenges.
Suddenly Danny drops the hood back down into place over the engine with a clang "Well!" He quips as he wipes his hands together like he just completed a task "Your future wife has spoken. I'm out of here!" He adds as he makes a beeline back to his squad car not wanting to stick around for the fight he is sure is about to follow.
"You let me drive now…" Eddie offers "…and they next time we take my baby you can drive."
Jamie only has to think about that a mere second "Okay." He accepts as he heads to the passenger's side.
About to slide into his own seat, Danny looks quizzically at his brother already walking to the passenger side "You're giving in?" He calls to his brother "Just like that?"
Jamie shrugs "She drives now. I drive The Porsche next."
"Oh. Well then. Right." Danny mutters as he thinks about how that is really a win win for his brother.
"Please be gentle." Jamie requests of his fiancée as he slides into the passenger's seat.
Eddie leans over and placatingly pats his hand "I will be. I know she's your first."
"And you're my last." Jamie simply counters.
Eddie purses her lips together at his comment feeling a rush of love and giddiness and she gives in "FINE! I won't speed!"
Jamie smiles "Thank you." He simply accepts as he reaches for his seatbelt.
END OF FLASHBACK
"Jamie." Jamie hears Eddie say.
"Jamie." Eddie repeats again.
"JAMIE!" Eddie calls louder.
"Huh?" Jamie questions as he turns to look towards the voice to see his wife standing on the stairs from the house.
"What were you thinking about?" Eddie questions as she walks down the steps "You were a million miles away just now."
Jamie smiles "Just remembering the day she was finally roadworthy again." he explains as he gestures at The Chevelle.
"Ah." Eddie notes in understanding as she walks to her husband's side.
"Did I ever tell you…" Jamie begins "…that Dad and Pop were watching us from the kitchen window when you drove her out of the garage that first time?"
"No you didn't." Eddie replies "They were?"
Jamie nods as he pulls out his phone and opens an app. He searches something then turns his phone around to show his wife "Dad even took this."
Eddie takes Jamie's phone and sees the picture Frank took "Oh!" She states in surprise now taking in the moment from a completely different angle "Why didn't they come out?"
Jamie smiles "Dad wanted to give us that moment."
Eddie smiles as she hands Jamie back his phone "He really is just a big teddy bear isn't he?"
"A BIG teddy bear." Jamie jokes.
"Well I hope our daughter thinks you're a big teddy bear too."
Jamie huffs out a laugh and blushes slightly.
"Ohhh there's the reaction I was looking for!" Edie giddily quips as her eyes drift from The Chevelle to Danny's Mustang "You know its too bad we can't do it in backseats right now. We never did do it in your Mustang before you got rid of it."
Jamie slowly turns his head to look at his wife and his mouth drops open a bit before he just huffs out a laugh "Danny's Mustang huh?"
Eddie shrugs.
"You never cease to surprise me." Jamie states in awe.
"I like to keep you on your toes."
"Raincheck?" Jamie offers.
"On The Chevelle or The Mustang?" Eddie tries to clarify.
A mischievous smile appears on Jamie's face "Both."
"Both?" Eddie repeats impressed "And how are we going to manage that?"
"Oh I'm sure there will still be minor tweaks and repairs that require the Mustang to spend some more time here."
"You just really like the idea of doing it in your brother's car don't you?" Eddie challenges.
"Well it's not like he hasn't done it in The Chevelle!" Jamie tosses back.
"Oh." Eddie states in surprise at the revelation "Really?"
Jamie nods and sighs "Erin too."
Eddie bursts out laughing.
"And for all I know Joe was conceived in that backseat." Jamie adds.
"Nephew or brother?" Eddie tries to clarify.
"Um maybe both or neither." Jamie deflects with a shrug "Who knows but she was Joe's before she was mine so I figure if not Paula, at least Angela."
"Oh my god…" Eddie suddenly breathes out in realization "…were YOU conceived in that backseat?"
"I don't know!" Jamie counters.
"Wow." Eddie notes as she moves towards The Chevelle "If only you could talk – the stories you could tell! And apparently quite a few x-rated ones too! Who knew the Reagans were so scandalous!"
"You're loving this aren't you?" Jamie tosses at his wife.
"Oh absolutely!" Eddie quips. She opens her mouth to say something else but then changes her mind and closes it.
"What?" Jamie prompts.
"Never mind." Eddie dismisses.
Jamie narrows his eyes and studies his wife "No it was something."
"Its nothing you want to hear." Eddie promises before laughing a little "Trust me."
Suddenly a thought crosses Jamie's mind "Oh man, really Eddie?" he whines out flustered "Our daughter? You had to go putting that thought in my head? ARGH!"
Eddie shrugs "Told you you didn't want to hear it but come on Jamie! It's clearly a family tradition!" She laughs.
"No, no, NO!" Jamie cries as he covers his ears "Do not say that!"
Suddenly Eddie places her hands on her stomach and talks to her baby "No I know Sweetie but Daddy's putting his foot down. You can't make out in the backseat of The Chevelle."
"Stop that right now!" Jamie demands.
"Okay she's the one protesting not me." Eddie innocently points out.
Jamie glares at his wife.
"Did you want to chide your daughter while she's still in the womb?" Eddie simple inquires "I can wait while you do."
Jamie throws his hands up in defeat.
Eddie giggles.
"I'm going back in the house." Jamie decides as he turns to head to the stairs.
"The house!" Eddie announces as she follows "Yet another thing steeped in family tradition!"
"Please stop." Jamie pleads.
"If you want me to stop you're gonna have to distract me with something more interesting and fun." Eddie challenges "But it would have to be good because this is pretty interesting and fun."
Stopping on a dime, Jamie whips around, reaches out, picks up his wife's hand and pulls her into him.
"Oh hello." Eddie nods as Jamie's arm snakes around her waist and he pulls her close to him "Now we're talking."
"Mrs. Reagan, would you care to dance?" Jamie simply inquires.
"Hmmm." Eddie ponders not quite willing to give in just yet "To what beat there maestro? I don't hear any music."
Jamie immediately drops his arms from around his wife "You are impossible." he chides as he steps back, turns and walks up the steps into the house.
"And you clearly give up too easy!" Eddie points out with a laugh as she follows.
"In your opinion." Jamie corrects "Yet to me, I asked. You declined."
"Okay I never declined." Eddie counters "I asked a question and instead of answering it, you walked away!"
Jamie shrugs "Potato, Pot-atoe."
Eddie stares at her husband a moment in disbelief before shaking her head dismissively "Okay hang on how did we even get to where we are?"
"You wanted banter." Jamie simply explains.
"I what?" Eddie questions.
"You wanted something interesting and fun." Jamie continues "For us that's bantering."
Again, Eddie stares at her husband. A moment later she opens her mouth to speak but then changes her mind.
Jamie flashes his wife a smile "I'll just let you noodle on that." he offers as he turns to walks away.
"GET BACK HERE!" Eddie demands so Jamie turns back around to face his wife.
"Yes?" he sweetly inquires.
Eddie takes a deep breath and then lets it out "I would like to take you up on your offer for a dance if it is still good."
Jamie smiles triumphantly at his wife and holds his hand out to her "See was that so hard?"
"It was actually." Eddie admits as she places her hand in his and Jamie pulls her into him "Really, really hard!"
"Pay off is all the sweeter then." Jamie offers as they both just stand there.
Beat.
"So seriously... music?" Eddie questions.
"Shhhh." Jamie chides as he looks past his wife towards the house "I hear something."
Eddie listens but hears nothing "What? What do you hear? I hear nothing." But then she gets a thought "Wait. If you say something corny like the music in our hearts…"
"Ugh." Jamie groans in disgusted rejection "Never. Thought I heard something in the house."
A noise sounds.
"There it is again." Jamie states.
"Okay that I heard." Eddie agrees as she and Jamie break apart and head to investigate.
They open the door to the kitchen to see a frustrated Jamko dragging his big dog bed across the floor trying to shake Reagan off of it who is in the center of the bed - claws fully extended for grip – stubbornly hanging on for the ride.
"Right. We live with pets." Jamie realizes as Eddie's face breaks out into the biggest grin "Oh my god look at them! That's hilarious!" She laughs as she heads after the four legged duo pulling out her phone to record and watch them as Jamko keeps dragging the bed around.
"And distracted." Jamie chuckles to himself with a slight shake of his head.
...